Customized BMW R 18 B ‘Heavy Responsibility’ Unveiled at Daytona Bike Week

The {custom} BMW R 18 B ‘Heavy Responsibility,’ designed by Fred Kodlin and his son Len, was unveiled at this 12 months’s Daytona Bike Week. The bike options modifications to the body, the addition of an air suspension system, a {custom} paint job by tattoo artist Marcel Sinnwell, and diversifications to the physique that serve each for operate and, within the case of the winglets, strictly for the sake of type. For extra data, learn the press launch from BMW Motorrad under.

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Anybody who talks concerning the U.S. customizing scene mentions Fred Kodlin nearly in the identical breath. For greater than 40 years, he has devoted himself to customizing motorbikes, from radically modified creations to stylish new designs. Because the Nineteen Nineties, he has been extremely profitable together with his {custom} bikes and was capable of win varied essential Daytona reveals often. He was the very first non-U.S. citizen to be inducted into the Sturgis Corridor of Fame.

For the primary time, Kodlin has now set about customizing a BMW collectively together with his son Len: the BMW R 18 B. “The R 18 B Heavy Responsibility was an actual father-son challenge,” mentioned the boss of Kodlin Bikes in Borken, Germany, fortunately. “There was numerous inventive enter from Len, which additionally goes to indicate that the following technology at Kodlin Bikes is already within the beginning blocks.”

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Huge BMW R 18 B Chassis Expertise Variations

The largest problem in customizing this 12 months’s crowd puller on the Daytona Bike Week in Florida was undoubtedly the body. “We now have fully remanufactured the higher tubes to decrease the fly-line and thus the seat peak of the R 18 B,” defined Fred Kodlin. “We additionally redid the steering head and the triple clamps in order that the caster matches regardless of the modified steering angle and in order that the bike rides properly.”

The end result was the R 18 B Heavy Responsibility, a motorbike in typical Kodlin type. Seen from the facet, the fly-line drops sharply to the rear from the chopped windshield taken from the Unique BMW Motorrad Equipment vary and eventually runs harmoniously into the facet circumstances made by Kodlin out of glass fibre-reinforced plastic and the low rear finish. From the highest, the R 18 B Heavy Responsibility is characterised by a robust waistline within the seat space and a flowing connection to the facet circumstances.

Lastly, the technical chassis spotlight is an air suspension system on the entrance and rear, supported by a compressor positioned barely visibly behind the left facet case. This enables the R 18 B Heavy Responsibility to be lowered and raised in a fraction of a second. That is each as helpful as it’s spectacular: To park, decrease the chassis, and it rests on hidden help factors letting the bike crouch just some centimeters above the asphalt, ready for the following journey.

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Intensive BMW R 18 Physique Modifications

The Kodlin crew additionally delved deeply into the topic of physique development for a great three months. A totally new sheet metallic tank was created – longer than the unique, flowing in form and with indentations on the edges. The connection of the tank and rear body was additionally modified for this objective. The unique cell phone charging compartment, then again, has been taken over from the R 18 B.

A entrance spoiler, together with a three-color underfloor lighting system – a preferred characteristic, not solely in Daytona – and a entrance fender are additionally fabricated from sheet metallic, the fender becoming snugly across the 21-inch entrance wheel. Lastly, Kodlin created a corresponding counterpart for the rear wheel from two R 18 B rear fenders joined collectively, by which the rear and facet indicator lights are built-in in a really discreet method.

The 2 facet covers fabricated from sheet metallic, which type a clean transition to the facet circumstances, are fully custom-made. Talking of facet circumstances, R 18 B loudspeakers by Marshall and an amplifier are fitted inside. Kodlin’s consideration to element can be evident within the aluminum milled hinge panels of the circumstances within the type of the unique R 18 B parts.

The so-called winglets above the cylinders are one other design factor. They’re additionally fabricated from metallic however don’t fulfil any operate within the precise sense. Relatively, they underline the design of the R 18 B Heavy Responsibility and make it seem unmistakable, particularly when seen from the entrance. The customizing job is rounded off by a seat made by Kodlin and an instrument cowl with covers fabricated from Alcantara and imitation leather-based, in addition to specifically made handlebars and a self-created exhaust system.

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Elaborate Paintwork by Tattoo Artist Marcel Sinnwell

Marcel Sinnwell has painted different Kodlin showbikes up to now, however as of late, he solely hardly ever picks up a sprig gun for very particular jobs. For instance, when he paints yachts or an R 18 B Heavy Responsibility.

For this challenge, the colour gradients have been fully airbrushed with translucent paint. The inspiration for this was the blending of coloration pigments within the paint and particularly the best way type streaks within the milky basecoat when first stirred. The end result goes alongside very properly with Daytona Bike Week, the place complicated and colourful paint schemes are extra than simply good type.

Further design touches on the R 18 B Heavy Responsibility are supplied by hand-painted pinstripes and an airbrushed sample on the rear fender that mixes Kodlin and “100 years of BMW Motorrad.” The brake calipers, gearshift, and foot brake levers and footrests, nonetheless, are BMW Motorrad customary parts which have been color-matched.

BMW R 18 B: The Excellent Bike for Customizing

However Fred Kodlin certainly not laid his palms on all of the assemblies and elements. He mentioned what was a very constructive shock for him was the bolts. “They’re all fabricated from stainless-steel, with a pleasant Torx head,” he mentioned. “That’s not the best way it’s on different bikes. The fundamental bike and particularly the engine are very, very cleanly completed. All {the electrical} cables are already properly hidden, so we didn’t must do something to the engine.”

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For that reason, quite a few R 18 B parts have been intentionally not changed however at most modified. For instance, the shortened hand levers and handlebar finish weights. Likewise, the engine remained unchanged from a technical standpoint. Solely the cylinder head covers, belt cowl, and consumption snorkel have been painted in metallic black.

Cruise management with distance management, reverse gear, and eCall have remained unchanged. These are completely distinctive options of the BMW R 18 B within the cruiser world, the place these features should not provided by another producer.