Ignition

Dirk Oehlerking demonstrates how to take something beautiful and make it breathtakingly so

THE BMW R 18 FIRST EDITION IS MORE ART THAN motorcycle, a fact that is evident the first time you lay eyes on it. The intricacy of the bodywork, the excellent craftsmanship and the exquisite finish of the motorcycle are aspects to be admired for hours on end. One man did more than just admire. Dirk Oehlerking from Kingston Custom decided he could take the R 18 a step further with a few rather tasteful additions.

The work is not subtle. Not at all. Kingston Custom’s metalworking prowess is easily visible in the massive fairing that covers almost half of the motorcycle. Head on, the motorcycle looks like a locomotive straight out of a dream; unreal and captivating. Interestingly, the inspiration came from the stars of a bygone era — the 1930s BMW 328 Roadsters (cars), to be specific.

Aptly named the “Spirit of Passion”, the motorcycle’s new fairing is so well made that it looks like it always belonged on the motorcycle. We particularly like how it wraps around the R 18’s large and distinctive boxer engine’s cylinder-heads and accommodates its gentle curves. This design runs the length of the motorcycle and exposes a bare minimum of rubber while, remarkably, remaining fully functional; just like the Germans to pull off something like that, eh? The custom build also features a refreshing take on lighting. Furthermore, Oehlerking went to a great deal of pain to extend the pinstriping on the fuel-tank along the curvaceous area of the fairing, giving the motorcycle a natural, wholesome look.

Mechanically, the custom house has left the R 18 untouched for the most part. The massive 1,802-cc boxer twin churns out 91 hp at 4,750 rpm and a peak torque of 158 Nm at 3,000 rpm. However, they have replaced the stock exhaust with side-pipe style units. Regrettably, the Spirit of Passion will be limited to 18 units only.