Photo: BMW Motorrad
The world of racing, no matter on how many wheels, produced over the years a lot of icons, from drivers to the cars themselves. But this world also made an icon of a particular color scheme, one that stands tall and proud above all others: the Gulf livery. And it’s all due to an oil company and its leaders’ soft spot for automobile racing.
That company is Gulf Oil, a behemoth born in 1901 and now part of something called the Hinduja Group. It always had interests that far exceeded producing oil, and in the 1960s those interests expanded to include a motorsport presence: the company became a sponsor (and later owner) of John Wyer Automotive Engineering.
Racers of Ford GT40s, the drivers of the team saw themselves behind the wheels of cars dressed in the oil company’s main colors, blue and orange. The combo was so likable that it became an instant hit, and it’s sung even today on cars and motorcycles alike, even if Gul Oil never got involved in motorcycle racing.
One of the latest and somewhat strangest tributes to the Gulf livery comes in the form of a modified BMW R nineT motorcycle, shown by German bike maker BMW Motorrad in December last year as one of 13 conversions based on its most recent models.
Although the two big names never met officially, Gulf’s (and Ford GT's) story is now sung on this two-wheeler. It was put together by a Motorrad partner called Auer Gruppe GmbH in a bid to remind everyone that not only Harley-Davidsons can be made to look a lot better than stock with a minimum of work and a maximum of talent.
In the case of this bike, the matt blue and orange of the Gulf livery combine with white gloss and black to create an unlikely representation of the paint scheme often seen on the famous Le Mans-winning American racers. Such powerful colors of course need other custom elements to back them up on such a project, and there are a few to go around on this nineT as well.
Riding on factory spoked wheels, the machine offers the driver’s behind a royal treatment coming from the hump cushion seat in leather and Alcantara, and adorned for visual delight with a diamond quilting pattern and double stitching. This item was assembled by German upholstery specialist Königherz.
Up front, the nineT received a handlebar with end mirrors without glass, and integrated turn signals. Further back, the fuel tank now uses a milled fuel filler cap showing BMW’s emblem, while all the way to the rather reduced rear there are mini turn indicators and a side number plate holder.
The engine is the stock one, 1,170cc in displacement and rated at 109 hp and 116 Nm of torque, and boasts only minor modifications, concentrated on its breathing apparatus: K&N air filter dummies and an exhaust modified by Hattech.
All in all, the BMW R nineT Beemer, as the bike is called post-conversion, is quite the looker, so it’s only natural some of you will start wondering how you can get your hands on it. The simple answer is: you can’t. Put together in 20 hours, the bike needed just two days to find a new owner (for an undisclosed price), so for the moment, you’ll not find it on the open market.
Racers of Ford GT40s, the drivers of the team saw themselves behind the wheels of cars dressed in the oil company’s main colors, blue and orange. The combo was so likable that it became an instant hit, and it’s sung even today on cars and motorcycles alike, even if Gul Oil never got involved in motorcycle racing.
One of the latest and somewhat strangest tributes to the Gulf livery comes in the form of a modified BMW R nineT motorcycle, shown by German bike maker BMW Motorrad in December last year as one of 13 conversions based on its most recent models.
Although the two big names never met officially, Gulf’s (and Ford GT's) story is now sung on this two-wheeler. It was put together by a Motorrad partner called Auer Gruppe GmbH in a bid to remind everyone that not only Harley-Davidsons can be made to look a lot better than stock with a minimum of work and a maximum of talent.
In the case of this bike, the matt blue and orange of the Gulf livery combine with white gloss and black to create an unlikely representation of the paint scheme often seen on the famous Le Mans-winning American racers. Such powerful colors of course need other custom elements to back them up on such a project, and there are a few to go around on this nineT as well.
Riding on factory spoked wheels, the machine offers the driver’s behind a royal treatment coming from the hump cushion seat in leather and Alcantara, and adorned for visual delight with a diamond quilting pattern and double stitching. This item was assembled by German upholstery specialist Königherz.
Up front, the nineT received a handlebar with end mirrors without glass, and integrated turn signals. Further back, the fuel tank now uses a milled fuel filler cap showing BMW’s emblem, while all the way to the rather reduced rear there are mini turn indicators and a side number plate holder.
The engine is the stock one, 1,170cc in displacement and rated at 109 hp and 116 Nm of torque, and boasts only minor modifications, concentrated on its breathing apparatus: K&N air filter dummies and an exhaust modified by Hattech.
All in all, the BMW R nineT Beemer, as the bike is called post-conversion, is quite the looker, so it’s only natural some of you will start wondering how you can get your hands on it. The simple answer is: you can’t. Put together in 20 hours, the bike needed just two days to find a new owner (for an undisclosed price), so for the moment, you’ll not find it on the open market.
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