Hand-formed metal bodywork transforms the R 18 into something completely out of this world.

Look back at the beginning of 2021. In January of the same year, Kingston Custom unveiled his first BMW R 18 Custom, Spirit of Passion. Frequent collaborator with BMW, Dirk Oehlerking, the streamlined design features an unmistakable Art Deco aesthetic and represents an extension of the R 18 and its world of endless design possibilities.

Fast forward to July 2023 and BMW Motorrad will celebrate his 100th anniversary. From July 7th to 9th, Motorrad held its annual BMW Motorrad Days Festival in Berlin, and of course this year was very special. If you’re BMW, what better way to celebrate than by asking Oehlerking to develop another customized R18 creation to represent the brand’s past, present and future in tangible visual form?Introducing Kingston Custom’s latest creation, ‘The Crown’. While this has nothing to do with the British royal family, Olerking said in his statement, “The essence of my work to date.” Crafted from Oehlerking’s meticulously handcrafted sheet of aluminum, its crowning glory is sealed with a fittingly dignified champagne platinum finish.

“I started with the new BMW R18 and then took it apart. As usual, I used foam and cardboard to create shapes, lines and designs. The goal was to make it look powerful, sophisticated and fast, combined with an innovative look,” he said.

Unlike the process for Spirit of Passion, Oehlerking had to make significant changes to the underlying R18 structure to achieve their vision when building The Crown. The R18’s standard front section was abandoned in favor of a double swingarm with a central spring strut. The fuel tank, body panels and stainless steel exhaust manifolds are all hand finished. At the same time, headlights, instrument clusters, switchgear, footrests, engine and other components were procured from the BMW factory and fully integrated into the overall Crown configuration.

The result, with champagne, lobster and luxury on offer, seems like a fitting homage to his 100th anniversary at BMW Motorrad. The Crown made its debut at his BMW Motorrad Days 2023, but we have no doubt it will make public appearances at other shows in the future. What do you think?

Source: rideapart.com