Before the BMW R18 officially broke cover, the Bavarian marque teased us with concepts and customs that showcased the whopping 1,802 cc power plant. The monstrous boxer is now almost ready to hit showrooms, so we’re getting a look at the first custom based on the final production R18. And not surprisingly, it’s a dragster.
BMW Motorrad commissioned the build from California-based Roland Sands Design. The two companies go way back, and RSD are responsible for a number of parts in the R18’s aftermarket catalog.

Presented with the largest boxer motor that BMW have ever built, shop boss Roland Sands immediately knew what he wanted to achieve. ?With an engine that?s so visibly the center piece,? he says, ?I immediately thought of muscle cars.? ?My family has always been into going fast and my dad was a drag racer, so I thought it made sense to strip the bike down to the essentials and shape it to go fast on a straight track.?

Speak to anyone involved with the development of the R18, and it’s immediately apparent that BMW are very keen on customization. Its classic cruiser layout lends itself to visual tweaking, and certain bits have been designed to be easily swappable.
But the RSD team did more than just bolt a few parts on and off here. They leaned all the way into the dragster concept, by ditching the rear suspension and fabricating a custom hardtail rear.

It’s a neat arrangement that incorporates the OEM shaft drive so well, that it lo...