They say once you experience German engineering, you never go back. And this is certainly true of BMW Motorrad’s legendary motorcycles. BMWs feature unique flat-twin boxer engines, unmistakable style, and renowned mechanics that must live up to Berlin-level performance standards.
Launched in 1923, BMW has long been lauded for its line of airhead engines (1969–1995). The well-known R nineT and R80 series of Beemers (among others) have become the basis for many masterful builds covered on these pages—and the newer R18 is heading down the same track.
Our annual review of the most popular custom motorcycles is based purely on statistics, and is almost always polarizing. To balance it out, I have the formidable task of picking my ten personal favorite customs of the year, data be damned. It’s never easy, but 2021 was a year where the cream truly rose to…
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Ducati enters the adventure bike fray in spectacular fashion with the new DesertX. We also look at a custom Honda CT125 from Taiwan, a Honda CRF150RB from California, and a BMW Lego Technic set that’ll keep you busy for hours.
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There’s a problem with big leaps forward in tech and styling: for every person who loves something futuristic, there’s someone else who hates it. You only have to look at the market for electric motorcycles to see this. Cutting-edge scooters like the BMW C400 X are similarly afflicted. The styling is straight out of a…
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Back in the 90s, if you wanted a big touring motorcycle, the BMW K1100LT was probably on your shortlist. It was the first Beemer to displace more than a liter, with a fuel-injected engine and low-maintenance shaft drive. Compared to the behemoths from Harley and Honda, the K1100 was a technological tour de force. And…
Read more »Most customers approach a bike builder with a firm idea of what they want, armed with fat binders of photos and sketches…
Read more »It’s been over eighteen months since BMW launched the mighty R18. And if you count the teaser campaign, the biggest-ever boxer has…
Read more »Shinya Kimura is one of the most enigmatic custom motorcycle builders working today. His bikes have zero respect for conventional styles, prevailing…
Read more »It’s a Boxer-heavy week, with two BMWs from Europe, and a Ural flat tracker from Siberia. But first, a look at the…
Read more »Ben Norton builds custom motorcycles under the moniker 10 ’til 12, because those are the nighttime hours he dedicates to his hobby.…
Read more »We’re pushing the extremes this week: a BMW R18 with air suspension, a land speed project powered by a radial engine, and…
Read more »This week’s bikes come in all shapes and sizes. We’ve got a Ducati Scrambler Cafe Racer from Poland, a Suzuki Thunder 125…
Read more »They say if you do what you love, you’ll never work a single day in your life—but they also say never to…
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