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.
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 and 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.
