Motorrad skunkworks crew create mad one-off sprint racing Boxer
BMW Motorrad has pulled the covers off a one-off custom, and it’s a serious piece of kit. Dubbed the R 1300 R “TITAN,” it’s a sprint-focused special built by a small group of BMW’s own staff who clearly live and breathe bikes.
The TITAN came together away from the boardroom, created by a team of genuine enthusiasts including project leader Philipp Ludwig, designer Andreas Martin, graphics and colour specialist Theresa Stukenbrock, and prototype builders Paul Summerer and Thomas Becker. Together, they whipped up a bruiser of a bike that combines modern design with motorsport aggression, while still staying true to BMW’s roots.
Built around the new 1300cc boxer engine – the same one found in the R 1300 R – the TITAN takes the standard roadster as a starting point and cranks up the agro to face-biting levels. The signature tank shape is still there, but smoothed into a compact monocoque design that looks more racebike than roadbike. Weight’s shifted forward to help keep the front down off the line, and the whole thing looks ready to launch even when it’s parked up.
Akrapovič got in on the action, developing a full titanium exhaust system specifically for the bike. Running under the engine before splitting into two stubby underslung mufflers pushed high under the tail, the setup gives the bike both a standout look that no doubt sounds as serious as it looks.
And in case the 1300cc boxer wasn’t punchy enough, there’s also a nitrous oxide system bolted on. Hit the button, and the TITAN is given a temporary hit of extra grunt down the drag strip. A specially-made Wilbers chassis with a long swingarm keeps everything planted, and the spike-like rearsets give the rider a solid base to tuck in and go full tilt.
The chassis backing all that crazy is just as tough, with Wilbers custom-built suspension incorporating a lengthened swingarm to stop the front wheel launching into orbit and massive rear-set footpegs for full-send launches. It’s all channelled through BMW’s familiar shaft drive setup, which has been proven to handle serious torque, and pulling up at the other end is handled by a Magura HC3 brake setup. It might be a custom, but nothing here is for show—this is a strip-ready weapon.
While it’s extremely unlikely we’ll ever see a production version, the R 1300 R TITAN shows what’s possible when passion is let off the chain and the rules are thrown out the window — we certainly wouldn’t mind seeing what this thing does on a quarter mile!
