BMW motorrad commissions one-off racing motorcycles for sultans of sprint

under the motto of ‘speed is our religion’, the motorcycles at the reunion festival in monza, italy, were always going to cause a dramatic stir. the event, which takes place on may 19th 2018, is the first stage of the ‘sultans of sprint’ races, where two-wheel fanatics from across europe can test their creations on a 1/8 mile sprint. for the first time in its four year history, a ‘factory class’ has been introduced to allow bike makers with four-stroke or water-cooled engines to start. this is where BMW come in, collaborating with VTR customs and krautmotors to create two powerful, creative yet crazy designs.

‘we are delighted to be launching two custom garages and conversions here that couldn’t be more different and unusual,‘ says christian pingitzer, head of marketing strategy heritage & customizing at BMW motorrad.

the ‘spitfire’ by VTR customs
image © andri margadant
(main image also)

image © andri margadant

sourcing his hobby of flying as inspiration, specifically that of a 1938 royal air force fighter plane, the makers created the namesake and similarly styled motorcycle. the two-wheeler and its extreme power is sheathed within an aluminum body. with its very deep line of 90cm in height, the design needed the front frame to be extended by 20cm, the head to be shortened, and all electronics re-positioned. however, the result highlights their ability to customize with precision and attention to detail, where even the original instruments from a spitfire plane’s cockpit were used.

image © andri margadant

image © andri margadant

image © andri margadant

the modified BMW R nine T pure by krautmotors
image © frank schulte

krautmotors, a custom garage based in heidelberg, germany, changes the monocoque of a BMW R nine T pure motorcycle for each of the five races at ‘sultans of sprint’. the one-off design focuses on simplicity and spontaneity, where its form owes itself to using the original components such as the fuel pump and air filter.

image © frank schulte

changing in form per race, the design for the reunion festival is sculpted in the style of a dirt tracker. the angular body, which is defined by clear cut lines and surfaces, features a new steel tank and hump as the originals were considered too heavy. furthermore, to achieve the first monocoque, the bike’s rear frame was shortened and the whole structure lowered.

image © frank schulte

image © frank schulte

image © frank schulte

image © frank schulte

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