After Roland Sands and Dirk Oehlerking , Kimura is the third customizer to interpret what is proving to be another eminently versatile platform from BMW - its R nineT models having already become established as a firm favorite with customizers and builders worldwide . Until recently , Shinya Kimura worked mainly on older motorcycles , but he is increasingly also engaging with modern bike projects these days , and " Der Wal " is one of them . " The basis is the R 18 - powered by the latest and greatest engine that I have ever worked on . It all started with a visit to the BMW Motorrad R 18 development team in Germany . I got to know the unbounded passion and innovative power that prevails at BMW Motorrad . Finally , in February 2021 in California , I rode the standard R 18 for a few hundred kilometres to get to know the character of the bike . Following a whole series of conversations , this eventually led to my personal interpretation of the R 18 , in which I applied the entire range of my skill sets as a customizer ," says Shinya Kimura . His craftsmanship can be aptly described by the term " hands-on ", as there are no sketches , drawings , blueprints or mock-ups during the building process , but there is a precise idea of what the customer , or in this case the customizer , wants . " I built the R 18 entirely for myself . When I rode the production R 18 , I thought it might suit my build and riding preferences better if I designed it to be a little more front-facing with a fairing . I decided to adopt the frame , wheels and tires as well as suspension elements and brakes because I didn ' t feel the need to change them after I had ridden the bike . " I also wanted to be able to ride for long distances with my R 18 , while feeling and enjoying the legendary boxer engine . It was very important to me to preserve both of the primary characteristics of the