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XTR’s Customized 1978 BMW R100RS Looks Venomous

In the fantasy world, silver bullets take down vampires; in real life, this Silver Bullet is thirsty for some serious action!
Silver Bullet 22 photos
Photo: Diego Bermudez
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BMW’s groundbreaking 1978 model of the R100RS was a genuinely spectacular machine for its time. This juicy thing’s four-stroke Boxer engine had a colossal displacement of 980cc and was by itself a mechanical work of art, with two cylinders and a five-speed transmission.

It delivered up to 70 hp at 7,250 rpm, along with a solid 56 pound-feet (76 Nm) of torque output at 5,500 rpm, placing R100RS’ top speed at no less than 120 mph (193 kph). At this point, you’re probably beginning to understand why BMW’s beast was so special during the late ‘70s.

The air-cooled mill was wrapped in a steel double cradle frame, resting on cartridge front forks with 200 mm (7.9 inches) of travel, accompanied by twin shocks with 125 mm of travel and a double-sided swingarm at the rear. In terms of braking, it was equipped with two 260 mm (2.36 inches) discs at the front and a single disc of the same diameter on its rear wheel.

Silver Bullet
Photo: Diego Bermudez
With a 0-62 mph (0-100 kph) acceleration time of just 4.6 seconds, the R100RS had everything it needed to prove itself as a true marvel of innovative engineering! Sure enough, the new baby was loved by riders and its manufacturer received a great deal of attention from the press at that time.

Pepo Rosell founded XTR Pepo in 2015, but has been working his way up in the two-wheeler industry since 1996. His workshop is based in Madrid, Spain and specializes in everything from bike repairs or performance tuning, to stunning visual customization.

To give you a better idea about what Rosell is up to, let’s take a look at XTR’s heavily customized ‘78 BMW R100RS. A Spanish magazine by the name of Revival of the Machine tasked him with transforming it into a futuristic beauty, based on renderings of a concept. They even provided Rosell with a plethora of components from renown brands, such as Pirelli, Rizoma, Hagon and Akrapovic.

Silver Bullet
Photo: Diego Bermudez
However, the catch was that the project had to be completed in as little as seven weeks. Considering that a decent custom build can take anywhere between six and twelve months to be assembled, the deadline given for the completion of this R100RS seems ridiculous, but Pepo Rosell was happy to accept the challenge.

Return of the Machine had the bike ready to go, along with a fully rendered design and a bunch of sponsors lined up to provide components. The pressure was really on to deliver a machine that met everyone’s high expectations,” he explains.

A BMW NineT’s front end was incorporated into the extensively modified frame, along with a Hagon monoshock suspension at the rear. The frame itself, along with R100RS’ subframe have been provided with lightweight aluminum reinforcements and supports.

We see a single-sided swingarm from a BMW R850 R Guardia police motorcycle neatly adapted to this setup, while new Brembo brakes have been installed on both wheels. The wheels are hugged by high-performance Pirelli tires.

Silver Bullet
Photo: Diego Bermudez
The powerplant was thoroughly rebuilt with brand new high compression pistons, ported heads, a lighter crankshaft and some of the best cams money can buy. K&N filters and upgraded carburetors, along with Akrapovic cans will be found on the custom exhaust.

Silver Bullet was fully rewired using an M-Unit from Motogadget, while its clip-on handlebars, grips and levers have all been provided by Rizoma. Every part of the shiny aluminum bodywork was crafted by hand, including the fuel tank, front fairing and mudguard, as well as that sexy timber tail.

After countless hours and painstaking efforts, the final result is delicious. Rosell’s polished creation manages to be more impressive than a lot of other custom builds, despite being assembled in less than two months!

Paying XTR Pepo a visit on their Facebook or Instagram pages will be guaranteed to have you drooling.
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About the author: Silvian Secara
Silvian Secara profile photo

A bit of an artist himself, Silvian sees two- and four-wheeled machines as a form of art, especially restomods and custom rides. Oh, and if you come across a cafe racer article on our website, it’s most likely his doing.
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