Photo: BMW
Ever since it launched the R 18 back in 2020, BMW Motorrad has been hard at work trying to get the custom industry in its corner. After all, you can’t really go after Harley without making a name for yourself in the custom world.
In the two years that have passed since, we’ve seen the German bike maker talk to customizers from Canada, Italy, and Japan for the creation of unique rides based on the Big Boxer. When the projects were ready, they were unloaded in bulk.
The same happened this week, but this time you’ll have to take a deep breath before diving into the R 18 projects made over in Poland. That’s because there are seven of them, all dumped online at the same time. We’ll cover them each in separate stories for a deeper look in the coming days, but for now, here are the most important bits.
We’ll start with the BMW R 18 Black Jack, put together by ZK Motors. Its sole reason for being is to scare people away with the lacquered blackness of the body and chromed blackness of everything else. We’re not told what inspired the build, but the two blackjack cards on the rear fender speak enough about that.
The second bike is called Isle of Man, and it’s pretty obvious what it is a tribute to. Dobrzanski Team Customs put it together as a nod to the BMW RS 255 Kompressor a certain Georg Meier used back in the 1930s in this most challenging motorcycling event. It even has Meier’s number 49 inscribed on it, and an Isle of Man metallic paint.
Third in line is Nine Hills’ Liberty. Used to handle Harleys, these guys went above and beyond this time and completely customized the R 18 with loads of shop-made parts.
Number 4 is simply called Roadster, and is the creation of Inchcape Wroceaw. It was inspired by the 1920s and 1930s automotive ideas, and boasts a touch of Art Deco, custom parts, cuts and chops, and BMW’s kidney grille up front.
In fifth place comes Smorawinski’s Roar, a bike with mostly a modified rear and only minor modifications later.
The sixth Polish-modified R 18 is the Speedy Gonzales, put together by Inchcape Poznan. Inspired by the fastest mouse in Mexico, it was envisioned as the perfect machine for a ride in the Mexican desert, with an ape hanger and single seat. It too takes cues from 1920s and 1930s carmaking.
Last on the list but certainly not the least impressive is The Great Wave, imagined by Team Dlugoleka and UNIKAT Motorworks. This one is inspired by Japanese art painting, and it’s in the hues that all wonderful things lie. Back that with some mechanical and visual changes, and we have yet another cool, custom BMW R 18 on our hands.
Actually, seven of them. Stay tuned for separate close coverage on each.
The same happened this week, but this time you’ll have to take a deep breath before diving into the R 18 projects made over in Poland. That’s because there are seven of them, all dumped online at the same time. We’ll cover them each in separate stories for a deeper look in the coming days, but for now, here are the most important bits.
We’ll start with the BMW R 18 Black Jack, put together by ZK Motors. Its sole reason for being is to scare people away with the lacquered blackness of the body and chromed blackness of everything else. We’re not told what inspired the build, but the two blackjack cards on the rear fender speak enough about that.
The second bike is called Isle of Man, and it’s pretty obvious what it is a tribute to. Dobrzanski Team Customs put it together as a nod to the BMW RS 255 Kompressor a certain Georg Meier used back in the 1930s in this most challenging motorcycling event. It even has Meier’s number 49 inscribed on it, and an Isle of Man metallic paint.
Third in line is Nine Hills’ Liberty. Used to handle Harleys, these guys went above and beyond this time and completely customized the R 18 with loads of shop-made parts.
Number 4 is simply called Roadster, and is the creation of Inchcape Wroceaw. It was inspired by the 1920s and 1930s automotive ideas, and boasts a touch of Art Deco, custom parts, cuts and chops, and BMW’s kidney grille up front.
In fifth place comes Smorawinski’s Roar, a bike with mostly a modified rear and only minor modifications later.
The sixth Polish-modified R 18 is the Speedy Gonzales, put together by Inchcape Poznan. Inspired by the fastest mouse in Mexico, it was envisioned as the perfect machine for a ride in the Mexican desert, with an ape hanger and single seat. It too takes cues from 1920s and 1930s carmaking.
Last on the list but certainly not the least impressive is The Great Wave, imagined by Team Dlugoleka and UNIKAT Motorworks. This one is inspired by Japanese art painting, and it’s in the hues that all wonderful things lie. Back that with some mechanical and visual changes, and we have yet another cool, custom BMW R 18 on our hands.
Actually, seven of them. Stay tuned for separate close coverage on each.
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