we live in a world where you can stream entire discs directly to your phone, but vinyl sales are booming. Technology may be advancing at an unstoppable pace, but we’re still drawn to the same things—either because of their charm or because of our own nostalgia.
In this context, neoclassical motorcycles are something of an anomaly. They looked classic, but were packed with features that weren’t available at the time—such as catalytic converters and electronic driver aids. Here BMW R18 are from Kingston’s Customization break that mold.
On the surface, it looks like a visual, light, tasteful remake of BMW’s monster cruiser. But the real genius here is what you can’t see—or more precisely, what isn’t there. This R18 runs without fuel injection, traction control, electronic driver mode or ABS.
Removing all that from a modern motorcycle is arguably a lot harder than changing its appearance. So why does the man behind Kingston Custom, Dirk Oehlerking, even bother? Simple: he is required.
It all started with a chance meeting last year, at St. Moritz, Switzerland. Dirk was there to compete in Kilomètre Lancé with his incredible kick ‘Passionate spirit’ The custom R18 has, unsurprisingly, garnered a lot of attention. That’s how he met Kurt A Engelhorn – the founder and organizer of the prestigious classic car festival.
Dirk told us: “I knew Kurt by bike and had some heated conversations with him. “He challenged me and asked if I could rebuild a BMW R18 with very simple technology. No fuel injection, ABS, CAN bus; something like R18 . conceptwith carburetor.
“I replied that there was no problem. Today, you can build almost anything – and after all, it was BMW who did it.”
“At the end of the event, we exchanged contact information. At the time, I didn’t know that this interesting man was also the host of St. Moritz. A few days later, his R18 came to my studio—and after a few phone calls, it became clear that this was going to be a special project.”
Dirk started by taking apart the bike so he could figure out exactly how he was going to accomplish what he had planned. The chunky plastic plate that normally sits at the back of the R18’s engine block was hastily loaded into the barrel. The bottom half of that space is now filled by a handcrafted box containing the ignition key and start button.
Mounted on it is a custom airbox that offers a pair of 40 mm Bing carburetors — the kind you’d find on a classic boxer, just bigger. Dirk had a BMW R51/3 in store at the same time as this project, so that was the inspiration for the airbox design. Owners of older BMWs will also recognize the fuel hoses.
As you’d imagine, none of this is plug-and-play. Dirk had to learn BMW’s CAN bus and ignition system, and at the same time he had to modify the carburetor himself. But he is keeping quiet about how he has done it.
Modernizing the R18 is more than simply changing its fuel system. Dirk disassembled the transmission to remove the car’s electric reverse gear. And he removed the ABS system from the OEM brake system.
On the surface, this R18 is as neat as it appears. Dirk used a stripped-down bobber aesthetic to reflect the changes he’s made under the hood. So there’s nothing left on this BMW that isn’t necessarily there.
Peek under the chair, and you’ll see how meticulous Dirk is. There’s not a single wire in sight and the battery is now held by a custom bracket underneath the gearbox.
The bodywork is a mix of OEM and custom bits. BMW R nineT headlights are placed in the front, with an aftermarket Harley-Davidson saddle behind. The rear fender is a custom detail, and houses a pair of small taillights and LED turn signals combined from Kellermann.
Dirk has upgraded the cockpit with 1-inch handlebars and lifts from BMW’s own aftermarket portfolio, fitted with new grips, a classic cable-operated throttle as well as clutch and brake controls. Rebuffini. The speedometer and turn signal at the end of the bar are Motogadget parts.
To fine-tune the bike’s stance, Dirk lowered the front forks and swapped out the stock wheels for a 21F/18R kit. The front fender has been tweaked to accommodate the larger wheels, while the side-mounted license plate holder completes the rear.
Dirk also fixed one of the R18’s most unsightly features—its bulky ‘fishtail’ exhaust design. Instead, a pair of Rough Crafts silencers were fitted, modeled on the original BMW R18 concept car.
For the finish, Dirk opted for a classic pin-striped paint job that is as discreet and elegant as the rest of the build. Dubbed the “Good Vibes,” the car was delivered to Herr Engelhorn at St. Moritz in 2022.
There, Dirk drove it through the Bernina Pass in the Swiss Alps with no electronic interference between his throttle and the giant pistons vibrating beneath him.
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