Born with a mixture of oil and gasoline in his blood, Kingston Custom founder Dirk Oehlerking is now one of the world’s most recognized customizers.
He won his first motocross race riding a borrowed Yamaha and wearing rubber boots. In 1985 he became German champion and took part in the World Cup in Spain. By the time his riding career ended, he had won over 230 trophies and awards.
Today, his technical talent and passion is applied to very individual and extraordinary custom motorcycles—including official commissions from manufacturers such as BMW Motorrad.
Whenever Dirk Oehlerking builds another custom BMW boxer, it feels like his signature art deco style has reached its zenith. But then the next project rolls into the Kingston Custom workshop, and the German artisan flips the script again. Flitting between vintage boxers and the newer BMW R18, Dirk constantly pushes himself, and his imagination,…
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We live in a world where you can stream entire discographies of music straight to your phone, yet vinyl sales are booming. Technology might be advancing at a relentless pace, but we’re still drawn to analog things—either for their charm, or for the sake of our own nostalgia. In this context, neo-retro motorcycles are something…
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Bobby Haas left a giant hole in the custom scene when he passed away unexpectedly last year. As the owner and curator of the Haas Moto Museum, he was a bonafide patron of the art of motorcycle customization. And in that role, he formed deep personal relationships with the custom builders that helped to fill…
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BMW R nineT owners are spoiled for choice when it comes to personalization options. The bike has been out long enough that every major player in the aftermarket industry now has an array of bolt-on bits for it. But if you want something truly unique, you’re better off turning to a pro—like Dirk Oehlerking. Operating…
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Malle London describes their annual Malle Mile event as “a non-stop celebration of the speed, music and art of the motorcycle culture.”…
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We all know Hagon for their shocks, often fitted to the custom motorcycles that grace these pages. But company founder Alf Hagon’s…
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BMW has wasted no time getting the new R18 into the hands of customizers. Five months ago, before the Bavarian cruiser was…
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The Honda CB650R has a lot going for it. The middleweight roadster is easy to ride and well made, and it comes…
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Dirk Oehlerking has a portfolio of incredible builds, but there are two machines that stand out. They are the White Phantom and…
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If you live in the USA, you probably won’t have seen the Yamaha MT-125. But the mini ‘hyper naked’ is popular in…
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The Glemseck 101 festival being held this weekend is a high-octane celebration of speed and power. At this very moment, thousands of…
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There are one hit wonders, and then there’s Dirk Oehlerking. The German custom builder can’t put a foot wrong, churning out hit…
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