Photo: Focal Point Photography
This superb one-off oozes classic desert sled charm, but it also puts great emphasis on practicality.
Based in the gorgeous English county of Devon, Kevil’s Speed Shop is the brainchild of Kevin Hill – a man who’d been working in the motorcycle industry ever since the early eighties. Kevin fell in love with bikes at the Bristol Motorcycle Show about a decade earlier, but he couldn’t have imagined that he would one day run one of Britain’s most prominent customization outfits.
Kevil’s Speed Shop specializes mainly in classic BMW airheads and R nineT-based projects, but their builds are by no means repetitive. In the following paragraphs, we’ll be inspecting a stylish scrambler with distinctly British vibes, which had once been a stock R100 from Motorrad’s lineup. The overhaul was completed around 2015 for a car dealer located in Royal Leamington Spa – nearly 200 miles away from Devon.
We don’t know any further details nor how much Kevil’s charged for this commission, so let's proceed to analyze the modifications that took place. Starting with the main structural changes, you will find a new subframe replacing the beemer’s factory item. It comes equipped with built-in LED lighting, and the looped rear portion holds an inconspicuous license plate bracket.
There’s a cross-stitched brown leather saddle placed up top, while a discreet inner fender keeps road debris at bay. All this hardware is supported by a pair of aftermarket shock absorbers with progressive springs, courtesy of YSS. Right ahead of the scrambler-style bench seat, Kevin and his crew retrofitted the fuel tank of a Kawasaki KZ400, aiming to reduce the R100’s visual bulk as much as possible.
As for the paint scheme worn by the tank, its base uses a Jungle Matte finish from BMW’s automotive color palette, and light beige accents have been added for contrast. The last piece of custom bodywork on this scrambled head-turner is an all-new front fender manufactured from scratch.
Refurbished brakes and dual-purpose Continental TKC 80 tires can be found in the unsprung sector, thus blessing the R100 with improved stopping power and off-roading capability. The creature’s boxer-twin engine, transmission, and driveshaft have all been treated to a comprehensive makeover, while the OEM airbox got replaced with premium pod filters.
On the exhaust side of things, we’re greeted by high-mounted, stainless-steel plumbing fashioned in a two-one-two configuration and topped with bespoke heat shields. There’s a lot going on in the bike’s cockpit, as well, with the fresh equipment comprising a single aftermarket dial, a replacement handlebar, and adjustable control levers. Moreover, Biltwell grips, bar-end mirrors, and top-grade switches are also present.
Right ahead of all these goodies, Kevil’s installed a retro-looking headlight fronted by a handmade grill, along with LED turn signals a little lower down. Upgraded electronics and serrated foot pegs make up the finishing touches, while the battery can now be found underneath the gearbox.
Kevil’s Speed Shop specializes mainly in classic BMW airheads and R nineT-based projects, but their builds are by no means repetitive. In the following paragraphs, we’ll be inspecting a stylish scrambler with distinctly British vibes, which had once been a stock R100 from Motorrad’s lineup. The overhaul was completed around 2015 for a car dealer located in Royal Leamington Spa – nearly 200 miles away from Devon.
We don’t know any further details nor how much Kevil’s charged for this commission, so let's proceed to analyze the modifications that took place. Starting with the main structural changes, you will find a new subframe replacing the beemer’s factory item. It comes equipped with built-in LED lighting, and the looped rear portion holds an inconspicuous license plate bracket.
There’s a cross-stitched brown leather saddle placed up top, while a discreet inner fender keeps road debris at bay. All this hardware is supported by a pair of aftermarket shock absorbers with progressive springs, courtesy of YSS. Right ahead of the scrambler-style bench seat, Kevin and his crew retrofitted the fuel tank of a Kawasaki KZ400, aiming to reduce the R100’s visual bulk as much as possible.
As for the paint scheme worn by the tank, its base uses a Jungle Matte finish from BMW’s automotive color palette, and light beige accents have been added for contrast. The last piece of custom bodywork on this scrambled head-turner is an all-new front fender manufactured from scratch.
Refurbished brakes and dual-purpose Continental TKC 80 tires can be found in the unsprung sector, thus blessing the R100 with improved stopping power and off-roading capability. The creature’s boxer-twin engine, transmission, and driveshaft have all been treated to a comprehensive makeover, while the OEM airbox got replaced with premium pod filters.
On the exhaust side of things, we’re greeted by high-mounted, stainless-steel plumbing fashioned in a two-one-two configuration and topped with bespoke heat shields. There’s a lot going on in the bike’s cockpit, as well, with the fresh equipment comprising a single aftermarket dial, a replacement handlebar, and adjustable control levers. Moreover, Biltwell grips, bar-end mirrors, and top-grade switches are also present.
Right ahead of all these goodies, Kevil’s installed a retro-looking headlight fronted by a handmade grill, along with LED turn signals a little lower down. Upgraded electronics and serrated foot pegs make up the finishing touches, while the battery can now be found underneath the gearbox.
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