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Working a {custom} motorbike workshop isn’t a straightforward racket, so we applaud anybody who can pull it off. Germany’s Crooked Bikes clearly has the suitable stuff; this woodsy BMW boxer scrambler is their fiftieth launch.
Nicknamed ‘The Pathfinder,’ the bike has a particular place in Crooked’s coronary heart for a couple of purpose. Not solely does it mark a half-century of builds for the store, but it surely was commissioned by a returning buyer who already had two Crooked bikes in his storage. So the crew felt motivated to do the 1980-model BMW R100 justice.
It additionally wasn’t misplaced on them that {custom} BMW boxers are a dime a dozen. Their buyer wished a svelte scrambler that was rugged and sporty—one thing that might stand out, however nonetheless reduce a neat silhouette. “A problem in a really oversaturated BMW market,” quips Crooked’s co-founder, Dominikus Braun.
For Dominikus, it boiled right down to creating “a combination between a enjoyable machine and an artwork mission.” That meant constructing a motorcycle that their consumer would get pleasure from driving, but additionally utilizing it as a canvas to have a good time their success.
The true fantastic thing about this BMW boxer scrambler is its minimalism. Crooked stripped the bike down and constructed it again up with all-new bodywork, slimming it down dramatically within the course of.
The itty-bitty gasoline tank got here from a Honda CB50; Crooked had used it on a earlier mission, and figured it might match the invoice right here. With the tank modified and put in, a leather-based and Alcantara seat was made to match its profile. Decrease down, Crooked eliminated the BMW’s bolt-on subframe and welded in a shorter unit.
Customized shock mounts in the back of the subframe maintain new YSS shocks, whereas additionally internet hosting tiny LEDs that function flip indicators and taillights. Poking out from beneath the seat is a stubby muffler from Cobra, mounted on custom-made two-into-one headers. The underside of the seat has been formed to accommodate the muffler and lined with heat-shielding materials.
And in case you’re questioning if the rear wheel hits the muffler below load; it doesn’t. “I can already see the feedback in regards to the distance to the rear wheel,” says Dominikus wryly. “All I can say is that we’ve examined it with a rider weighing over 110 kg [242.5 lbs], with none tire contact.”
Transferring to the entrance, Crooked rebuilt the OEM forks, shortening them by virtually an inch and putting in progressive springs within the course of. Additionally they fabricated an aluminum fender and headlight nacelle, loosely fashioning the latter after classic enduro bikes. A punchy Highsider LED is tucked right into a flare housing out entrance.
A discreet Motogadget speedo lives behind the nacelle, embedded right into a tidy little dashboard plate. The handlebars are from Renthal, the switches, grips, and bar-end flip indicators are all Motogadget components, and the foot controls are from ABM.
Turning their consideration to the drivetrain, Crooked rebuilt the BMW’s timeless boxer motor and put in a pair of Mikuni flatslide carbs with Ok&N filters. Additionally they rewired it round extra Motogadget parts for a neater structure and prolonged the sump with a Siebenrock package for higher reliability.
A canopy was added the place the airbox used to sit down, whereas the battery was relocated to a field simply behind the sump. The entire engine was tastefully completed in black, with polished fins and logos so as to add distinction.
Different particulars embrace color-matched adjustment dials on the YSS shocks and a singular ‘Artic’ Cerakote end on the exhaust. Continental TKC80 tires had been spooned on on the consumer’s request, including an additional dose of rugged model to this scrambler.
Crooked opted for a mossy inexperienced hue for the R100’s main paint job, then known as in frequent collaborator Chiko’s Pinstriping to adorn the tank with some travel-inspired paintings. Chiko laid down two layers of sashaying stripes (one in all them ghosted), impressed by the bike’s ‘Pathfinder’ moniker.
“This underlines our inventive strategy on this mission,” says Dominikus, “mixed with the seek for the suitable method to get someplace—no matter whether or not it’s a winding cross or a small dust street.”
It’s a succinct method to sum up not solely this construct however the 49 that preceded it too. Crooked Bikes has by no means certain themselves to anyone explicit model of {custom} motorbike—and that leaves us excited for his or her subsequent 50 initiatives.
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