BMW motorrad marks its 100 years with R18 the crown motorcycle in aluminum sheet metal

BMW motorrad marks its 100 years with R18 the crown motorcycle in aluminum sheet metal

Dirk Oehlerking customizeS BMW Motorrad’s R18 the crown

 

BMW Motorrad celebrates its 100 years by presenting the design of Kingston Custom founder Dirk Oehlerking and his interpretation of the R18 ride with The Crown. The big boxer motorcycle features a bent aluminum sheet metal over the front-wheel suspension and a double-sided swinging arm with a central suspension strut.

 

Dirk Oehlerking, who also worked on the ‘R18 Spirit of Passion’, stripped down a new BMW R18 before incorporating his design. ‘As always, I worked with hard foam and cardboard to create the shape, the lines, and the design. The aim was for it to look powerful, elegant, and fast combined with an innovative look,’ he says.

BMW motorrad marks its 100 years with R18 the crown motorcycle in aluminum sheet metal
images by BWM

 

 

Dirk Oehlerking and his team cut, bent, and sculpted the 2mm-thick aluminum sheet metal to form the 8-liter fuel tank and R18 The Crown’s body parts. While the engine and rear suspension remain faithful to their original design, the two stainless steel exhaust manifolds are completely made by hand.

 

The headlight, instrument, switch units, and footrest system followed, and Dirk Oehlerking slid them into the motorcycle. The clutch and handbrake fittings came from Magura, the rear mudguard and brackets from Wunderkind, and the leather-covered saddle also sprang from 2mm-thick aluminum sheet metal.

BMW motorrad marks its 100 years with R18 the crown motorcycle in aluminum sheet metal
Dirk Oehlerking stripped down a new BMW R18 before incorporating his design

 

 

Champagne Platinum finish for aluminum-clad motorcycle

 

Dirk Oehlerking completes BMW Motorrad R18 The Crown with a Champagne Platinum paint finish in a mother-of-pearl texture, complemented by the BMW brand emblem adorned with a small crown. The resulting motorcycle stands out with its folded and sculpted aluminum metal sheet, protruding body parts, and gradient suspension tube that emerges from a surfboard-like metal frame.

 

Dirk Oehlerking considers the BMW Motorrad R18 The Crown as the essence of his creations to date. He has strived for individual and unusual motorcycles, bringing out aesthetics and technical elements that may not be present in the usual visual flow of the ride. For 30 years, he has been doing so in the Ruhr region, the home of Kingston Custom. His love for industrial culture and motorcycles comes forth in his recent BMW Motorrad, the R18 The Crown.

BMW motorrad marks its 100 years with R18 the crown motorcycle in aluminum sheet metal
R18 The Crown comes with a bent aluminum sheet metal over its front-wheel suspension

BMW motorrad marks its 100 years with R18 the crown motorcycle in aluminum sheet metal
there is also a double-sided swinging arm with a central suspension strut

BMW-motorrad-r18-the-crown-100-years-designboom-ban

the leather-covered saddle also comes from aluminum sheet metal

a 2mm-thick aluminum sheet metal is used to form the 8-liter fuel tank and R18 The Crown's body parts
a 2mm-thick aluminum sheet metal is used to form the 8-liter fuel tank and body parts

the clutch and handbrake fittings came from Magura
the clutch and handbrake fittings came from Magura

the rear mudguard and brackets from Wunderkind
the rear mudguard and brackets from Wunderkind

BMW-motorrad-r18-the-crown-100-years-designboom-ban2

BMW Motorrad’s R18 The Crown by Dirk Oehlerking

KEEP UP WITH OUR DAILY AND WEEKLY NEWSLETTERS
suscribe on designboom
- see sample
- see sample
suscribe on designboom

PRODUCT LIBRARY

a diverse digital database that acts as a valuable guide in gaining insight and information about a product directly from the manufacturer, and serves as a rich reference point in developing a project or scheme.

designboom will always be there for you

milan, new york, beijing, tokyo,  since 1999
X
5