El Boxeador: A cheeky BMW R18 chopper from Canada
Despite its initial lukewarm reception, the BMW R18 has become a regular fixture on the custom scene. Numerous workshops have customized the bulked-up Bavarian boxer in myriad ways?but there’s one style we haven’t seen yet. Until now, no one’s tried to turn it into a chopper.
Enter Nick Acosta and his Toronto, Canada-based shop, Augment Motorworks. When tasked with customizing a BMW R18 by BMW Motorrad Canada, Nick drew inspiration from the classic choppers of the 60s and 70s. BMW do call the R18 a ‘cruiser,’ after all.
Augment started by stripping the R18 down to the bare essentials, so that they could figure out what to keep and what to bin. In the end, the OEM fuel tank was the only piece of the bodywork left intact. A quick visual hit came in the form of a pair of polished alloy wheels from BMW’s own aftermarket catalog. Measuring 21? in the front and 18? in the back, they do a lot to push the R18’s stance further into chopper territory. The tires are Metzeler ME 888 Marathon Ultras, designed for cruisers and touring bikes.
Augment also fitted a new set of aftermarket BMW engine covers, but sandblasted them to create a raw effect. Working with a brand new modern motorcycle meant there was no need to fiddle with the engine, but Nick was keen on exposing the intake and throttle body. So the crew removed the plastic cover that normally rounds off the back end of the engine block, and starting repackaging things.
The R18 is no...
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Backcountry Discovery Routes | Ep. 70 Rider Magazine Insider Podcast
27-04-2024 08:34 - (
motorcycle )