The vintage BMW R-series boxer remains a perennial favorite among custom motorcycle builders. But there’s a downside to its popularity; with so many custom boxers on the road, it’s hard to build one that truly stands out.
This lovely 1978 BMW R100/7 from Japan’s Heiwa MC doesn’t rely on wild engineering or crazy fabrication to grab attention. Instead, it’s the small details that distinguish it as a master-built machine.
The brief for this project was familiar territory for the founder of the Hiroshima-based workshop, Kengo Kimura. His customer wanted a handsome street bike with café racer underpinnings and simplicity as a guiding principle. That meant retaining recognizable parts like the OEM fuel tank, but nipping and tucking everything else.
Kimura-san responded with an array of judicious mods and subtle finishes, showing the sort of restraint that’s become a hallmark of his work.
Perched behind the fuel tank is a three-quarter-length saddle, stylishly upholstered by regular Heiwa collaborator Ya Seat Custom. Kengo fabricated a short subframe to support it, bolting it to the main frame via new mounting tabs. With a kicked-up rear loop and integrated turn-signal brackets, the rear section boasts better-than-factory finishes.
The tail’s finished off with a neat fender, supporting an LED-equipped Heiwa MC taillight. You’ll find a pair of repurposed Kayaba shocks with progressive springs lower down.
Expertly wedged between the seat and the boxer motor’s airbox is a handmade electronics box. Kengo cut, bent, and welded it together out of aluminum, before smoothing the welds and shot-blasting it to create a cast iron finish that matches the engine casings.
The box holds the battery, key wiring components, and a device for Japan’s electronic toll collection system. It also hosts the BMW’s ignition barrel on its left-hand side.
Moving to the front of the bike, Kengo crafted a set of elegant braces to hold a custom-made fender. The forks were shortened by a couple of inches, while the lowers were treated to the same shot-blasted finish as the battery box. The stock wheels and brakes were refurbished, with Waveway Ovalmaster tires adding a classic touch.
A 4.5” headlight sits higher up, mounted to a polished bracket that attaches to the underside of the top yoke. (A similar bracket hides under the bottom yoke, supporting the front turn signals.) A small speedo sits off to the side, with handmade drag bars mounted to the original BMW bar clamps, and fitted with new grips and vintage-style switchgear.
N2 Auto was called in to execute the BMW R100/7’s paint job—a timeless mix of sand beige and black pinstripes. Heiwa’s signature flying pigeon logo adorns the fuel tank, while gloss black powder coat covers the frame.
The R100/7 is finished off with a pair of slim reverse-cone mufflers, fabricated from scratch to match the graceful lines of the bike. As we’ve come to expect from Heiwa, every inch of this chic boxer restomod works in perfect mechanical harmony.
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