Name of Kengo Kimura’s workshop, Heiwa, means ‘peace’ in Japanese, and his logo depicts a dove in flight. It sounds like a random fact, until you look at the custom motorcycles Kimura-san builds and see these themes repeated in each one.
This custom BMW R100 is a prime example. Like everything else from MC HeiwaIts minimalist lines exude a sense of harmony. And the flying dove that adorns its fuel tank may also be a model for its elegant, streamlined bodywork.
Kengo customized a 1981 BMW R100RS for display at the New Order Chopper Show in Kobe, Japan—about 250 km away. [155 miles] from his workshop in Hiroshima, as the crow flies.
Ride a classic BMW street monitoring Going to a custom car show is a bold move, but Kengo has the chops to pull it off. He’s one of the leaders in the Japanese custom car scene and regularly wins awards at the prestigious Yokohama Hot Rod Show.
The most obvious evidence of Kengo’s handiwork is the BMW R100’s new bodywork. This handcrafted fuel tank mimics the shape of classic small-capacity Japanese scrambler tanks, making it much smaller than the stock BMW unit. It also sits low on the frame—leaving some of the stem exposed for a bit of chopper style.
Behind the tank is a custom seat unit with an integrated electronics tray. Equal parts organic and geometric, the bee-shaped tailpiece houses a small LED taillight, while a Ya Seat Custom wrap adds a stylish touch.
Look closer and you’ll see that Kengo’s work on the BMW frame is more than just a simple cut and paste job. Instead of simply removing the stock subframe and fabricating a new one, Kengo went one step further and removed the original rear down tube from the main frame. He then designed an entirely new rear section that creates space under the junction between the fuel tank and the seat.
New shock mounts connect the frame to the swingarm via a pair of KYB shocks, fitted with Progressive springs. The front suspension remains stock, but has been lowered a few inches.
Kengo has exercised great restraint when it comes to the legendary BMW R100 engine. The case has been stripped of most of its black paint and cleaned up, and the cylinder head now sports classic peanut-style valve covers. The original airbox and Bing carburetor are still in working order.
Chrome-plated exhaust pipes add a touch of shine to the bike, ending in a pair of extremely elegant elongated conical mufflers.
There’s nothing too extreme about the R100’s finish. Kengo opted for a custom-made set of narrow handlebars, fitted with chopper-style grips, and cut out all the visible switches (and no, we have no idea where he hid them).
A 4.5” Bates light sits up front, hanging from a custom bracket bolted to the top stem, while the stock speedo is mounted to the side of the handlebar clamps. The bike’s turn signals are mounted to new bars that Kengo welded to the frame, while the license plate sits on a swingarm-mounted bracket at the rear.
Nicknamed ‘Salty Green’ (for obvious reasons), Heiwa’s BMW R100 is finished in a candy green shade with silver leaf pinstriping, by Hirokazu Kuboi. The muted bronze finish on the stock snowflake wheels and rear shocks provides a subtle contrast.
But the most difficult thing here is that this fighter’s calm exterior hides all the craftsmanship behind its measured proportions. There’s no doubt about it; Kengo is a master of his craft.
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