„MOBILITY/MOTORCYCLE: The Transformation of the BMW R 18 Transcontinental into the R 18 One Eight ‘C’. The latest masterpiece by Paul Yaffe!“
„Paul Yaffe, a visionary in the world of custom bikes, has once again raised the bar with the unveiling of his latest masterpiece – a unique customization of the BMW R 18 Transcontinental. This project seamlessly blends classic hot-rod aesthetics with the unmistakable essence of BMW, serving as a testament to Yaffe’s excellence as a designer.“
„A legend in the U.S. customizing scene.
Paul Yaffe has been renowned as one of the premier creators of motorized masterpieces since 1991. What sets Paul apart is not just his role as a builder or manufacturer, but as a true designer. Starting with the founding of the American Legend Motorcycle Company, later evolving into Paul Yaffe’s Bagger Nation, he has earned accolades such as three „World’s Most Beautiful Motorcycle“ Awards from the Oakland Roadster Show, two „Builder of the Year“ Awards, and three „Trendsetter of the Year“ Awards from Easyriders Magazine. In 2015, he was inducted into the Sturgis Hall of Fame. Featured in over 300 magazine articles worldwide and on channels like Discovery and History, his custom bikes have left an indelible mark.
Now, Paul Yaffe unveils his latest masterpiece – a unique customization based on the BMW R 18 Transcontinental, set to debut at the MBE Show in Verona, Italy.“
Preserving the BMW essence and hot rod inspiration.
Before starting the project, Paul spent time familiarising himself with the BMW R18 Transcontinental, driving 3800 miles across the USA and another 2600 miles to Sturgis and back.
When the rebuild process began, Paul knew he wanted to build a big wheel excavator like no one had ever seen before. The key to the project was to retain as many original BMW components as possible. Paul wanted his custom bike to remain authentically BMW, and knew he didn’t want it to be made from parts from his existing product line or look like it.
He had a 26-inch x 5.5-inch front wheel cut out of a 400-pound block of solid aluminium to fit a handmade 180mm wide front tyre. The frame had to be stretched and tilted to accommodate the new front wheel. Special mounts were also designed to correct the track width and optimise handling.
The team took the look of a legendary Mercury Lead Sled from the 1950s, fabricated several unique components and modified existing R 18 elements. The front steel wing was made from scratch. The original R 18 fairing was cut into several pieces and rearranged to adjust the headlight position and achieve a smooth transition to the new front wheel. To close the gap between the fairing and the fuel tank, a unique chin spoiler was developed to skilfully conceal the radiator. In addition, a custom set of Yaffe Monkey handlebars were made to complement the overall design.
„The team wanted to keep the covers, latches and speakers from the cases. So a new set of ‚panelling‘ was designed to give the bags a completely new and unique stretched profile, while retaining the superb engineering and functionality that BMW had designed for them.“ Paul’s team extended the original rear fender with a second R 18 rear fender to ensure it fitted seamlessly with the profile of the new bags.
As the conversion took shape, Yaffe arranged the original R 18 tail lights in the handmade panels and worked a recess for the number plate in the classic hot rod design into the mudguard. He also stretched the original
R 18 side covers to retain their original shape and cover more area so that the line of sight follows the panniers.
Classic lead sled look.
Yaffe remained true to the classic lead sled aesthetic and therefore emphasised two important components: Air suspension and side pipes.
Paul and his team designed an ingenious air tank and distribution system, as well as a special frame under each side of the cases to house key components. These included the necessary air storage tanks, a large air compressor and all the controls, valves and solenoids required to operate the system effectively.
The production team focused on the design of the side pipes and endeavoured to retain the characteristic „BMW feel“ that characterises this conversion. Retaining the classic boxer manifolds was a given in Paul’s vision. The catalytic converters were removed from the manifold to make room for a customised high-flow system. This innovation not only replaced the restrictive emissions system, but also maintained the necessary back pressure for optimum performance. To improve the sound even further, a precision engineered 3-stage muffler system was introduced to provide reversion. The finishing touch was a wide-open megaphone-style rear silencer that delivered the classic hot rod sound.
In the end, it’s all about the design.
Paul shifted the focus to the design and wanted a classic hot rod design with no distracting graphics to emphasise the sleek new look and profile of the bike. The emphasis was on simplicity and allure. „We set to work perfecting all the fabricated body panels and smoothing everything out until the overall result was reminiscent of the perfect surface of glass.“ Having decided on a timeless deep gloss black for the paintwork, the team turned their attention to making the paintwork as perfect as possible and commissioned their painter Hector Martinez. Once this was complete, he recognised the need for contrast and opted for a classic ochre blood red interior. The trick is to find the perfect balance. „The trick is not to overdo it!“ Guys Upholstery designed the modern saddle and dashboard console, and Hector mixed a matching colour for the front brake calipers. „We think it turned out spectacular!“
Disclaimer.
The vehicles shown may have been modified and equipped with accessories from third-party suppliers and/or in-house components that are neither manufactured, distributed nor tested by BMW. BMW accepts no liability for the modifications (including the installation, properties and use of the accessories shown). ATTENTION: The driving characteristics may be impaired by the modification of standard vehicles (including the installation and use of third-party and own components)! Driving our vehicles in modified condition is at your own risk.
BRAND: BMW Group
virtualdesignmagazine Michael Hiller
