A couple of years ago, BMW USA took the Rotax engine from an F 800 and gave it to legendary flat track builder Ron Wood. Wood obliged by building this exquisite machine, and on its very first competitive outing, it finished in sixth place. The F 800 was the loudest bike on the track: the AMA race announcer reported that the BMW “sounded like a bear coming out of his den for the first time”. But aside from the exhaust system, the motor in this bike is mostly stock, and it even retains the electric start. Wouldn’t it be great if BMW made a road-legal version of this? Memo to BMW: “Win on Sunday, sell on Monday.”
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12 Comments
This is so much better, in every possible aspect, than the AC Schnitzer ‘special’.
Wow. This is the first BMW I’ve ever gotten excited about. But hey, I love flat track bikes.
Beautiful work, Mr. Wood.
Ditto to what Tackett said……. I want one too!!!!!!!!
Hey I love it too, but I usually don´t like BMWs, Wait ,BMW? thats a Rotax engine on a Ron Wood frame , there is nothing bavarian about that bike, apart from the badge in the tank, i could just put a sticker on it and have a really nice bike!!!!
MUST HAVE…not worth my soul, but I would sell anything else for one. Looks and style, what a woman, I mean bike. I have always loved Beemers since my first R100 in 79.
It calls to me…My precious.
This would be such a sweet supermoto.
like rana said theres no bimmer in this bimmer. i think ron wood should get a contract with rotax and build em for the street.
The F 800 engine is a BMW design, developed in co-operation with Bombardier-Rotax GmbH. It’s manufactured in the Austrian Rotax plant but to all intents and purpose it’s a BMW engine – and it wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for BMW. I believe that BMW also contributed financially to the building of this bike. Hence the BMW logo. Ron Wood isn’t the kind of guy to go slapping logos on his bikes without good reason.
Yeah, it’s a Bimmer. That’s a Bimmer engine. And this Ron Wood remix makes it pretty much my favourite Bimmer ever. Christ, this thing would blast around a track! Nice one Bike EXIF!
the only thing i’d change to the bike is the colour scheme. The white red blue on the dakar bikes of old would finish it off. I’m sure this bike would sell. Probably more than the HP2 as this lightweight would make it appealing for the hardcore street trackers as well as anyone else who prefers flickability over pure bulk. Fly like a butterfly, sting like a bee…..
Read the story on Ron Wood, this bike, his Nortons and Rotax singles – exclusively in his own words – in issue 3 of Sideburn magazine. GI
Mingh’s nailed it. Dressed in the Dakar livery of old, this would be a GS killer.