Custom BMW R18 First Edition - Fully faired 'Spirit of Passion'
A look at the big boxer which gets a true facelift from Kingston Custom, in the form of a massive grille and fairing.
BMW seem to love custom bikes as much as we do, so much so that they let renowned custom bike builder Kingston Custom loose with their R18 First Edition big boxer - the result is truly stunning.
The Kingston Custom builder Dirk Oehlerking, who looks like an oddly familiar German version of James May, took inspiration from the classic 1930s BMW 328 Roadsters for his approach to the front grille-fairing, naming his final piece de resistance the “Spirit of Passion”. This look at an R18 First Edition has us captivated - and we don’t tend to be lovers fine art, unless it’s got two wheels and goes braap.
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That front fairing really is the main attraction here, and the prominent feature is specifically moulded and sculpted to shroud the big boxers natural curves, resulting in a style that truly looks like it belongs on the bike.
Mechanically speaking the R18 is for the most part untouched, with the 1802cc, 91bhp motor still present - alongside the direct shaft driven system - the motorcycle remains perfectly rideable with technical details left as they are on the production model. Even the frame of the R18 First Edition remains entirely untouched. The exhaust is one of the only mechanical features really changed, with Kingston Custom opting for a side-pipe style exhaust.
It’s a limited run 1 of 18 design, and his custom work bears many similarities with the minimalist art deco design world. Stylistically both front and rear wheels are almost entirely hidden beneath the fairings, extended to expose the bare minimum of rubber - yet in true German fashion, remains perfectly functional.
Visually, the front light is embedded within the fairing, and rear light is placed on a fin protruding from the rear wheel fairing. Custom paintwork is added with painstaking detail, and the handlebars are reshaped slightly to manoeuvre around the added geometry of the front.
All in all, this custom look really suits the R18.
Keep your eyes peeled for more on the BMW R18, as we should be receiving one at Visordown in the next week for review - in the meantime, subscribe to our YouTube channel where you’ll find a massive backlog of videos to keep you entertained.
