Blitz BMW R60/2

BMW R60/2
In the car world, you often see “murdered out” vehicles, painted completely black for a sleek and sinister look. You occasionally see it in the motorcycling world—Steve Jones’ Ducati being an example—but I don’t think I’ve ever seen a fifty-year-old classic motorcycle given the “murder” look. This traffic-stopping machine, called “Great Escape“, is a 1963 BMW R60/2 customized by Blitz Motorcycles of France. Hugo, Léo and Fred have restored this 594 cc (36 ci), shaft-driven Boxer twin, powdercoated the frame, fork and handlebar in matt black, and then used high-temperature black for the engine. The R60/2 was completely rewired, stripped of its fenders and fitted with 18” Mitas Enduro tires. It’s a look that seems to suit the bike, especially with that oddball swing-arm suspension at the front as well as the back. Ein schönes Motorrad, ja? [Blitz are building quite a portfolio of rough-hewn customs—there are Kawasaki, Triumph and Yamaha creations on the Blitz website. Photos: Fabrice Berry.]

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BMW R60/2
BMW R60/2
BMW R60/2

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Add a comment. | Posted on 15 Sep 2010 in Custom Motorcycles.

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  • Ben-bot

    This motorcycle is badass. I’m a big fan of BMW R bikes and an even bigger fan of making them post apocalyptic hell machines, like this one. The first R bike I ever sweated over, I saw on Central Ave in Albuquerque about 9 years ago, it was an R75/5 and flat black, stickered up, dirty and looked like it had just crawled out of the desert wasteland. Ever since that moment I’ve been hoping for the crashed or trashed Beemer to show up in my life to do something like this with. I completely understand where this builder is coming from. At least I think I do.

  • http://www.blitz-motorcycles.com Fred

    I am glad to see that the custom spirit seems to to be shared by the big majority here.

    I am also glad that this subject has pros and cons ready to post ; this is what the Internet and this very blog are made for : emulation / taste sharing !

    Cheers,

    Fred

    PS : and I hope our next bike will have the honor of a post by Chris here. So that we can keep sharing our different points of view.

  • http://www.blitz-motorcycles.com Fred

    @ RocketRobinHood : don’t expect to exceed 90 km/h on this bike !

    And of course, no driving on rainy day…. Unless you wanna look like Hugo (who was testing a second 60/2 we had just finished that supposely summer day) : http://www.facebook.com/Blitz.Motorcycles#!/photo.php?pid=6204079&fbid=455770054399&op=2&o=global&view=global&subj=139928366037599&id=768544399

    Fred (Blitz-Motorcycles)

  • Shawn

    This is butt hole ugly. I like diversity but this is just stupid. Please Bike Exif, can you rethink what your site is about.

  • mack-o-matik

    C’mon, what’s all that noise about what this site should be about and not?!?! Man, this is called freedom of speech! Thanks to Bike Exif we are able to share something in common, passion that is, and if guys like Shawn or Cajun58 want to point on precision, originality and me-knows-better-than-yous, why don’t you guys put up your own website about cycles?

  • evilgiles

    Dear Chris…

    First of all may I please congratulate you on your awesome site. Bikeexif is the first page I visit everyday when I flick on my pc. But just so we can clarify things, for those without a webpage who think they have the right to tell you how to run yours, I have a quick question/statement… Bikeexif, correct me if I am wrong, is a site dedicated to photography of motorcycles… Yes? It is then as important to enjoy the photo as it is to enjoy the subject in the photo… If the site was about photography of people, would we stand for mindless comments about how we don’t like the shirt a guy is wearing in a photo? Or how a girl in a photo has done her hair? Well would we? For those of you who enjoy photographs of motorcycles then feel free to comment. For those who don’t enjoy photographs of motorcycles I think I can hear your mum calling you to come inside, now please leave…

    Chris, once again, thankyou for your hard work…

  • mack-o-matik

    yep – evilgiles, thanks! And Chris and Fred and…

  • Jefferson

    Damn, you guys really brought the crazy on this one.

  • http://friarsride.com FriarJohn

    Everyone is entitled to their opinion, of course. Where I draw the line is when people are telling Chris how to run his web site. It makes me imagine what it would be like for someone to start telling me how to run mine and I start to get very testy.

    And Chris just tweeted that he got his first piece of hate mail over this bike.

    Really?

    REALLY!?!

    What kind of asshat gets that upset about a motorcycle? Get a life, sir.

  • Ethan

    Hey you guys did one of my favorite bikes, didn’t know it was you: Yamaha SR 500 Dirt Track #76! Tasty!

  • http://www.blitz-motorcycles.com Fred

    Hi Ethan,

    Nice to read that !

    Coming soon : short movie featuring the 500 SR’s “dirt track”.
    It will be released on our FB page.

    Fred (Blitz-Motorcycles).

  • Cajun58

    mack-o-matik
    You have totally misrepresented my statement and completely under estimated Mr. Hunter who is not a thin skinned, panty-waist, milquetoast that is offended by a spirited discussion. Believe me the man is a professional journalist and I am thoroughly overmatched in a battle of words with him.

  • http://www.bikeexif.com Chris

    “Milquetoast”?!

    I haven’t heard that word for a long time, but it’s a lost diamond from the dictionary.

    And let’s all just get on, OK?

    —Caspar

  • thomas

    I love that bike. This is my effort, which I thought was cool until I saw Fred’s: http://sightlab.com/arrrrrrfifty.jpg. Far blacker than I ever dreamed a /2 could be. Bobbed fenders, an appropriate cafe seat (hard to do on a /2) and some retro Firestone rubber (or not…I like those Dunlops I’ve got), I think I have something to work on this winter.

  • http://magnesiumphotos.com/category/motor/ Kuroneko

    Damn! What a machine! Oddball front and semi-oddball rear, boxer, nasty paint – this is what design and rebel motorcycles are about. I want one!

  • http://www.blitz-motorcycles.com Fred

    @Thomas : you have a beautiful S2 !
    Looking forward to seeing the final evolution.
    FYI : tires are “Mitas” enduro tires.
    Fred (Blitz-Motorcycles)

  • James

    Personally, I love the look of this bike. In general, I don’t care for the looks of cafe racers/vintage bikes, but this… This is an exception to be noted. I’d actually buy this if I had the chance!

  • http://scottbrough.com Scott Brough

    It disgusts me! …yet I can’t look away.

  • http://www.blitz-motorcycles.com Fred

    Nice dilemma, Scott :)

    Fred (Blitz-Motorcycles)

  • Florian

    Hi there,

    I just wanted to add my own congratulations about this bike, it is to me the perfect look for these utility machines that airheads are (am a happy owner of a 100/7) : tough and brutal like a tractor :)
    By the way, I’m actually partly living in Paris, is it possible to visit your workshop (I might have a project to discuss with you…)?
    Keep on doing your great job

    Florian

  • http://www.blitz-motorcycles.com Fred

    Hi Florian,

    Feel free to contact us here : contact@blitz-motorcycles.com
    We will answer you as fast as possible.

    Cheers,

    Fred (Blitz-Motorcycles)

  • Paul

    Looks like the little toy bike I used to play with when I was 6. man, I loved that bike!

  • http://www.blitz-motorcycles.com fred

    Paul,

    You had a hell of a toy when you were kid :)

    Fred (Blitz-Motorcycles)

  • Ravenroamer

    I think it is a beatiful example of someones dream and if it makes the owner happy then all that time spent in doing such a personal task and art has truly paid off. Lets not forget that having a motorcycle is for freedom and wild instinctional moments etc and it has been shown here to those people who disagree then i would advise them to relook at there reason for which they ride…..no doubt somewhere the person/persons will soon relise the old saying rings true! and that is! To be your self and not follow others like a flock of sheep.

    Well done my friend, and I wish you look in your new endevours ride free ride safe. Until the next time take care

  • Vorhese

    I think it looks like crap. Without a rear fender the seat looks too high and the whole thing looks disproportionate.

  • not a HFL hates

    hopefully the guys from HFL don’t see this. they might excuse it of looking like their mates wraith!

  • http://www.blitz-motorcycles.com Fred

    Hi, not a FHL hates,

    Could you be more explicit ? Indeed, I would be very interested in knowing more about your point.

    If you refeer to the Confederate Wraith (a really radical and beautiful motorcycle), just be aware that we customized this motorcycle 4 years ago.
    I am not sure at that time, the Wraith was even built.

    Fred
    (Blitz Motorcycles)

  • RobL

    Vorhese, is “looks like crap” the kind of mature comment that is required here? If you want to discuss proportion, form, design aspects, color, mechanics, anything like that in a constructive manner, I’m sure everybody would appreciate your thoughts.

    When I see “it looks like crap”, I think “Yeah? Let’s see your custom bike, and you better be ready for unrefined opinion.”

    We’re all bike enthusiasts here, which makes us friends on some level. Fellow enthusiasts build these bikes we see. We can all act like friends and not throw around insults.

  • iRivas

    I’d love to throw some sand tires on this bike and take it out on the dunes.

  • Bruce

    What kind of paint and procedure was used to paint the engine and exhaust? How does it hold up after getting hot repeatedly? I think my red R75/5 toaster would look good with a black engine.

  • http://www.blitz-motorcycles.com Fred

    Hi bruce,

    We used some heat resistant painting that can go up to 800°C.

    And so for, we never got desapointed with this product.

    Fred (Blitz Motorcycles)

  • ohio

    Ah, the “I could do that” theme is a recurring one among art critics who don’t understand art. A custom motorcycle isn’t always about finding the fullest expression of the technical skill of the builder. Sometimes it’s about the fullest expression of design. Thousands of people can competently hack a bike to bits or a restore a bike to perfect factory specs. How many who can, have the the restraint not to? I think this bike is gorgeous. Matte black does a stellar job of giving all of the mechanical components equal visual weight, and the knobbies work well with the BMW chassis that, being purposeful and quirky, doesn’t have a fast line on it. It is a new celebration the original design.

  • http://www.vedettestore.com fajas colombianas

    Damn! What a machine! Oddball front and semi-oddball rear, boxer, nasty paint – this is what design and rebel motorcycles are about. I want one

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