Let’s address the elephant in the room: two Green BMW R series motorcycles in as many days. Normally, we wouldn’t commit such a sin, but when both bikes are built by two outstanding companies, it would be pure foolishness on our part to let one simply slip away. And when the legend himself, Kengo Kimura, sent us a fresh batch of photos of his latest masterpiece, we simply had to make it work. There is absolutely no mistaking the distinctive Heiwa Motorcycles style, and from their headquarters on the Hiroshima harbourside, this 1981 BMW R100RS earns its sea legs with the name Salty Green.
We’ve known and loved the work of Kimura-san for years, and every single bike he sends us delivers something new as well as another teaching lesson about mastering this craft. Literally thousands of custom BMW Rs have been built in recent times, but Kimura-san has only tackled a handful. That doesn’t mean, however, that this bike doesn’t feature some very clever tricks, that we expect to see on other builders’ bikes in years to come.
Given this bike was built for a show and also to be ridden regularly, it’s no surprise to see a neat balance of form and function. One of the major changes Kimura-san has made to the BMW R is at its very foundation. While most remove the factory subframe and utilise a bolt-on alternative or a single seat post for the bobber look, the Japanese master took a different direction. Not only is the stock subframe gone, but the twin centre posts, which would normally bend forward at the front of the bike to form the classic hooped frame, have been cut back as well.
To create his complete chassis, Kimura-san extended the backbone rearward before bending up new centre posts that now run towards the rear of the bike. These help to form the new subframe, with a set of custom shock mounts as part of the gusseting. The result is a long and low frame with more negative space beneath the seat. Throughout this fabrication process, Kimura-san used an old tail cowl and classic Japanese fuel tank to ensure that the general lines he was creating would look right with the end result.
But there was no way that old bodywork was staying on the bike for anything other than mock-up purposes. All of the new metalwork is one-off and totally handbuilt, and it’s obvious that Kimura-san liked some of the shape of that classic tank. The Heiwa unit has more rounded shoulders, a lower overall height, and the tunnel is raised well within the tank to let the whole unit sit low over the backbone. The tail unit has that distinctive long Heiwa style, with a fender element that is shaped into the final design.
The front of the tail unit forms the seat base, with the area close to the tank neatly tucked in, giving the whole body an hourglass figure when viewed from above. Under the seat itself is the last of the new metalwork, and thanks to the clever subframe design, the faux oil tank has plenty of room to fit, and makes for a great place to hide a battery and electric components. Hirokazu Kuboi was tasked with laying down the paint and has done a beautiful job applying the gorgeous candy sea green, complemented by the turned silver leaf lines and a black leather seat.
To get the bike rolling, Kimura-san decided to utilise the stock snowflake wheels but had them coated in a neat bronze, which works beautifully with the green. The new twin shock setup from Kayaba provides a plush ride, and the adjustable units have the springs finished in the same bronze paint. A set of classic Avon tyres, measuring 19 inches and 18 inches front and rear, wraps things up, and they’re 4 inches wide at each end. Up front, the suspension is a mix of black and chrome, with the beefy traditional forks swinging a twin-disc braking package.
As with any Heiwa build, steering duties fall to a one-off set of bars that have been beautifully bent up and then chromed to match the front end. The rest of the bike is kept simple and clean, with many of the working parts left exposed. A Bates-style headlight shines the way forward, while the controls consist of a simple set of levers, slim chopper grips, and a mini meter. For the BMW, Kimura-san opted not to use his signature rear light and has instead used a small LED for a cleaner fit and finish. The engine remains largely stock, but as a lover of loud pipes, the polished headers vent via some beautiful slim mufflers. It’s simply a BMW of great beauty, and whether static at a show or speeding through the city streets, there is like a Heiwa Motorcycle.
