In the small Swiss town of Schmerikon, there’s a team of mad scientists working under the banner of VTR Customs. Daniel, Stefano, and Marcel, backed by the larger VTR Motorrad BMW dealership, have built a reputation for turning stout Bavarian machines into something far more sinister, often with a hard, industrial, metal edge. Their latest? A 2024 BMW R12 that’s been thoroughly transformed into an ’80s endurance-inspired race machine, jammed packed with a big nitrous shot to lay down 160 horsepower. If it sounds excessive, that’s the whole damn point; the VTR team are simply not interested in taking a half swing.
Most custom shops that operate as part of a large dealership tend to be all about bolt-ons and providing simple upgrades to those who have just purchased a new motorcycle next door. VTR Customs is absolutely not about that kind of bike. Despite the restrictive nature of Switzerland’s road regulations, they’ve never turned out a bike that isn’t absolutely wild and purely one-off in nature. Their race bike, ‘Spitfire’, put them on the map, and using Daniel’s past experience rebuilding vintage fighter aircraft, they created an alloy-clad, flame-thrower that let the world know exactly what they’re all about.
And at first glance, it’s that same sort of high-end, old-school alloy bodywork that grabs you here. The donor was a demo from the dealership, barely broken in; the boys grabbed the tools and stripped it back to prepare the Bimmer for its new lease on life. The big fuel tank dominates the landscape, hand-formed alloy, shaped in-house at VTR with the kind of attention to detail that only comes from hundreds of hours of hammering and fettling. This isn’t plastic, fibreglass, or off-the-shelf catalogue stuff; it’s old-school craftsmanship, rebuilt for modern warfare.
Sitting on top, the endurance styled ‘dry fill’ twin caps seal the look, ready for the kind of pit-lane action that most of us only ever see on YouTube clips from Suzuka. The front fairing takes cues from the classic Ducati SS lines, but always with that industrial inspiration, Daniel has added his signature riveted finish to attach the cut-down yellow-tinted screen. But the fairing doesn’t stop there, the front section sports a modern aero wing platform, that serves as the mounting base for the iconic endurance headlights, only with a high-tech touch, being LED.
To the rear, the tail section is sharp and aggressive, picking up the lines of the tanking and providing the perfect place for the rider to really get tucked in. Achieving those squared-off edges at the front of the hump is no easy task, and the integrated side panels further highlight just how skilled this bunch is when working with alloy. The hand-fabricated belly pan is just another example of that talent, with the exhaust cutouts a real highlight. Then, to give it all just the right look, a three-colour paint job with custom graphics that include the bike’s name, “RENNdurance XII”, is brilliantly laid down with a proper race bike vibe.
The contrast between track star and hot rod continues with the seat, it’s got the back rest and shape for speed, and yet that old school leather work with thick contrast stitching. But when it comes to the way the bike handles, it’s all high-tech and the best of 21st-century engineering. To help the BMW put the power to the ground and dial in the dampening, a fully adjustable Wilbers shock has been added to the rear. And then to get really serious, the rolling stock is some of the best in the business, ultra-lightweight Rotobox carbon fibre wheels.
The big black slicks tell you how seriously the guys are about grip, and given what they’ve done to the engine, they’re going to need all the help they can get. To help the big boxer breathe and lessen the weight, a full set of Unit Garage titanium headers has been fitted up, which bark through a shortened mid-pipe and a full Unit handbuilt end can. Then to wind up the wick, the guys got a Wizard of Nos nitrous system and plumbed in 50hp worth of jets, with the wet system pumping total power up to 160bhp.
A decent amount of mapping is required to get it all running smoothly and not trigger a check engine light, and the all-new dash appropriately reads, ‘Ready to Race’! To add to the racer vibe, ABM Vario clip-ons let the rider get tucked in for those straight-line blasts, and much of the bike has been blacked out to let the key components take centre stage. VTR Customs isn’t in the business of compromise. They’re in the business of dreaming up bikes that shouldn’t exist, and then somehow hammering, welding, and spraying them into reality. This BMW endurance racer is proof. It’s handmade, it’s outrageous, and NOS-fed for maximum impact. It’s truly back to the future, ’80s style.
[ VTR Customs ]