There’s something special about taking a classic motorcycle, and transforming it to the point that it’s fit for an entirely different purpose than it what was originally created for. It’s the difference between customization and re-engineering; modern materials and processes augment vintage style, and every last nut and bolt is carefully considered. And that’s exactly the way that Ben Norton likes to do it.
His latest project started out as a 1995 BMW R80R, but ended up a very different animal. It’s the same radical approach to custom bike building that we saw with his last build—a jaw-dropping supercharged BMW R100.
The secret to Ben’s approach lies in his vocation. By day, he’s the chief engineer at a works Formula One team, where the pressure to make things perform better is immense.…