In 2024, there are only a small number of motorcycles with boxer twin-cylinder engines and they are all from BMW. At one time, Harley-Davidson and Indian also experimented with boxer engines. However, various problems with refinement and weight balance persuaded them to abandon the idea. But BMW stood firm with its two-cylinder boxer heart. Today, boxer Bimmers can do it all – from off-road to cruiser, touring and even drag racing. A customization project by Roland Sands Design shows us the straight-line potential of BMW’s boxer engines.
Based on the BMW R 18 Cruiser, the RSD R 18 Dragster II is a carefully modified dragster. This isn’t the first time Roland Sands Design has turned a cruiser into a burnout monster. In fact, this orange model is the second generation of the R 18 Dragster. The first iteration took part in BMW’s SoulFuel Customization Championship, an event created so that customization houses around the world could put the R 18 through its paces and explore its varied potential.
The R 18 Dragster II becomes brighter, more rebellious and more intense in an attempt to show the elegance of a boxer engine in a straight line.
The first BMW R 18 Dragster by Roland Sands Design was a project of exploration. Weight reduction was a crucial part of the project, and around 22.6 kg was lost from the frame and swingarm by removing the rear suspension and replacing the subframe and swingarm with a lighter, stiffer construction.
The list of components on this drag bike gives it a Frankenstein feel. A few stock parts remain, including the headlight assembly and the tank. Even the mudguards are standard, except for an adjustment job to accommodate the drag-spec’s bulky rear tire.
The front forks are from the BMW R nineT, and the front brake setup has been taken from the BMW S 1000 RR. However, the front brakes have been modified with the master cylinder from Roland Sands Design. The beautiful but heavy low-slung exhaust system has been replaced by a handmade free-flow unit.
The 2020 BMW drag bike was designed by Roland Sand Design, which looked at the straight-line potential of the R 18 cruiser. With the 2024 model, the brand pulled out all the stops and elevated the dragster formula.
Source:https://www.hotcars.com