What do you get when you combine a titanium motorcycle frame with a prototype BMW boxer engine?
A minimalist’s wet dream come true – and that’s just what the blokes over at Revival Cycles were going for when they dissected a BMW R 18 and spent a bit of time finding the line of normalcy and hopping over it.
With a design purported by Motorcycle Cruiser to be “inspired by Maserati’s “birdcage” race cars of the 1960s, which utilized a tubular space frame chassis”, the main eye-catcher has to be the frame itself, created to be nearly transparent.
We’re told by the report that it took nearly six months to make The Revival Birdcage’ , with a long list of its parts custom-made in-house for the occasion – parts such as the shift lever, handlebars, seat and footrests, as well as “unique carbon suspension components using a combination of CNC-machined aluminum and carbon-fiber tubing.”
I mean, just look at the thing.
With a skeletal view and questionable weight capacity, this bike is fit for a museum – and we can’t stop staring.
“We had already dreamed about this bike for years and in December 2018 we received the engine [from BMW] and could finally get to work,” enthuses head of Revival Cycles, Alan Stulberg.
“I have always been a fan of the boxer engine, but the pure physical size and aesthetic appeal of this prototype really inspired us.”
“We are pleased with the result as it accomplished the goal of being nearly transparent. We wanted to focus attention on the engine and that is precisely what we achieved with this completely unique frame we designed. You can easily view the engine and drivetrain from all angles.”
Keep in mind, bikes like this aren’t meant for function – I’d laugh if anybody invited me to sit on it, and y’all wouldn’t blame me if I did.
Still, the design challenges the ‘norm’, pushes the boundaries on what we would consider to be ‘typical’, and does its own thing – and I really, really like that when it comes to motorcycle concepts.
What do you think? Comment down below letting us know what you think – we’d love to hear from you.
Be sure to also check out other recent newsies from our archives, stay a while for the photo gallery below, and as always – stay safe on the twisties.
*all media sourced from Motorcycle Cruiser*
