This is not a BMW, this is a 650 Burgman Scooter dubbed the R 65 Burgman RS.

This is not the BMW R 100 RS. This is a Suzuki 650 Burgman rebuilt to look like a BMW R 100 RS, but you wouldn’t know it without seeing the missing boxer engine. Thomas Joanotta created the “Suzuki R 65 Bergman RS”. As Motorrad puts it, it’s pretty “polarizing”, but definitely interesting in the world of custom replicas.

Originally from Beilstein in Swabia, Jannotta is a multi-talented optician, watchmaker, goldsmith and inventor. Besides this bike, he built a few other things in his garage. Individual homages to the R 100 RS differ, to say the least. Some of the people Gianotta asked thought it was cool, while others asked, “Why?” Given that the Suzuki Burgman is the furthest thing from the R 100 RS, the reaction is understandable.

The legend of the Suzuki 650 Burgman lives on and Gianotta was intrigued by the power of the scooter and has benefited greatly from it. Before deciding to build the ‘R 65’, Gianotta wanted to start a racing kneeler team using the Bergmann as a towing vehicle. However, several things prevented him from doing it. Based on the purchase price, the 650 Bergman was purchased for just €600. Why so affordable? Well, the previous owner had an accident while driving slow and decided to sell the car. The bike was then stored in Gianotta’s garage due to fairing damage.

Gianotta is his BMW fan and it’s true, He decided to give Burgman his 1981 R 100 RS trim. Add the tank, side covers and seat and Gianotta had all the pieces to make the top half of a bike like the R 100 RS.

It didn’t fit like a glove. Converting a scooter into a motorcycle was all you could buy ‘plug and play’ and moving the parts onto the bike was definitely a bespoke job. A bracket and adapter were made and ported to the bike. Without a boxerhead, the holes for air cooling had to be plugged, so Gianotta attached sheet metal panels taken over from Volkswagen his transporter to the sides.

Barring the lack of a boxer engine, the Bergman comes with a 15-inch front wheel. Other workarounds included an access pipe for the 18-liter integrated fuel tank, a special fuel pump for the Burgman engine, a slightly wider and shortened RS seat, and a relocated air filter inside the tank. increase. Also, an R 100 GS handlebar has been added to widen the Burgman’s stance.

The great thing about this special model is that it is properly prepared for TÜV approval. Ready to register with original Bergman headlights, taillights, indicators, and original powertrain and chassis. The only attachment is an approved silencer – the key word is “approved”. The only drawback here is that the rear is now shorter and less suitable for two-seaters. What is the total damage? €2,200 (approximately US$2,400). Metallic gold color from bike to parts. The whole project didn`t cost an arm and a leg.

Source: rideapart.com