Everyone in the custom scene is familiar with the ubiquitous BMW R-series of boxer twins. And for that, we have the R69 to thank.
Built between 1955 and 1969, the R69 used a 594 cc engine initially rated at a sedate 35 hp. From 1960 onwards, it was tweaked to produce 42 hp, which was respectable for the day.
The long production run saw many other changes to the R69, including a switch from Earles forks to conventional telescopic units.
In 1969, the BMW R69 was replaced by the R50/5, R60/5, and R75/5, otherwise known as the ‘slash fives.’ But just over 15,000 R69s were built, and they were built well, too. Which is why there are still quite a few around, and they occasionally pop up as donor bikes for custom builds.
Old BMW airheads have always been easy targets for customization. The motors are simple and easy to work on, the bodywork is modular, and there’s a solid two-decade production run of interchangeable parts to pull from. One might even say they’re the easiest bikes to build—though we’d dare anyone to call this custom BMW R69…
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The Thompson submachine gun is a legend in artillery and gangster circles. In the 1920s, the ‘Chicago Typewriter’ cost half as much as a new Ford car, thanks to the intricate machining of its metal and wooden parts. It’s also the inspiration behind this new build from Slovenia’s ER Motorcycles. “Criminals endorsed the Thompson because…
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It’s not easy to pick out Slovenia on a map. It’s a tiny, picture-postcard country just to the east of Italy, full of mountains and forests and rivers, and home to some of Europe’s best driving roads. Slovenia is also home to ER Motorcycles, one of the fastest-rising stars on the custom scene. This is…
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Cafe Racer Dreams is one of the most prolific outfits on the custom motorcycle circuit. An incredible fifty builds have already rolled out the Spanish workshop’s doors—each one as stylish as the next. For CRD #50, Pedro García and Efraon Triana pulled out all the stops. It’s a stunning resto-mod based on a 1969 BMW…
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Few things in the world of motorcycling are as cool as sidecars. And the allure is magnified when the rig in question…
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When this R69S rolled into the workshop of Tokyo resto-mod specialists Ritmo Sereno, it was a slightly gawky custom with mismatched curves…
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