BMW’s R 18 Transcontinental Gets the Paul Yaffe Treatment

[Hugh Janus]

Paul Yaffe adds inimitable style and craftsmanship to this BMW R 18 Transcontinental-based custom which just made its debut at the 2024 Verona Motorbike Expo. (BMW/)

Although BMW hasn’t really stopped rolling out custom versions of its R 18 cruiser well after its official launch back in 2020, most one-off iterations in the intervening years have used the base model as their platform of choice. Which makes this R 18 Transcontinental–based build from Paul Yaffe, dubbed the R 18 One Eight “C” even more compelling. For one, the fairing-and-trunk equipped touring variant has way more parts to manipulate and modify than the stripped-down standard R 18, but if anyone could rise to meet that challenge, it’d have to be Yaffe, a longtime force in the custom motorcycle world.

Getting the look of an iconic ’50s Mercury Lead Sled meant Yaffe’s design team had to go with several one-off components by hand and modify existing R 18 elements, including the fairing, front wheel, bags, and both fenders. An exclusive set of Yaffe Monkey Bars complement the overall design. (BMW/)

As a quick refresher, Yaffe is not only the guy behind Bagger Nation, but has also been designing and building whole motorcycles as well as parts for more than 30 years, garnering accolades for the “World’s Most Beautiful Motorcycle” at the Oakland Roadster Show and “Builder of Year” awards from Easyriders Magazine, all on the way to becoming an inductee into the Sturgis Hall of Fame in 2015.

Related: BMW Motorrad Presents R 18 Customizing Championship

The challenge here was to retain as many original components as possible, so the stock 1.8-liter flat-twin engine made it onto the R 18 One Eight “C” custom basically unchanged. The steel front fender is handmade. (BMW/)

So for the latest spin on BMW’s big cruiser, which debuted at the MBE Show in Verona, Italy, earlier this month, Yaffe knew he’d have to create more than a bolt-on special; it needed to channel BMW’s design ethos and retain as many original components as possible.

The new 26-inch front wheel cut from a 400-pound block of solid aluminum is covered by a 180mm-wide front tire. The frame had to be stretched and raked to accommodate it. (BMW/)

Once the customization process began, Yaffe knew he’d be going with a big-wheel design, but one that was unlike anything else out there. That meant commissioning a 26-inch x 5.5-inch hoop cut from a 400-pound block of solid aluminum, onto which he spooned a handmade 180mm-wide front tire. Naturally the frame had to be stretched and raked to accommodate the bigger wheel, and special triple trees had to be engineered to correct the trail measurement and keep handling at a high level.

The Transcontinental’s original front fairing was reconstructed to better flow with the new front wheel, while a new chin fairing was created to cleverly hide the radiator. (BMW/)

Then came the aesthetics, and Yaffe’s team looked to adopt a kind of 1950s Mercury Lead Sled vibe for the big tourer. If you’re familiar with the Transcontinental, the bike doesn’t exactly scream “hot rod,” but to be fair, Yaffe and company were up to the task, crafting several one-off components—like the steel front fender—from scratch, and modifying existing R 18 elements. The TC’s original front fairing was chopped into several pieces and restructured to better fit the headlight and flow with the new front wheel, while a unique chin fairing was designed to plug the gap between the fairing and the fuel tank while also cleverly hiding the radiator.

The saddlebags keep their lids, latches, and speakers but wear a new set of stretched exterior “skins.” Original rear fender is surgically altered thanks to a second R 18 rear fender grafted on. Clearly, the Transcontinental’s original trunk had to get the heave-ho. (BMW/)

There was also the question of the TC’s original saddlebags, which were designed more for functionality than form. Yaffe’s team ended up keeping the lids, latches, and speakers but creating a new set of “skins” that stretched the bags’ profile yet still allowed for that signature BMW functionality. The original rear fender was then extended by grafting on a second R 18 fender that matched the profile of the new saddlebags, with an area for the frenched-in license plate.

Air suspension and pipes are key to that Lead Sled look. Air tank, distribution system, and frame beneath each saddlebag accommodate essential components; boxer head pipes stay but catalytic converters are swapped out for a high-flow baffle system. Three-step muffler system and a wide-open megaphone delivers classic hot-rod sound. (BMW/)

An air suspension system was also in the mix, and Yaffe’s team designed a sophisticated air tank and distribution system as well as a dedicated frame beneath each side of the saddlebags to accommodate essential components like air storage tanks, air compressor, and all the controls, valving, and solenoids necessary.

As for the exhaust, Yaffe decided to keep the classic boxer head pipes, but removed the catalytic converters to make room for a bespoke perforated high-flow baffle system. To give it a unique sonic signature, the bike also got a three-step muffler system and a wide-open megaphone to deliver a classic hot-rod bark.

Details matter: meticulous work on the contemporary-style saddle, courtesy of Guys Upholstery. (BMW/)

To keep that classic hot-rod feel and highlight the bike’s new stance, Yaffe skipped the distracting graphics, tasking his painter Hector Martinez with applying a timeless gloss black paint. Guy’s Upholstery created the oxblood contemporary-style saddle and dash console while Martinez mixed up a matching color for the red front brake calipers. As Yaffe says about finding the perfect balance in a custom project, “The trick is to not overdo it.”

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[Buckster]

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