When BMW Motorrad unveiled the R18 in 2020, it wasn’t just launching a motorcycle; it was reclaiming a piece of its soul. Designed as a direct challenge to the American cruiser hegemony, the R18 is a paradoxical machine—a modern vessel that feels like a pre-war relic. At its heart lies the “Big Boxer,” a massive 1,802 cc air- and oil-cooled flat-twin engine, the largest displacement boxer engine BMW has ever produced. Delivering 91 hp and 116 lb-ft of torque, the R18 is less about top-end speed and more about the locomotive-like pull that only a massive pushrod twin can provide.
The R18’s architecture is a love letter to the 1936 BMW R5, featuring a double-cradle steel frame, a pear-shaped fuel tank, and an exposed nickel-plated driveshaft. BMW intentionally engineered the bike with “customizable” DNA, using a removable rear frame and a simplified wiring harness to encourage builders to take a hacksaw to its heritage. Since its debut, the R18 has become a canvas for the world’s elite workshops.
Here are seven of the most spectacular BMW R18 customs featured on Bike EXIF.
‘Spirit of Passion’ by Kingston Custom
Dirk Oehlerking of Kingston Custom is a master of the “analog” build. Eschewing CAD programs for pencil sketches and rigid foam molds, he created the ‘Spirit of Passion’—a bike that looks like it was plucked from a 1930s Art Deco dreamscape. The defining feature is the massive, swooping front fairing and matching rear wheel enclosure, both handcrafted from fiberglass to bolt directly to the original R18 mounting points.
Underneath the dramatic skin, the R18’s original frame and technology remain 100% intact. Oehlerking chose to leave the “Big Boxer” and the exposed driveshaft untouched, recognizing that BMW’s engineering was already a work of art. The front “kidney grille” is a deliberate nod to the iconic BMW 328 sports car, featuring aluminum slats that conceal a modern Highsider LED headlight, successfully bridging the gap between vintage aesthetics and modern functionality.
Finished in classic BMW black with traditional white pinstriping, the Kingston R18 carries a presence that would be at home at Villa d’Este. Despite its museum-quality finish, the bike remains fully rideable with a standard turning radius and enough ground clearance for real-world roads. It is a towering achievement in Dirk’s career and stands as one of the most cohesive reinterpretations of the R18 platform to date. [MORE]
The Neo-Retro Bagger by Blechmann
Bernhard Naumann, better known as Blechmann (the “Tin Man”), lives up to his alias with this metal-shaped marvel. Working without sketches, Blechmann uses his version of “rapid-prototyping” via cardboard mockups to find a bike’s soul before hammering out the final aluminum pieces. This R18 has been transformed into a neo-retro bagger that manages to look both like a spaceship and a classic cruiser simultaneously.
The front end is dominated by a heavily contoured, hand-shaped fairing that features finned side sections and a recessed headlight mimicking classic BMW automotive grilles. Blechmann narrowed the stock fuel tank, adding deep knee indents and a polished spine that flows into a custom-shaped tail section. Remarkably, the bike retains the stock “fishtail” exhausts, which Blechmann integrated into the design rather than discarding them.
The cockpit is an exercise in minimalism, using clip-ons cut from the original handlebars to maintain the stock controls while radically changing the ergonomics. With 450 hours of hand labor invested, the Blechmann special wears a traditional BMW black-and-white livery that highlights the interplay between polished and dull metal. It’s a sculpture that proves just how much the R18’s DNA can be stretched without losing its Bavarian identity. [MORE]
‘The Wal’ by Shinya Kimura
Shinya Kimura is an enigma in the custom world, known for organic, animalistic shapes that ignore symmetry and convention. For his build, nicknamed ‘The Wal’ (German for whale), Kimura transformed the R18 into a sports tourer with handmade aluminum bodywork. The fairing, with its bug-eyed twin headlights and “teeth-like” grill, gives the bike a predatory, aquatic presence that is unmistakably Chabott Engineering.
Kimura’s focus was on long-distance usability. He lengthened the fuel tank to push the rider further back, increased fuel capacity by a gallon, and added knee indents for a narrower profile. The ergonomics were overhauled with custom bars that are 8 inches narrower and 6 inches lower than stock, and foot controls were moved 2 inches back to create a more “front-facing” riding position.
The final aesthetic is a mix of hammered textures and bronze powder coating. Shinya left the R18’s robust suspension and brakes alone, but added classic horns and delicate pinstriping for a touch of elegance. It is a brutal, quirky, and deeply personal take on the Big Boxer that emphasizes the “wild yet good-natured” character of the 1,802 cc engine. [MORE]
‘Berlin Barnstormer’ by Rough Crafts
Winston Yeh of Rough Crafts took a different path, looking back to the very first BMW motorcycle—the 1923 R32—for inspiration. The ‘Berlin Barnstormer’ is a gothic masterpiece that utilizes a rising tank line to echo the frame rails of its ancestor. The fuel tank was a feat of engineering, involving cutting the stock shell away to preserve the massive internal fuel pump while grafting a slimmed-down outer shell on top.
The bike sits significantly lower than stock, thanks to Walzwerk suspension components, and rides on Arlen Ness Y-spoke forged aluminum rims. Yeh upsized the wheels to a 21-inch front and 18-inch rear, wrapping them in Metzeler Marathon tires for a muscular, long-and-low stance. The braking system was given a massive upgrade with a full Beringer kit, including six-piston calipers at the front and four-piston calipers at the rear.
The ‘Barnstormer’ features several Rough Crafts signatures, including carbon fiber radiator shrouds and fenders, and an upswept exhaust system with massive 2.5-inch headers. The paint and pinstriping, handled by Line&Circle Custom Studio, elevate the bike to a level of finish that surpasses even the factory’s high standards. It is a clean, simple, yet technically complex build that proves Winston Yeh’s “black magic” works on any scale. [MORE]
The Reverse Trike by ShifCustom
Three-wheelers often suffer from an image problem, but Yuri Shif’s reverse trike is the exception to the rule. Built for a customer who wanted the cruiser experience without the balancing act, this contraption takes styling cues from the legendary BMW 328 and Morgan 3 Wheelers. The engineering is staggering, featuring a custom-made front subframe and a double-wishbone independent suspension system tucked under a handcrafted aluminum nose cone.
The nose cone features the iconic dual kidney grilles, a clear homage to BMW’s racing heritage. Every detail is meticulously executed, from the Rudge Whitworth center-lock nuts on the wheels to the louvered panels that mimic a 1930s engine hood. Under that hood, ShifCustom integrated a Bluetooth sound system and an induction charger for the rider’s smartphone, blending vintage coachbuilding with modern luxury.
The livery is a classic silver and blue combination that carries through to the valve covers and mufflers. Despite the radical change in the front end, the R18’s Big Boxer remains the focal point, its cylinders jutting out behind the front wheels. It’s an outrageous, ruffled-feather take on the R18 that successfully transforms the cruiser into a sophisticated, high-speed touring machine. [MORE]
The Endurance Racer by XTR Pepo
In a clash of styles we never expected, Pepo Rosell of XTR Pepo took the heavy R18 and turned it into a lean, endurance-style café racer. Built in collaboration with 911 MX Factory, this bike—the ‘best in show’ at Verona—is barely recognizable as a cruiser. The team cut the rear frame, fabricated a new subframe, and added frame struts to handle the increased stresses of aggressive riding.
The front end features re-valved R nineT forks and a front wheel from an F800R, while a custom YSS shock handles the rear. The engine has been stripped of its airbox in favor of DNA pod filters, and a hand-built two-into-one exhaust snakes around the motor to exit through a Spark muffler. The fuel tank is an inspired choice: a modified unit from a modern Moto Guzzi V7, fitted with an endurance-style filler cap.
The livery is a vibrant nod to German ‘Polizei’ bikes, featuring green, red, and yellow accents. With clip-ons replacing the high bars and rear-set pegs moving the rider into a crouch, the XTR Pepo R18 is a visceral transformation. It proves that with enough talent (and a healthy amount of fiberglass), even an 800-pound cruiser can look like it’s ready for a 24-hour endurance race. [MORE]
‘Maverick’ by Rusty Wrench Motorcycles
Designing a movie-themed bike is usually a recipe for kitsch, but Portugal’s Rusty Wrench Motorcycles avoided the traps with their Top Gun: Maverick-inspired R18. The build features a handmade headlight nacelle with KTM internals and a “fuselage-style” belly pan that mimics a fighter jet. The stock tank was replaced with a one-off unit featuring sharp, angular knee indents that give the bike a more aggressive, forward-heavy silhouette.
One of the most impressive technical changes is the exhaust system. Rusty Wrench built stainless steel headers that route up and over the massive boxer cylinders, exiting under the tail in a pair of aluminum mufflers designed to look like jet afterburners. The tail section itself is a waspish, custom-made unit sitting on a stealthy subframe, finished with a jet-fin style taillight.
The bike rolls on a 21-inch front and 18-inch rear alloy wheelset from the RSD catalog. Despite the Top Gun cues—like the ‘Maverick’ logos on the engine—the bike is a cohesive, luxury sports machine that works even without the cinematic context. The revised ergonomics and high-set exhaust have likely transformed the R18 from a relaxed cruiser into a much more engaging, spirited ride. [MORE]
