Photo: BMW Motorrad
When BMW Motorrad introduced the R 18 cruiser three years ago, it made no secret it was going after Harley-Davidson and its dominance in the cruiser segment. The German machine was to chase the American ones not only when it comes to factory motorcycles, but in the custom segment as well, where the battle was to result in some incredible machines.
And it did, as we've seen these past few years a number of R 18s modified in such a way as to resist any and all customized Harleys. Even so, most of these bikes do not stray too far from the general design of a two-wheeler as we know it. The R 18 The Crown however does.
The Crown is the name of an R 18 that can barely be recognized as such. It was put together by Kingston Custom's Dirk Oehlerking, a name you might recognize, as it's the one behind another BMW R 18 insanity, the Spirit of Passion.
That one was shown back in 2021, at a random time for Motorrad, but this year the German motorcycle brand is celebrating its 100th anniversary and The Crown is, if you like, one of the many gifts the Germans are treating themselves to.
Inspired by the "industrial culture and the proximity to industry and crafts," The Crown is the lowest, most futuristic, impossible-to-recognize BMW R 18 we've ever seen.
Stripped to its bare essentials, the bike was then rebuilt with an extensive aluminum body that covers all of the bike's essentials, including the big boxer engine and most of the front wheel.
Speaking of the front wheel, as you can see there's no actual fork to hold in place. The front end of the bike is, for that matter, the one that received the most modifications, as the suspension system for the wheel had to be built from the ground up.
Oehlerking went for a double-sided swingarm with a central suspension strut as the solution, so that's what we have instead of a fork.
At the back the suspension system is the same as stock, and so is the engine, now breathing through a pair of stainless steel exhaust manifolds. As said, the powerplant is completely hidden under the bike's Champagne Platinum bodywork, which in turn also includes the factory-supplied headlight, instruments, and footrest.
It's impossible to single out the bike's fuel tank from the body, but it's there, also made of aluminum and capable of holding eight liters of fuel (about two gallons). A leather-covered aluminum seat can be seen further back. The presence of a fuel tank and a saddle means the bike is technically rideable, but I have a hard time imagining how one would go about doing that.
The BMW R 18 The Crown is named so because of the small crown placed on top of the BMW logo that adorns the bodywork. The bike was shown over the past weekend at the BMW Motorrad Days in Berlin, but we have no info as to what will happen to it now that it has been revealed.
The Crown is the name of an R 18 that can barely be recognized as such. It was put together by Kingston Custom's Dirk Oehlerking, a name you might recognize, as it's the one behind another BMW R 18 insanity, the Spirit of Passion.
That one was shown back in 2021, at a random time for Motorrad, but this year the German motorcycle brand is celebrating its 100th anniversary and The Crown is, if you like, one of the many gifts the Germans are treating themselves to.
Inspired by the "industrial culture and the proximity to industry and crafts," The Crown is the lowest, most futuristic, impossible-to-recognize BMW R 18 we've ever seen.
Stripped to its bare essentials, the bike was then rebuilt with an extensive aluminum body that covers all of the bike's essentials, including the big boxer engine and most of the front wheel.
Speaking of the front wheel, as you can see there's no actual fork to hold in place. The front end of the bike is, for that matter, the one that received the most modifications, as the suspension system for the wheel had to be built from the ground up.
Oehlerking went for a double-sided swingarm with a central suspension strut as the solution, so that's what we have instead of a fork.
At the back the suspension system is the same as stock, and so is the engine, now breathing through a pair of stainless steel exhaust manifolds. As said, the powerplant is completely hidden under the bike's Champagne Platinum bodywork, which in turn also includes the factory-supplied headlight, instruments, and footrest.
It's impossible to single out the bike's fuel tank from the body, but it's there, also made of aluminum and capable of holding eight liters of fuel (about two gallons). A leather-covered aluminum seat can be seen further back. The presence of a fuel tank and a saddle means the bike is technically rideable, but I have a hard time imagining how one would go about doing that.
The BMW R 18 The Crown is named so because of the small crown placed on top of the BMW logo that adorns the bodywork. The bike was shown over the past weekend at the BMW Motorrad Days in Berlin, but we have no info as to what will happen to it now that it has been revealed.
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