BMW companion VTR Motorrad AG & VTR Customs in Switzerland lately constructed a personalized BMW R 18 First Version commissioned by certainly one of its prospects to pay homage to the Ju 52 three-engine business and transport plane from the Thirties christened “Iron Annie.” Every little thing from the dial on the speedometer and reproduction cooling fins to the customized coloration scheme and corrugated aluminum planking mirror the looks of the well-known plane. For extra info, learn the press launch under from BMW Motorrad.
Munich/Schmerikon — The outdated “Aunt Ju” Junkers Ju 52, the legendary three-engine business and transport plane from the Thirties, remains to be acquainted to many individuals. The Ju 52 with the plane registration D-AQUI within the Lufthansa coloration scheme grey-black from 1936 turned significantly well-known worldwide. Throughout its time within the U.S. from 1970 to 1984 beneath the American plane registration N52JU, it was christened “Iron Annie” for brief by its then-owner Martin Caidin.
It was exactly this plane that impressed a buyer of BMW companion VTR Motorrad AG & VTR Customs in Schmerikon, Switzerland, to fee a really particular personalized model of the BMW R 18: the R 18 “Iron Annie.”
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Years earlier than, the shopper, who’s an architect, had an R nineT constructed at VTR Customs that was additionally impressed by aviation model parts from plane development.
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With the R 18 “Iron Annie,” the dial of the speedometer built-in into the tank is meant to be harking back to outdated cockpit devices or entry panels with quick-release fasteners, as discovered on many plane. And naturally, it was crucial to borrow from the Ju 52’s attribute corrugated aluminum planking. The seat was designed to be harking back to a using saddle, and solely the “Iron Annie” coloration scheme in gray and black was used for the paintwork.
A BMW R 18 First Version served as the start line for the customizing mission. First the engine was eliminated and painted black. All chrome elements have been painted black, and the fork stanchions additionally acquired a black coating within the type of a DLC (Diamond Like Carbon) coat.
The cockpit trim was pulled again as slim and flat as attainable to emphasise the streamlined form. The 7-cm shorter fork and a height-adjustable Wilbers shock absorber emphasize the crouched stance of the motorbike.
“To make the bike look smaller and provides it a extra filigree look between the wheels, we had giant 18- and 21-inch wheels made by Kineo,” mentioned Daniel Weidmann, proprietor and managing director of VTR Motorrad & VTR Customs.
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As an additional technical deal with, racing-style HC3 pumps from Magura have been fitted rather than the usual R 18 brake and clutch fittings. The dial of the personalized speedometer has a hand that was specifically made by watchmaker Zeitzone Zurich.
“One of many massive challenges with the R 18 Iron Annie was the reproduction cooling fins within the space of the rear silencers,” Weidmann mentioned. “Shaping these elements into parallel and delightful radii and on the identical time nonetheless fastening them harmoniously took plenty of makes an attempt.” This consumed numerous hours of labor, because the gasoline tank, the tail with the steered tail fin of an airplane, the facet panels, and the cockpit have been artfully hand-formed from aluminum sheet. Reminiscences of conventional metallic plane development are additionally supplied by the quite a few lens-head rivets.
“What virtually pained us a bit after we noticed all of the handmade, brilliant aluminum sheets shimmering and shining was that they must be painted,” Weidmann mentioned. “Nonetheless, we’re extraordinarily happy with the outcome as a result of the R 18 Iron Annie differs much more clearly from our well-known Spitfire, which can also be designed in aviation model.” The R 18 Iron Annie will obtain street approval and is bound to show fairly just a few heads in its new house on Lake Geneva. It’s going to stay a singular mannequin, as was promised to the shopper.
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BMW R 18 Iron Annie by VTR Customs specs:
- Base: BMW R 18 First Version
- Sheet metallic elements: Gas tank, rear, facet panels, cockpit, mudguard, aluminum handmade by VTR Customs
- Fork: shortened and DLC-coated stanchions
- Suspension strut: Wilbers, peak adjustable
- Wheels: Kineo entrance 3.5 x 21″, rear 6 x18″
- Tires: Avon Cobra, 120/70-21 and 200/55-18
- Handlebar: ABM Vario Clip
- Speedometer: Personalized by Zeitzone Zürich
- Brake / clutch pump: Magura HC3
- Saddle: VTR Customs & Yves Knobel Saddlery
- Quantity plate holder: Berham Customs
- Aspect indicator and back lights: Kellermann Atto
- Paintwork: VTR Customs & Freuler AG, Benken
