BMW Motorrad’s R 18 Dragster Concept Is A Track-Focused Throwback

BMW Motorad has taken the wraps off the R 18 Dragster.

Created by designer Roland Sands, the one-off model is billed as a “straight line dragster” that is based on a stripped down version the R 18.

Looking undeniably cool, the Dragster has been extensively modified as it features a revised frame, a unique rear end and a fork sourced from an R nineT. The changes don’t stop there as the bike has also been equipped with modified fenders, a custom seat, and a handful of original R 18 parts including the headlight and tank.

Also Read: BMW’s New Retro R 18 Comes With An New “Big Boxer” Engine To Remind Us Of Happier Days

On the performance front, the Dragster has a front braking system from the S 1000 RR superbike. The model has also been outfitted with custom brake and clutch master cylinders as well as a stainless steel exhaust with a “twin megaphone system.”

BMW didn’t mention specifications, but the bike was built around the R 18’s two-cylinder Big Boxer engine. On the standard model, the 1.8-liter engine produces 90 hp (67 kW / 91 PS) and 117 lb-ft (158 Nm) of torque. However, the Dragster has a “drastically” changed intake and nitrous oxide injection.

BMW says the bike took approximately three and a half months to build, and Sands explained “My family has always been into going fast and my dad was a drag racer, so I thought it made sense to strip the bike down to the essentials and shape it to go fast on a straight track.”

While you can’t get your own R 18 Dragster, BMW and Sands teamed up to create a collection milled aluminum parts for the standard bike. Among the components are speedometer housings, handlebar clamps, mirrors, fuel filler caps and wheels – just to name a few.