In the recent past, we’ve brought you umpteenth custom Harley-Davidson cruisers, but this time, it’s a German cruiser that’s gone under the knife. If you haven’t guessed already, we’re talking about a custom BMW R 18, one that’s been prepped by the reputed custom bikemaker, Mandrill Garage.

The BMW R 18, is sort of a celebrity amongst its peers, thanks to the classic and super-premium aesthetic appeal. For this very reason, Mandrill Garage didn’t go all in from the get-go, stripping everything off. Instead, the team took a more “modern” route, painting a digital picture. Once the concept was clear, an array of custom, cater-built parts were 3D printed using plastic as well as metal.

Starting up front, the whole headlight bucket (or fairing) along with the old-school fender and the position light were all 3D printed and so was the bracket used to mount these parts. Compared to the stock bike, the addition of the fairing transforms the motorcycle into a sportier cruiser, dare we say, similar to a Harley-Davidson. We’ll let you figure out which one.

Similarly, you also get a custom, chunkier fender and accompanying tail light outback.

As fascinating as 3D printing is, it just doesn’t beat the old-school way and a prime example of this is the R 18’s new fuel tank and seat section. These have been made the “old” way by beating up sheet metal. Not that you’ll know, though, because it’s fault-less.

The seat, in particular, looks inspired by cafe racers and dangles over the rear fender for extra swagger.

Besides these changes, the build retains all the OEM mechanicals including the chassis, suspension, and the signature 91-horsepower 1802cc Boxer engine.

What remains unclear is whether this custom R 18 is up for grabs. There isn’t much activity by Mandrill Garages on neither social media nor do they have a website.

You can, however, visit Mandrill’s Facebook page and drop them a like if you dig this build.

Source: DARK PHOENIX: BMW R18 by Mandrill Garage

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