ShifCustom’s Three Wheeled BMW R18 Plus One
This three-wheeled motorcycle was built with a BMW R18 as a donor. It’s the work of Yuri Shif’s award-winning ShifCustom workshop, located in Minsk. And if ever there was a style that suited the R18’s monster 1,802cc boxer motor, this is it.
ShifCustom’s reverse trike has all the sensibilities of a Can-Am Spyder, but with a far more classic vibe. Their design riffs off the iconic BMW 328, mostly because their customer is a huge fan of the brand. ShifCustom’s 15-strong team engineered the chassis and formed the bodywork in-house, relying on aftermarket suppliers for only a handful of parts, and outsourcing only the leatherwork.
Most of the engineering is tucked away under the R18’s new hood. There you’ll find a custom-made front subframe, bolted to the main frame via reinforced mounting plates, and holding a double wishbone independent suspension system. The whole setup was designed digitally before ShifCustom put welding torch to metal.
The system includes an extended steering neck, to transfer inputs from the handlebars to the wheels, and a pair of adjustable shocks. The wheels themselves are modified Audi A3 items, kitted with Nissin brakes.
ShifCustom might have used software to design the suspension, but the bodywork was done using traditional coach building techniques. The most striking feature is the aluminum nose cone; a clear nod to the 328 with its dual kidney front grilles.
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