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 quite a few masterful builds covered on these pages.
If you ask us, the BMW G650 Xcountry was ahead of its time. First released in 2007, it encapsulated the tracker vibe that’s so hot right now—but the market wasn’t ready, and it wasn’t a big seller. So BMW soon dropped it from their lineup, along with the other two G650X models. Which is a…
Read more »
Does anyone remember the BMW R1150R Rockster? It was an attempt by BMW to inject some edginess into their capable but somewhat vanilla R1150R. So they gave it squinting headlights, a wider rear wheel, a hazard tape livery… and an unfortunate name. It was good enough to turn heads and agile enough to be a…
Read more »
At the risk of stating the obvious, some bikes are easier to customize than others. Pick a Triumph Bonneville or Harley Sportster, and you’ve got decades of knowledge to plunder on the forums. Choose a BMW R nineT and you’ll find lots of bits that come off without a grinder. And if you’ve got a…
Read more »
Any project worth doing has a few challenges along the way. This tidy BMW R75/5 started out as a true basket case, and took almost five years to complete—but judging by the results, it was time well spent. The builder, Josh Withers, agrees. He’s a photographer based in Culver City, California, who tinkers on old…
Read more »The BMW R18 hasn’t officially hit the streets yet, but that hasn’t stopped BMW Motorrad from getting the hulking 1800 cc cruiser…
Read more »When it comes to racing, BMW is all about superbikes these days. But until the turn of the century, the Bavarians were…
Read more »Dirk Oehlerking has a portfolio of incredible builds, but there are two machines that stand out. They are the White Phantom and…
Read more »Motorcycles have come a long way in the last half century, but for some folks, the allure of old machines is too…
Read more »Before the BMW R18 officially broke cover, the Bavarian marque teased us with concepts and customs that showcased the whopping 1,802 cc…
Read more »The world’s first big-bore dual sport, the BMW R80G/S, broke cover forty years ago. Born from off-road competition, it soon dominated at…
Read more »Most custom builders are low-volume guys. It’s often a sideline to a day job, or part of a wider operation selling parts.…
Read more »Untitled Motorcycles is not your standard custom outfit. Output is hardly prolific, but the bikes invariably create ripples. And the founders operate…
Read more »
