Tag Archives: BMW

The BMW R1250 R gets a bespoke makeover, transforming the motorcycle into a chunky, futuristic urban roadster!

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Renard Speed Shop gave BMW’s R1250 R roadster a city glow-up, with a custom-made, handcrafted aluminum body and chassis to carry the iconic twin-cylinder boxer engine from BMW, known for its control and speed.

BMW’s twin-cylinder boxer engines are known for dynamic control and power. Over the years, many bespoke motorcycle designers have taken to interpreting one-off chassis to match the boxer engine’s force, delivering some top-notch street racers and cruisers alike. Giving some personality to the punchy engine, Renard Speed Shop, a motorcycle design shop based in Estonia, recently constructed their own luxury city cruiser for the BMW R1250 R, calling it ‘Reimagined.’

The R1250 R motorcycle from BMW comes equipped with twin-cylinder boxer engines and keeps a spunky roadster profile with a more industrial edge. Renard Speed Shop built Reimagined to appear like R1250 R’s more mature, suave older cousin who just graduated from college and moved to Manhattan. Described by Renard as a “luxurious city cruiser,” Reimagined is handmade from aluminum with a front grille and triple tree CNC-milled from a solid aluminum block. Most of the bike’s engine is concealed in a round, optic-white aluminum frame that leaves room for some parts of the bike to poke out and bring out the details. Showcasing the motorcycle’s centerpiece, the heads of BMW’s twin-cylinder boxer engine burst from the bike’s core and provide some weight to its frame.

The Reimagined bike’s front suspension covers and lattice were 3D-printed so they could later be “detailed to perfection,” as Renard puts it. Outfitted with a bobber-style floating seat, making precision turns and revving up the engine to pick up some speed will be as smooth as ever, considering the boxer engine’s maximum torque of 105 lb-ft. While most of the motorcycle’s frame was handcrafted by designers at Renard Speed Shop, the wheels are custom-built from JoNich Wheels, a bespoke wheels supplier based in Italy. Additionally, the Akrapovich titanium mufflers come from Ducati Panigale Superleggera, Ducati’s 2015 sportbike.

Designer: Renard Speed Shop x BMW

Renard Speed Shop paid close attention to the details, equipping the bike with K&N air filters concealed by winglet-styled canards.

Renard Speed Shop fitted the Reimagined bike with a TFT display screen for easy access to bodywork maintenance information.

Gleaning silver studs give the bike an air of mystery. 

Integrated taillights and safety features near the handlebars ensure a smooth ride. 

This custom BMW R nineT has 3D printed bodywork that opens with a remote control. Watch the video!

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Austria-based Vagabund Moto is one custom motorcycle shop that keeps pushing the envelope of design, materials, and processes. Their 15th build based around the BMW R nineT justifies the fact, as founders, Paul Brauchart and Philipp Rabl spray their creative magic over the two-wheeler for a facelift that’s so desirable for a speed junkie. The amount of metalwork is owed to craftsman Bernard Naumann!

The client asked the team to make this the best ever two-wheeler they’ve ever worked on and the final result is called “Tin Man.” It has an extensive shell of bodywork highlighted by the monocoque tank cover and the seating configuration. It also has an underlying monocoque part that doubles as the under-seat storage. This is the most exciting bit of the bike is the 3D printed remote control that opens up the upper layer moving on hydraulic shocks. When open, the Motogadget dash is visible through the acrylic window in the cover.

All the electronics are packed inside the bodywork to make the aesthetics clean and sleek. Other design details include the headlight nacelle wrapped around the Koso Thunderbolt LED headlights, the organic-looking front fender having automotive LED turn signals, and the rear lights having an array of LED lights in the tail. The full-carbon wheels are made by Rotobox embedded in Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP tires and the outer layer of bodywork is encapsulated with Mercedes ‘Selenite Grey Magno’ by the paint shop Grundmann. They really did deliver the best custom bike!

Designer: Vagabund Moto

From Tesla Roadster to DeLorean DMC-12, watch these iconic cars in their badass avatar!

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Los Angeles-based digital artist Bradbuilds knows what tingles the nerves of motorheads who can’t get enough of badass four-wheelers. His concept creations are both fascinating as well as practical to a wide genre of audience. All of them are basically a high steroid infusion of what popular vehicles could be in real life. The likes of Lamborghini, Ferrari, Beetle, Corvette, and many other. Bradbuilds’ off-road creations have been loved in the last years or so and here are the ones we couldn’t help but appreciate.

Tesla Roadster Safari

Build for an eventual apocalypse, the Tesla Roadster Safari is straight out from a Doomsday movie plot with the intention of making it through any Armageddon. It gets the Tesla’s all-electric drivetrain and the solar panels fitted on the roof and sides make sure you don’t run out of power while being ambushed by zombies.

Tesla Off-Road Cybertruck

If you are also from the camp who thinks the Cybertruck missed out on something, this creation justifies the belief. Big chunky tires, and a reinforced suspension and steering rods makes this concept Cybertruck a beast ready to conquer any terrain, and that too in style.

DeLorean DMC-12

The iconic DMC-12 gets a boost in its armor courtesy of the elongated suspension and crash protection on the undercarriage. This is matched with the all-terrain tires, the nostalgic Doc Brown’s reactor and rear cooling fans. Who on the face of the earth would deny this DeLorean’s off-roading DNA!

BMW M4 Camping Trailer

Next, we have another one of my favorite creations by the artist – the BMW M4 camping trailer. The personality of the coupe virtual takes a headstand with a one-man camping trailer neatly fitted inside the boot and leading up to the roof. If you like things sexy, this solo ride is the one that fits the bill.

Quadra Turbo-R V-Tech

The perfect cocktail of MadMax and Cyberpunk 2077 takes shape in the form of this mean Quadra Turbo-R V-Tech facelifted for any uncanny chase thrown its way. The fat tires and a robust suspension system lifts the car like it was born that way – it looks so natural. Another one of my favorite from the collection.

Lamborghini Urus Off-Road

How about a Lamborghini Urus for an off-road makeover that’s irresistible? Yes, Bradbuilds doesn’t shy from experimenting with digital designs no one else would even dream of. This off-road Lamborghini Urus is a classic example.

Jeep Wrangler Rubicon

The Jeep Wrangler Rubicon is already a very capable 4×4 off-roader. But Bradbuilds thinks it can get better in a new avatar. The big protruding wheels and the buggy-like rear give a true character of an off-roader that can take on inclines of more than 45 degrees – perfect for motorheads!

Designer: Bradbuilds

This BMW-inspired café rider predicts that batteries will dominate the design language of future e-bikes

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BMW Motorrad concepts have caught our eye in the past for their absolute design prowess and futuristic appeal. Think BMW Vision Next 100. Such is the weight of the brand that industrial designers are drawn towards BMW Motorrad namesake for their two-wheeled inspirations. The KF33 electric motorcycle by Rodrigo Magro Mañas is a cyber bike that gives a purview of the automotive industry a decade into the future. Rodrigo provides the motorbike with a fat belly to accommodate all the mechanical parts and, of course, the battery. 

Looking at this bike, the first thought that struck my mind was the above-mentioned battery/motor compartment. It is humongous! Given that the designer intended it to be a  café racer, I’d imagine the “fuel tank” to be much smaller. You will need the bike to bounce from one café to another with plenty of time in between to charge it, while you hang out with your café buds (or bud-lights). Given the availability of rapid battery chargers already, I’m sure an arrangement can be made to compromise the form of the tank. 

A concept bike typically encapsulates a unified design and a strong silhouette. The bike looks too front-heavy compared to the section from the rear swingarm and beyond. Just scroll down to the second picture below and cover the rear half with your hand to see what I mean. Given our love for BMW-inspired futuristic bike designs, Rodrigo’s imagination of an evolved café racer is a hit and miss. His focus also lies in a bold design since the motorcycle is envisioned for a future where reliable electric rides will dominate the industry. Of course, it will be a performance motorbike because who wouldn’t want one? Hence the sleek body encapsulates a powerful engine and a high-performance battery. The combination of power and performance means a lot of heat is generated. As a solution, Rodrigo has reinterpreted the famous BMW boxer engine shape for heat dissipation where the body cover is designed to release heat, with the telescopic fork and the Cardan cover protection also assisting in heat dissipation. The designer has imagined separate sections for the battery and engine while having a wishbone front fork and the Cardan integrated with the body. 

With some tweaks, this could be a BMW cyber bike that could become the design inspiration for a future BMW Motorrad café racer, and we are excited to see it come to life!

Designer: Rodrigo Magro Mañas

BMW Ki Concept is an electric café racer for urban Wild Hogs

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Concept bikes come in all sizes and shapes, and only a handful of them manage to impress with balanced aesthetics that have a chance of making it through past the blueprint or even prototype stage. Likewise, a café racer adds to the charm of an existing motorbike model for diehard biking enthusiasts – optimizing it for speed, balance, and design aesthetics. Salvatore Ville, a car designer at Tata Motors, takes his bikes seriously, probably why he embarked on modifying the design of a BMW K100 into an attractive café racer.

Salvatore says he wanted to give the bike a sensual appeal by giving it sexy proportions. According to him, the BMW Ki Concept embodies the aesthetic heritage from the yesteryears, in a shape that’s not limited by the norms of the law. The bike is powered by an electric motor and manages to retain BMW’s DNA in totality. The fat rear wheel promises superior grip at high speeds and better handling while cornering chicanes. The beefed-up muscular body done in dual tone of black and silver lends BMW Ki a contrasting personality, complemented by the all-black rims at the front and the silver ones on the rear wheels. While the front wheel has a very classic feel with the wheel spokes visible, the rear is done in a contrasting modern tone.

This concept elevates the classic appeal of the BMW K100 to a level of modern charm – like in the headlight, which is so modern. Rightfully, BMW Ki Concept deserves the attention to one day actually make it past the drawing board as a real café racer machine powered by clean electric energy.

Designer: Salvatore Ville

Custom BMW S1000RR ‘Phantom’ is the most unreal looking motorcycle you’ll see today!

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It’s almost as if the Motorcycle Gods speak through Mehmet Doruk Erdem’s work. If you’ve seen any of Erdem’s custom designs before, they’re best described as otherworldly, bordering on celestial. Erdem has a tendency to visualize forms and surfaces quite unlike any other designer, creating modern monsters instead of motorcycles. Each of his custom BMW bikes have a distinct persona and features a front-heavy design that almost looks like the torso of a jungle cat leaping towards its unassuming prey. Seat yourself on top and you almost feel like He-Man riding his majestic and ferocious Battle Cat (a slightly outdated yet absolutely perfect analogy).

The Phantom is one of Erdem’s more recent works, surfacing on his portfolio page just a few days prior. Designed using the BMW S1000RR superbike as its base, the Phantom builds on the sinister appeal of the bike, amplifying it to almost a ‘cyberpunk executioner’ level. The bike comes with a crouching stance, sticking to the ground as much as possible. There’s hardly any ground clearance on the front, but most of Erdem’s bikes fall within the ‘salt flats racer’ category, making it a non-issue, really. The bike comes with some spectacular panel-work that looks Cybertruck-esque, with its edgy angular design. Designed more in the vein of a moving sculpture than a production bike, the Phantom doesn’t really sport a dashboard, rear-view mirrors, or even a seat! However, for what it lacks in functional details, it definitely makes up with its bold, brutish design!

Designer: Mehmet Doruk Erdem

Meet the BMW Connected Dynamics: a Sci-fi movie worthy hypercar for a futuristic world!

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Talking of hypercars, they ooze with an aerodynamic play of design honed by the muscular built that evokes a sense of style and masculinity. No doubt these mean monsters manage to capture more than the odd glances and oomphs… Lukas Haag who’s an automotive designer with a fair experience at Mercedes-Benz has created the blueprint of a BMW concept that is an improvement on his earlier concept design dubbed Connected Dynamics created way back in 2014.

This renewed vision of a hair-raising four-wheeler with a refreshing CMF-concept lies right in the realms of automotive designs that strike the right balance between form and function. A very tightly knit body design that flows from the front to the back, urging the onlookers to just be bemused by its presence on the road. The wide stance makes the car generate tons of aerodynamics efficiency and the assurance to stay glued to the tarmac as speeds hit in excess of 185 miles per hour. From what I can assume, the shortened hood of this concept and elongated rear points towards an electric drive train much like the official BMW Group’s concept cars in the Vision series.

The mix of sharp aesthetics with the contoured form makes this concept unique in its own rights. In a way, it is going to please automotive lovers who prefer either the sharper design language or the rounded one. One can’t help but notice the profound shark fin leading to the LED illuminated array that covers the rear. The futuristic dynamics are evident in the LED headlights and the taillights matching them on the rear. Overall the new Connected Dynamics concept looks quite boxy and Lukas has managed to catch our attention on this one.

Designer: Lukas Haag

BMW tries to get ahead of its supply curve using quantum computing

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BMW is starting to embrace quantum computing to optimize its supply chains. The automaker has started testing Honeywell systems to help it determine the best components to buy at the right time without disrupting production. While one supplier might...

BMW Motorrad’s “Spirit of Passion” custom motorcycle is an Art-Deco masterpiece!

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Looking at this customized BMW Motorrad R18, the one word that comes to mind is ‘Chariot’. That massive fairing, courtesy Kingston Custom is instantly visible, recognizable, and authoritative… sort of something you’d expect Batman to ride in the 1930s.

Dubbed the “Spirit of Passion”, BMW Motorrad recently collaborated with Kingston Custom for the second custom edition of BMW R18 in the ‘SoulFuel’ series. However, unlike the standard practice with most custom bikes, Dirk Oehlerking of Kingston Customs didn’t pull apart the entire thing to build a new chassis and body from scratch. “The BMW R 18 is so perfect that I left the technology as it is. The frame is 100% original and so sophisticated that nothing should be changed here”, said Oehlerking. Instead, he built on the existing design, creating what one can only describe as ‘difficult to miss’. The front of the Spirit of Passion is massive, yet elegant. Styled from head to toe in an art-deco inspired aesthetic, the bike is hand-finished to perfection, complete with that elongated kidney-grille on the front mudguard, which extends all the way from the dashboard, over the headlight, and near the twin-engine setup. Similarly, the rear mudguard of the motorcycle is an exquisitely designed piece that almost extends all the way to the ground, and integrates the taillight into itself rather beautifully.

The BMW R 18 exhaust has been modified in the Kingston Roadster style, while the saddle is taken from a range of universal accessories. For the most part, the custom bike maintains the same paintjob as the original R18, with the linework on the black body. Although if you ask me, it’s a stellar combination of BMW’s engineering and brand DNA with Kingston Custom’s eccentric ‘Bruce Wayne meets Great Gatsby’ style!

Designers: BMW Motorrad in collaboration with Kingston Custom

Audi and BMW shut down car subscription programs

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More car subscription services are running into trouble. According to Autoblog, Automotive News has learned that Audi and BMW are respectively ending and pausing their services. Audi is winding down its Select program on January 31st with no mention...