When BMW hinted that they’d be unveiling something at the prestigious Concorso d’Eleganza—happening right now on the scenic banks of Lake Como—we automatically assumed it would be another variant of the new BMW R 12 nineT. As it turns out, we were very, very wrong. Get a load of the BMW R20 Concept; a hot pink roadster with a 2,000 cc boxer motor.
Yes, you read that right. Not content with the already gargantuan R18, BMW has gone even bigger in their pursuit of motorcycling nirvana (read: sales). The BMW R20 Concept has hit the two-liter mark, bringing it closer to bonafide muscle bikes like the Triumph Rocket III.
While BMW tout the R20 as a concept bike, we know better. Nine times out of ten, the Bavarian marque’s concept bikes are near-production-ready bikes in disguise. So we’re fully expecting to see something in this vein hit the market sometime in the future.
While the BMW R20 Concept’s motor is likely derived from the R18, its chassis is all new. Constructed around a chromoly backbone, the new design boasts more aggressive numbers than the low and long R18, with a steering head angle of 62.5 degrees, and a wheelbase of 1,550 mm.
Of particular interest is the R20’s new swingarm. BMW adapted the R18’s exposed driveshaft, but re-packaged it with a double-sided Paralever swingarm that uses a mix of chromoly and aluminum parts. As expected, BMW says that the new setup is designed to cope with the 2,000 cc powerplant’s excessive torque.
The BMW R20 Concept also gets a 17” spoked wheel at the front, and a 17” disc wheel at the back, with a whopping 6.25-inch-wide tire. Upside-down Öhlins Blackline forks prop up the front, with a matching shock wedged into the rear end. The brakes are from Sweden’s ISR, and use twin six-piston calipers up front and a single four-piston caliper out back.
The BMW R20 Concept’s bodywork is remarkably minimalist. A heavily sculpted fuel tank dominates the design, with a floating bobber-style seat behind it. Save for a neat front fender, there’s nothing else cluttering up the bike.
The fuel tank’s hot pink paint job is apparently a throwback to the 1970s—and while we can’t remember a BMW (motorcycle or automobile) with this particular hue, it looks bananas. The seat features Alcantara and leather upholstery, with twin LED taillights giving the tail a modern muscle car vibe. Peppered with polished aluminum and anodized gunmetal finishes, the BMW R20 Concept has presence in spades.
Other bespoke details include the cylinder head covers, belt cover, and oil cooler. Open stacks suck air into the motor, visually tracing a line to the gnarly open exhaust headers. Up top, aggressive street bike bars sit behind a dash borrowed from the BMW R 12, with a 3D-printed headlight bucket housing a powerful LED unit.
Given the BMW R18’s lackluster market performance, it’s tempting to throw shade at BMW for creating yet another oversized boxer. But as a standalone machine, the R20 Concept stuns.
There are no clear references to BMW’s back catalog here. Rather, the R20 Concept appears to have taken its inspiration from the scores of custom BMW boxers that have dominated the airwaves over recent years (and it’s quite possible that one or more custom builders had a hand in its creation). It’s a fresh take on the big boxer genre, and a gutsy one at that.
Assuming the BMW R20 Concept makes it into production—without losing too much of its stripped-down aesthetic in the process—we’ll be rooting for it. While the R18 flailed as an answer to a question that no one asked, the R20 has potential as a brutal and focused muscle bike.
Whether it proves to be a hit among fans of bikes like the Triumph Rocket III or Harley-Davidson Fat Bob, only time will tell. All we know, is that we’re going to be mad if BMW doesn’t offer it in hot pink.
Source: BMW Motorrad
