one with a black-bathed over body, the other converted as a scrambler; two custom motorcycles, which debuted at the 2018 wheels and waves festival, are completely dissimilar apart from being based on old BMW motorrads. the festival, held in biarritz, france, is a cross-over celebration of both motorbiking and surfing. as these adrenaline junkies unite, exquisite designs are showcased, including the ‘black phantom’ by kingston custom and the ‘coyote’ by fuel motorcycles.
the fuel motorcycles’ ‘coyote’
image © fuel motorcycles
said to be a ‘tough nut for rough terrain‘, the fuel motorcycles’ ‘coyote’ is a bespoke BMW ‘R nine T urban G/S’ conversion that was inspired by the namesake animal, as well as an ambition to replicate bikes from the 1950s that travelled across the deserts of the american west. as such, it features a raised exhaust, an engine guard and a high seat, which is upholstered in natural and suede leather. significantly, a smaller, lighter tank was needed and so an old one from a suzuki ‘GT 250’ was modified to fit.
image © fuel motorcycles
following the ‘white phantom’ in 2017, the kingston custom ‘black phantom’ motorcycle is set to make waves on its unveiling at the festival. beneath its black body, it is based on a BMW ‘R75’ added to with original parts from the brand between 1951 to 1979. ‘I wanted to build a bike that showed that no high-end technology is needed to create something special,’ says dirk oehlerking. the truly handmade project did not include any welding, flexing or drilling to its frame.
image © fuel motorcycles
image © fuel motorcycles
image © fuel motorcycles
image © fuel motorcycles
the kingston custom ‘black phantom’
image © ben ott
image © ben ott
image © ben ott
image © ben ott
image © ben ott
image © ben ott
