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“Baidykle-2” (Scarecrow-2) by Vytautas Alekna…
When it was launched in 1992, the BMW K1100LT boasted the biggest engine ever out there in a BMW bike — 1092cc — mixed with the 16-valve head from the fully-faired BMW K1. The massive tourer made 100 hp and 79 lb-ft of torque, good for a quarter-mile time of 12.6 seconds — not dangerous for a motorbike that weighed 639 lbs moist!
As with all BMW Okay bikes, the DOHC engine was laid on its facet within the body, with the crank on the appropriate and the top on the left — no surprise these “Flying Bricks” had a behavior of smoking when left on their facet stands!
Whereas the K1100LT was a heavyweight tourer that competed with behemoths just like the Honda Goldwing and Kawasaki Concours, trendy builders have been stripping down these Bavarian fours for lighter weight and higher efficiency, placing their huge, boxy, industrial-chic engines on show…although nobody has carried out it fairly like our new good friend Vytautas Alekna!
Hailing from Lithuania, Vytautas grew up working in his father’s storage. His previous man was an enormous biker and acquired his son a Latvian Karpat 50cc moped when he was 10 — Vytautas’s first bike.
Quick ahead to 2020, and Vytautas had been spending his break day working within the store of his good friend and customized builder Mindaugas Silgalis when his father purchased him a ’93 BMW K1100LT — a motorbike he’d at all times dreamed of — so they may journey collectively.
“I needed to do a easy undertaking and my dad needed me to only go away it unique so we might journey collectively. However I needed him to be happy with me and see what you are able to do with engineering, so I began stripping down every part, beginning the primary ever undertaking with assist and proper route from my good friend.”
As you may clearly see, the transformation was nothing in need of excessive. The tank alone took Vytautas greater than a month. He made a mannequin in cardboard, then lower out every bit from 2mm aluminum on a jigsaw to be welded up into the form you see right here.
The bike is rolling on two entrance wheels from an R18, with the rear one re-laced to an R1200C hub to mate with the unique driveshaft. Entrance suspension is from an S1000R, with Brembo brakes throughout and a hydraulic clutch conversion. The consumption was enlarged for higher efficiency, and the bike is operating an ornate, fully bespoke 4-into-1 exhaust.
Then there are these customized engine covers, clear on either side. Given the distinctive structure of the Okay-series engine, you may see the crank spinning on one facet of the bike and the valve practice on the opposite!
Nicknamed “Baidykle-2” (Lithuanian for “Scarecrow-2”), the bike is devoted Vytautas’s father, who sadly handed away final yr earlier than they may journey collectively.
“The rationale why this bike was constructed was to point out individuals every part is feasible if you dream and work laborious to realize that good factor on two wheels and what you’ve in your thoughts.”
We all know your previous man could be rattling proud, Vytautas. What a novel, show-stopping creation, and a becoming tribute to your father!
Beneath, we speak to Vytautas for extra particulars on the construct. Photograph credit score goes to Donatas Budrikis (@budr1s / Bü watermark) and @moto4vs.
BMW K1100LT Customized: Builder Interview
• Please inform us a bit about your self, your historical past with bikes, and your workshop.
My full identify is Vytautas Alekna; I’m from the Lithuanian metropolis of Klaipeda. I’m 34 years previous and my interest has been motorbikes since I used to be just a little boy. My historical past with bikes is ever since. Once I was little I grew up working in my dad’s storage serving to him to repair automobiles and studying about mechanical components and engines. I used to be 10 years previous when my dad bought the primary 50cc moped made in Latvia — a Karpat — and that was the primary ever bike I had. My dad at all times liked bikes. He was a biker, and he was in an enormous motorcycle membership named Asvine.
How I bought into customized bikes was my good friend Mindaugas Silgalis. He’s a bike engineer, and on my break day I began working with him within the storage fixing Harley-Davidsons — after which it started. I at all times dreamed a few BMW K1100 bike, and my dad bought it for me as a birthday current in 2020 — I used to be very enthusiastic about that. I needed to do a easy undertaking and my dad needed me to only go away it unique so we might journey collectively. However I needed him to be happy with me and see what you are able to do with engineering, so I began stripping down every part, beginning the primary ever undertaking with assist and proper route from my good friend.
• What’s the make, mannequin, and yr of the donor bike?
BMW K1100LT 1993.
• Why was this bike constructed?
It’s a private undertaking in reminiscence of my dad. He handed away final yr and he was ready until we might journey collectively. The rationale why this bike was constructed was to point out individuals every part is feasible if you dream and work laborious to realize that good factor on two wheels and what you’ve in your thoughts. I’ve by no means seen a motorbike the place you may see the crank spinning and timing cowl open too.
• What was the design idea and what influenced the construct?
My dream was to make café racer and duplicate one thing from on-line, however my good friend Mindaugas pushed me to do one thing totally different. The concepts for the bike have been simply randomly made at first. I made fashions from from cardboard to see how it will look and it went from there.
• What customized work was carried out to the bike?
For the wheels, I needed spokes and the identical measurement entrance and rear, so we took two R18 entrance wheels R18, re-lacing one to a BMW R1200C wheel hub to mount the rear wheel to the unique drive switch case.
Entrance suspension was taken from a BMW S1000R for higher efficiency and dealing with. The brakes are all Brembo for efficiency and good braking. Brembo levers and grasp cylinder have been used for efficiency and high quality functions. A hydraulic clutch cylinder was made for this bike, as a result of no hydraulic clutch was made for these bikes. Entrance triple clamp was made customized and designed for this bike. A sports activities clutch was put in for it to carry out higher. Rear suspension was redesigned with needle bearings as an alternative of brass bushes.
Engine covers have been designed to be clear and visual — not one thing we’ve seen earlier than on a motorbike. When it’s operating you may see by to the crankshaft spinning and the valve facet, too. Customized exhaust has been made in bigger diameter pipe for higher efficiency, and it goes from 4 to 1. Air consumption was made greater for higher efficiency.
All electrics have been modified to Motogadget. Rear mudguard and quantity plate have been made customized, as was the entrance gentle bracket.
The gas tank was made by hand. The design was made with cardboard after which transferred to 2mm aluminium and each half was lower out with a jigsaw. I labored on all of it month. Casing between the gearbox and engine has been lower out for the starter and alternator, so it’s extra open.
Absolutely rebuilt the engine, gearbox, and driveshaft with new components, seals, and bearings. Gasoline filter was moved outdoors of the tank so it’s simple to vary out. Enlargement tank was made customized so you may see clearly and connect it to the gas tank. Coolant hoses have been constructed from aluminium to suit with the brand new engine covers…and numerous different components.
• Does the bike have a nickname?
Sure, the bike have nickname is “Baidykle-2.” (Translation from Lithuanian: “Scarecrow-2.”) My good friend Mindaugas, who helped me construct the bike, he had “Baidykle-1” and I referred to as my bike “Baidykle-2.”
• Are you able to inform us what it’s wish to journey the completed bike?
The bike performs very properly; it’s very small and really gentle in comparison with the way it was earlier than. When it was unique, I couldn’t transfer it on my own on the central stand, it was so heavy. All the things works very properly now.
• Was there something carried out throughout this construct that you’re notably happy with?
The gas tank is the most important level of pleasure to me, and the entire bike — the way it got here out, it’s mind-blowing to me.
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