The Custom BMW R 18,
‘Il Leone Edition’

In dedication to my father, the custom R 18 ‘Il Leone Edition’ - customised by myself and Steve Burt (a.k.a. Custom Bike Steve) - is a nod to the authentic, gritty 80s and 90s of Formula One. Il Leone - “The Lion” in Italian - is the nickname my father adopted during his Ferrari glory years. This bike is an expression of what it was like to live through this era, what the true characteristics of a champion are. The Il Leone Edition is aggressive and fast, challenging and refined.

This custom build harks back to the racing BMWs of the 1930s and 40s. It’s a modern take: if we were going to race a R 18 now, what would we do to it? We’ve altered the ergonomics, riding style and attitude of the motorcycle without losing any of BMW’s modern innovations and aids. More grit. Same incredible torque, reliability, impressive handling and stopping power.

To mark each Grand Prix win, we’ll be building 31 models, each with its own uniquely engraved plates, etched with a bespoke message from Nigel Mansell and the owner’s chosen Grand Prix win.

Co-pilot Seat and Fuel Tank

“If you look cool but you can’t pick someone up, what’s the point?”

The seat started life as a single, but now welcomes a passenger. The duel seat is fabricated from a custom seat tray, with a new slimmed-down rear-end, custom C&C aluminium foot pegs, and a raised fuel tank, following the lines of the R 18’s monster 1800 cc engine.

Handlebars and an Integrated Top Yolk Handlebar Clamp

The handlebar has been altered; the new setup encourages the rider to stretch forward in that sportier, retro way. We’ve made a billet handlebar clamp with bars that wrap around the front forks.

The handlebars are 25mm solid, stainless steel. Steve has milled down each end to 22mm to take the standard hand grips and electrics (indicators, stop switch, etc.). The handlebars have been bent to suit the desired riding position.

Red 5

Inspired by the 1930s racing BMWs, aluminium side mounts have been added, blacked out and custom hand-painted with the infamous Il Leone Red 5.

Wheels

The wheels, which were black originally, have been taken off, de-spoked and painted bronze to match the original heritage logo on the fuel tank. We’ve fitted soft compound racing rubber tyres to provide more stability and grip.

Rear Fender

We’ve chopped off about two thirds of the original rear fender and the frame underneath, revealing more rear tyre. We’ve kept the lower end of the mud guard, as it retains the BMW badge and the flick.

Number Plate

We’ve custom-made a side mount number plate, with a frame that wraps around on the low side of the rear tyre. Stop, daylights and indicators fit neatly onto this mount.

De-chromed and Pearlescent White

We chose a BMW M-sport pearlescent white to paint the tank, along with the front mud guard. The slimmed down rear mud guard has also been painted a pearly white, and is looking classy with the double black BMW pinstripe.

The bike was totally chromed, which we’ve sanded back to give that aged patina look with a bit of brass shining through.

Wooden Features

We were inspired by the gear stick of my father’s old Williams and the wooden chassis of the 1930s. That’s when we started rolling with the retro theme of handcrafted timber throughout the design. The timber is Utile, solid with a nice grain, and it features on the:

◄ Bar ends

◄ Fuel filler cap

◄ Front mud guard

◄ Both sides of the passenger seat

◄ Grill for the oil regulator

Suicide Shift and Foot Clutch

Like an old F1 car, the R 18 has a sequential hand shift and foot clutch. This is a challenge for the brain. You'll feel intimated at first and a little afraid, but once the bike is under load it glides with huge grip, power and performance. Trepidation turns to Joy.

Foot Pegs

We custom-made C&C aluminium foot pegs, and brought them back around 3 inches. These rear sets adjust the riding position, dropping your knee away from your chest to help ease you into that aggressive riding position, very similar to a Superbike. This solves the cramp between the boxer engine and feet, and provides a lower centre of gravity to help make corners, quickly.

Side Mounted Dash

We’ve moved the stock speedometre from between the original handlebars and behind the original headlamp, to a lower, side-mounted position.

Custom Exhaust and Heritage Wrap

We’ve wrapped the stock BMW header exhausts in white exhaust wrap to help achieve the vintage look. It changes colour as the temperature rises.

Beringer Brakes

We’ve got the front brake lever and fluid calliper from Beringer, which are anodised black. These are nice and small. We have two front and a rear calliper in black. The callipers have stepped up from two pots to three, for better braking, and we’ve also installed two Beringer disks on each wheel.