THE WAL
Fuel For The Soul
Unique , different and yet completely BMW R 18 - that ’ s " The Wal ", the latest creation by Japanese customizer Shinya Kimura . After Roland Sands and Dirk Oehlerking , Kimura is the third customizer to transform the R 18 into an extraordinary unique specimen for the " SoulFuel " series . " SoulFuel " is a collaboration between BMW Motorrad and selected customizers .
Until recently , Shinya Kimura worked mainly on older motorcycles , but the Japanese customizer is increasingly also devoting himself to projects involving modern bikes . " The Wal " is one of them . “ The basis is the R 18 , powered by the latest and greatest engine 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 activities as a customizer ," says Shinya Kimura , recounting the initial phase of " The Wal " project .
Kimura then began work in mid-February and " The Wal " was already built up by the end of June .
" But there were still some mechanical problems that kept me busy for another two weeks ," Kimura continues .
Shinya Kimura ' s 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 tyres 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
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