2022 was a year when traditional boundaries between automotive, aerospace, and motorcycle design dissolved entirely, resulting in a gallery of machines that look as comfortable on a salt flat as in a contemporary art museum.
Today, we are counting down the ten custom BMWs that stopped us in our tracks, dominated our analytics, and defined the year. Grab a cold drink, lean back, and enjoy this retrospective of pure, unadulterated German engineering reshaped by hand.
10. Workhorse Speed Shop’s ‘Avus’ R18
Belgium’s Brice Hennebert, working under his Workhorse Speed Shop banner, decided to take the massive real estate of the BMW R18 and elevate it to a theatrical new level. Drawing inspiration from 1930s art deco, pre-war racing aesthetics, and the historic AVUS circuit in Berlin, Brice set out to craft a squat, compact masterpiece. He modeled his mood board on two legendary pre-war sports cars: the 1930 Bentley ‘Blue Train’ and the outrageous 1935 Rolls-Royce Phantom Jonckheere Coupe.
The custom R18 rolls on a massive set of custom-built wheels from JoNich Wheels in Italy, featuring a 21-inch front hoop and a monster 240-wide 18-inch rear wheel that perfectly balances the scale of the 1,802 cc boxer engine. To keep the lines incredibly clean, Brice integrated an exotic inboard braking system from Beringer, which required substantial CAD engineering to safely house the original BMW ABS sensors. Up front, a set of custom-designed triple trees split a pair of 43 mm Öhlins forks wide enough to clear the massive tire, matched with a custom Öhlins rear shock.
To show off the rear suspension, Brice spent two weeks relocating the entire electrical harness into a hidden black box behind the transmission. A handmade aluminum belly pan runs along the bottom, housing a custom exhaust fabricated from pie-cut headers and racecar muffler elements. The build was completed with a 3D-printed carbon-reinforced nylon front fairing, a pop-up iPhone mount, internal handlebar wiring, and a gorgeous finned rear fender topped with a solo seat from Silvermachine. [MORE]
9. Richard Petzold’s K100 LT
Dresden-based energy technology student Richard Petzold proved that youth is no barrier to world-class custom fabrication. Using his parents’ garage as a laboratory, Richard transformed a 30-year-old 1991 BMW K100 LT into a stunning, daily-rideable machine that was fully street-legal under Germany’s notoriously strict TÜV regulations. Rather than compromising the low-end torque of the 90 hp inline-four engine with open pod filters, he optimized the stock intake while switching the final drive to a taller 31/11 ratio for more spirited road riding.
Richard modernized the bike’s handling by adapting a pair of Marzocchi inverted forks from a Moto Guzzi V11, paired with Brembo four-piston calipers and 320 mm discs mounted to the original K100 Y-spoke wheels. He dove deep into advanced manufacturing, 3D printing molds to hand-lay carbon fiber fenders and a stunning Husqvarna-inspired tail unit that seamlessly hides a Motogadget mo.unit. The fuel tank’s notoriously awkward lower geometry was visually corrected with pressed-aluminum and carbon-fiber airbox covers, which Richard formed by pressing metal into 3D-printed molds.
To keep costs down, Richard fabricated his own silicone grips and 3D-printed the handlebar buttons for a mere $25. The cockpit was finished with a Truck-Lite LED headlight, Highsider bar-end turn signals, and a clean MMB speedometer. Exhaling through a modified Unit Garage exhaust system that was remapped for optimal gas flow and legal noise limits. This first-time build stands as an astounding, highly professional achievement. [MORE]
8. Powerbrick’s K1100 RS Cafe Racer
In the mid-1990s, the heavy BMW K1100 RS was the king of high-speed autobahn cruising, but Timothy Somers of Dutch workshop Powerbrick stripped away its touring baggage to reveal a sharp, aggressive cafe racer. Timothy, who possesses a background in industrial design, focused on creating a singular, sweeping visual silhouette that runs uninterrupted from the Koso Thunderbolt headlight to the rear cowl. He altered the bike’s stance by extending the single-sided Paralever swingarm by 15 mm, mounting it to a top-tier, fully adjustable YSS G-Racing monoshock.
The front end was heavily upgraded with S1000RR superbike forks fitted with Bitubo cartridges, held securely in place by one of Powerbrick’s proprietary black-anodized billet aluminum triple trees. Braking was modernized via a Brembo RCS19 master cylinder feeding radial GP4-RS monobloc calipers, while the clip-ons were finished with Motogadget bar-end turn signals and Biltwell grips. Under the hood, Somers boosted the 100 hp engine to an estimated 130 hp by porting the intakes, advancing the timing, fitting Bosch EV14 injectors, and adding a custom 4-into-1 stainless steel exhaust.
Timothy retained the heavily scalloped factory fuel tank but fabricated a brand-new subframe to carry the ultra-clean 3D-printed tail section. A modern electrical harness was built around a Bluetooth-enabled Motogadget mo.unit blue, powered by a lightweight NOCO lithium battery tucked out of sight. Resting on sticky Pirelli Diablo Rain race tires, this aggressive street-eating K-series machine perfectly showcased the high-end bolt-on parts catalog that the Powerbrick shop has pioneered. [MORE]
7. Möbius Garage’s ‘Izarra 700’ R69
Sébastien Beaupère of Möbius Garage in the south of France spent a painstaking decade bringing the ‘Izarra 700’ to life, resulting in a well-deserved first-place trophy at the Wheels and Waves festival. The heart of this jaw-dropping build is a true mechanical singularity: Sébastien took the crankcase of a 1955 BMW R69 motorcycle and grafted the larger cylinders of a 1964 BMW 700 automobile onto it. Because the car cylinders did not align with the motorcycle crankcase, he filled the case openings with aluminum and re-machined them to fit the massive automotive jugs.
This hyper-square motor was fitted with custom-length pushrod tubes, hand-machined stainless-steel exhaust ports, dual horizontal Dell’Orto carburetors, and a modified car gearbox to keep the drivetrain aligned. The chassis was built to evoke a vintage BMW Rennsport racer, anchored by a shortened and widened Earles front fork, updated with dual Öhlins shocks and a 140-wide Michelin flat-track tire. Out back, a heavily modified /6 swingarm was widened to accommodate a 160-wide rear tire, suspended by a second set of Öhlins shocks.
Making a healthy 65 horsepower at 7,500 rpm, the Izarra 700 is as much a visual masterpiece as it is a performer. The bulky, hand-formed Rennsport-style fuel cell was coated in a hand-rubbed brass finish, a theme carried through to the engine’s rocker arms, shock spacers, and the unique mesh windshield. The tail cowl took its styling cues from Mike Hailwood’s legendary 1970s Ducati racers, upholstered with leather salvaged from a vintage Cessna airplane cockpit to complete a truly historic build. [MORE]
6. FabMan Creations’ ‘Storm’ R nineT
Wayne Buys, operating out of his home garage under the name FabMan Creations in South Africa, completely reshaped a low-mileage BMW R nineT into a stunning, retro-futuristic aeronautical sculpture. Working entirely freeform without a single sketch or digital template, Wayne hand-hammered and planished the entire interlocking aluminum body shell using a homemade English wheel. The resulting aircraft-grade skin fits together like a Meccano set, locking onto a hidden aluminum fuel cell via a single fastener around the gas cap.
To fit the flowing tail section, Wayne trimmed the subframe and relocated the foot peg brackets rearward, using custom pegs that pinch the hand-formed aluminum belly pan in place. The body’s functional scoops direct cool air to the cylinder heads, while small ducts in the enclosed front fender cool the brakes, and a rear scooped fan system chills a relocated oil cooler. The exhaust headers are completely hidden, with the gases escaping through three stealthy, integrated ports on either side of the lower body pan.
Wayne fabricated custom aluminum clip-on handlebars that clean up the cockpit by routing all cables and brake lines internally to master cylinders hidden under the bodywork. The dash was built around a flush Acewell speedometer, operating via a keyless remote and custom push buttons on the bars. Finished in a flawless matte silver paint that highlights every hand-beaten curve, this machine looks less like a motorcycle and more like a pre-war land-speed-record aircraft. [MORE]
5. ShifCustom’s R18 Reverse Trike
Yuri Shif and his 15-strong team at ShifCustom in Minsk answered a client’s request for a highly stylish, stable three-wheeled cruiser by turning the BMW R18 into a breathtaking reverse trike. Designed as a rolling homage to the iconic pre-war BMW 328 sports car, this build seamlessly blends classic coachbuilding with high-end chassis engineering. The team digitally designed a custom front subframe that bolts directly to the R18’s frame, supporting a double-wishbone independent front suspension system with adjustable shocks.
The front-end steering linkage transfers inputs from custom-swept handlebars to modified Audi A3 wheels, which are stopped by powerful Nissin brakes. Traditionally hand-formed from aluminum, the nose cone features the signature dual ‘kidney’ grilles of the BMW 328, complete with louvered panels and Rudge-Whitworth-style center-lock wheel nuts. Undoing the authentic leather straps allows the hood to open in two sections, revealing the complex suspension system and relocated electronic modules.
To ensure the trike’s electrical CAN bus system remained happy, ShifCustom engineered a plug-in module to run a pair of Harley V-Rod headlights in custom housings. The rider’s cockpit features a Bluetooth sound system controlled via handlebar remotes, a smartphone charging pouch on the tank, and a relocated factory speedometer. Shrouded in matching enclosed front fenders and painted in a classic silver-and-blue racing livery, this reverse trike is a triumph of engineering and style. [MORE]
4. Kingston Custom’s ‘Platon’ R nineT
When a client approached Dirk Oehlerking of Kingston Custom for a simple seat-and-tank swap on an R nineT, the legendary German builder flatly refused, demanding a challenge worthy of his caliber. Dirk convinced the client to let him apply his signature, highly stylized Art Deco aesthetic to the modern roadster. Using his traditional analog approach, Dirk stripped the bike down and shaped the retro-futuristic, boxy yet slim monocoque bodywork from foam before 3D-scanning the plugs to lay up the final fiberglass shell.
The custom bodywork rests on the stock, unaltered R nineT chassis, housing a custom-built 3-gallon aluminum fuel reservoir that accommodates the OEM fuel pump beneath. A rich brass strap runs along the top spine of the bodywork, meeting a custom leather seat, contrasting beautifully with a pair of signature BMW ‘kidney’ grilles mounted in front of the engine. The custom nose fairing houses the original headlight, sitting ahead of ABM clip-on handlebars, Shin Yo mirrors, and a clean Motogadget speedometer.
The client’s desire for premium BMW Option 719 parts was tastefully met, with the factory cylinder head covers, foot controls, and hand levers matching the custom paint scheme. Dirk wrapped the ‘Platon’ in the official metallic black, silver, and gold palette of BMW’s special-order catalog. It is a striking, neo-retro piece that looks like a concept bike pulled from an alternate 1930s timeline, prompting Kingston Custom to plan a limited run of nine units. [MORE]
3. Cumpert Contraptions’ BMW R100R Three-Wheeler
Tim Cumper, a prototype model maker by day, channeled his love for pre-war racing cars and Morgan three-wheelers into his workshop debut under the name Cumpert Contraptions. Underneath the breathtaking, sci-fi-influenced aluminum bodywork lies the chassis of a 1993 BMW R100R mated to the front end of a utility ATV. To marry the square-section ATV quad frame with the round-tubed BMW motorcycle chassis, Tim carefully aligned the wheelbases before TIG-welding the two units together.
The front end uses a pair of wire-spoked Austin 7 wheels linked to the ATV’s steering linkage, suspension arms, and disc brakes, while the rear end retains the BMW’s shaft drive, wheel, and drum brake. Tim relocated the heavy 980cc boxer engine forward on custom-fabricated mounts to optimize weight distribution and built a custom linkage to transfer power back to the stock driveshaft. He then drew the bodywork in CAD, using the digital data to CNC-mill a scale model and construct wooden blocks to hammer out the sheet aluminum panels.
The bodywork’s exquisite details include CNC-machined side vents that pay homage to the legendary BMW 507, a Kawasaki Versys windscreen, and a Triumph Bobber seat pad. The original R100R switchgear and tachometer were integrated into a bulging dashboard on the cowl, alongside a Daytona speedometer, a Honda brake lever, and a custom exhaust using Yamaha BT1100 silencers. It is a magnificent, highly creative shed build that turns heads wherever it goes. [MORE]
2. CNCPT Moto’s ‘Cloud 9’ R nineT
When two of the Netherlands’ most prominent custom builders, Arjan van den Boom of Ironwood Motorcycles and Timothy Somers of Powerbrick, joined forces under the banner CNCPT Moto, the result was nothing short of legendary. Their collaborative R nineT concept, dubbed ‘Cloud 9,’ represents a neo-futuristic, “teleport-into-2084” approach to custom building. The team hand-sculpted the monocoque-style bodywork in traditional clay, then digitized and 3D-printed the final panels in high-grade ASA thermoplastic.
To make the radical bodywork mountable, it was printed in two interlocking sections that bolt directly to the stock R nineT mounting points. Because the new shell could not accommodate the stock tank, the duo welded a compact, shoebox-shaped aluminum fuel cell that used the OEM fuel pump and connectors. The signature open-air intake uses a 3D-printed filter box holding a high-flow DNA filter, sitting right below synthetic polymer resin light lenses that hide powerful, ultra-bright LEDs.
The chassis was heavily upgraded with Matris hydraulic fork cartridges hidden inside CeraCarbon carbon tubes, while a premium TFX monoshock keeps the rear planted. Lightweight 17-inch carbon-fiber Rotobox wheels drastically reduce unsprung weight and are shod in sticky Pirelli Diablo Superbike slicks. Finished in ghostly silver by Royal Kustom Works, with custom-machined engine covers and a hand-bent aluminum belly pan, “Cloud 9” stood as one of the most conceptually advanced BMWs of the decade. [MORE]
1. Retrorides by Lourenço’s K100 RS
Topping our list for 2022 was an incredibly sleek, dark, and handsome BMW K100 RS café racer built by Brazil’s Retrorides by Lourenço. Founded by brothers Gustavo and Rodrigo Lourenço and their late father José, the shop set out to cure the K-series’ most notorious design flaw: the awkward, blocky bottom line of the fuel tank. To eliminate the ugly gap left by the factory fairings, the brothers spent hours designing a flush-fitting, 3D-printed carbon fiber radiator shroud with a CNC-machined billet aluminum grille.
This brilliant aesthetic fix was paired with a 3D-printed front fairing that wraps around a classic circular headlight, incorporating a CNC-machined BMW ‘kidney’ grille. Stance was perfected by fitting 17-inch bronze-finished wheels with an adjusted rear offset to align perfectly with the frame, then wrapping them in exceptionally grippy Heidenau K73 supermoto tires. The front suspension was upgraded with upside-down forks from a Honda Hornet, grafted on using in-house CNC-machined aluminum triple trees and inverted handlebars that eliminate empty space.
At the rear, Retrorides installed its famous, proprietary horizontal linkage suspension system, CNC-machined from a solid block of aluminum to visually open up the rear wheel. The truncated subframe supports a diamond-stitched black leather seat with a built-in LED taillight and clear acrylic turn signals flushed into the frame. With subtle grey paint contrasting against blacked-out components, bronze velocity stacks, and an uncompromised 90 hp on tap, this build represents the absolute pinnacle of K-series customization. [MORE]
