The second we noticed this outrageous {custom} BMW R 1300 R, we considered Philip Ludwig. A veteran of the Sultans of Dash collection and the person behind Gas forgehe’s made a reputation for himself constructing wild, boxer-powered BMWs—like his 2019 stunner, Achilles.
Our suspicions have been proper. Philipp has been with BMW for years, working in each the automotive and motorbike divisions, and is at present a part of Motorrad’s R&D workforce. This R 1300 R is his newest creation—constructed inside BMW’s prototype workshop, with assist from a crew of in-house designers and engineers. It’s a full-blown skunkworks particular, and some of the spectacular we’ve seen.
Revealed simply three months in the past, the brand new BMW R 1300 R is an aggressive bare roadster with a forward-heavy silhouette. Its liquid-cooled boxer motor kicks out 145 hp and 149 Nm of torque, whereas its shell-type metal body and die-cast aluminum subframe prioritize weight saving and agility over class. That makes it the right donor for a white-knuckle dash racer.
As venture supervisor, Phillip’s job was to attract on his expertise racing in Sultans of Dash—a league the place trying good is nearly as vital as going quick. He was joined by BMW Motorrad automobile designer Andreas Martin, graphic and colour designer Theresa Stukenbrock, and prototype builders Paul Summerer and Thomas Becker.
The record of adjustments to the BMW R 1300 R is intensive, and but the donor bike remains to be recognizable. That’s as a result of the BMW crew aimed to amplify the inventory bike ratheraa than butcher it. Emphasis was positioned on centralizing the bike’s mass and showcasing its stonking 1,300 cc mill.
To that finish, the R 1300 R was denuded of its bodywork and subframe, and constructed again up with a smorgasbord of {custom} accoutrements. A monocoque shell is now draped over it; its intoxicating solid carbon building juxtaposed towards a kinetic livery.
The bodywork contains lodging for all of the R 1300 R’s vital bits. Scooped sections on the entrance encourage airflow (similar to the OEM panels do), whereas cutouts on the sides make house for a pair of chunky pod filters.
Beneath the physique, the workforce shaved some peak off of the inventory gasoline reservoir, reinstalled the gasoline pump on the right-hand aspect, and nudged the filler cap to the left. In addition they relocated the BMW’s TFT dashboard to the tank space, which allow them to clear up the cockpit with out having to tear into the bike’s fashionable wiring. A small seat pad sits additional again, sporting Alcantara upholstery over a 3D-printed pan.
The R 1300 R retains its OEM headlight, nevertheless it’s been retrofitted with yellow LEDs from the BMW M4 CSL. There’s a small solid carbon cowl simply above it, tidying up the house that the unique dashboard mount used to occupy. It’s flanked by totally adjustable clip-ons, fitted with Magura brake and clutch grasp cylinders.
The driving place is as excessive as you’d anticipate from a dash racing machine. BMW S 1000 RR foot controls from the corporate’s ‘HP’ vary are mounted to the ends of custom-made extensions, inserting them way back to humanly potential.
Eager eyes will discover that the R 1300 R sits a hair decrease than earlier than. It now sits on a set of lowered BMW M 1000 RR forks and a custom-built rear shock, each from Wilbers and each totally adjustable. The entrance wheel’s one other M 1000 RR merchandise, as are the decrease fork shrouds and brake ducts. The 1300 retains its unique brakes, however the high yoke’s been changed by a {custom} unit.
The R 1300 R’s radical new aesthetic would indicate a number of engine mods, however Philipp opted to maintain issues largely inventory. “An excessive amount of energy can also be not so good on the dash,” he explains. “What’s actually vital is torque, which the boxer engine delivers completely on the backside finish.”
There are two noticeable upgrades: a one-off titanium exhaust system from long-time BMW Motorrad accomplice Akrapovi?, and a nitrous oxide injection system. The exhaust is mechanical artwork, snaking its manner alongside the underside of the engine block earlier than crossing over itself and exiting on the tail. It’s fitted with a pair of GP-style mufflers and carbon fiber warmth shields.
The nitrous system is linked on to the bike’s ECU, including 30 and 40 extra horsepower at a twist of the wrist. (A change on the bars helps you to alternate between two engine mappings.)
Regardless that it weighs 40 kilos (88 kilos) lower than earlier than, the sheer presence of this practice BMW R 1300 R has earned it the nickname Titan. And when you’re apprehensive that this bonkers machine will spend extra time on show than on the observe, concern not: Philipp has confirmed that he plans to race it.
