Xavi Dynamische builds an R1100 for a 24 Hours of Catalonia veteran…
At its introduction in 1998, the BMW R1100S was the company’s most sporting Boxer ever, featuring a 92-bhp engine, clip-on handlebars, rearsets, and a removable passenger seat cowl. It wasn’t a pure sportbike but a high-speed tourer that could carve canyons and cruise superslab with equal aplomb. While it might be no match for a 600 supersport on the track, you could ride it all day in comfort, at speed.
“As a long-distance-at-high-speed weapon, the S has been honed according to the enthusiast’s mantra: less weight, more power, sharper steering, with styling more out of Milan than Munich.” –Cycle World
The R1100S could handle, too. Motorbikes Today called it a “quite capable track bike,” and it became the star model of the Boxer Cup — the MotoGP support series that ran from 1999-2004.
The R1100S was unexpectedly handsome, and BMW designers worked hard to make the rider feel they were a part of the bike instead of merely riding atop it. Overall, many reviewers suggested the big Boxer might be one of the best options for that old “if I could only own one bike question.”
Still, these bikes are nearly three-decade mark, and there are many ways in which they can be sharpened, both in form and function. That’s where our friend Xavi Dynamische comes in. The moto-photographer and builder was tasked to modernize this R1100S for a client.
He gives us the full story below, but highlights include a modified subframe with Ducati 999 tail section, solo seat, BMW “S” performance chip, modified midpipes with undertail-mounted Laser silencers, cat delete, trimmed touring screen, and a full paint job of satin black and British racing green courtesy of Óscar from Handmade Soul.
This bike is no show queen, either. It’s meant to be ridden, and the owner — a former racer — regularly rides the bike at full lean.
“The owner is a former rider from the 24 Hours of Catalonia endurance race here in Spain. He’s incredibly fast, and watching him ride this bike is honestly terrifying — he leans it over so far that he’s scraping the cylinder heads on the ground.”
Below, Xavi gives us the full story of this sharpened, streamlined Boxer.
In the Builder’s Words…
It’s a BMW R1100S with the boxer engine. The client wanted to modernize the rear end because the exhausts sit too far underneath the tail section, making the whole rear look low, bulky, and, in my opinion, quite unattractive. I’ve always thought this bike is beautiful, but the rear end has always been its weakest point.
I suggested we could give it a much sportier look by raising the tail significantly. To do that, we kept the original subframe but completely modified it to fit the new tail section. The tail is from a Ducati 999. The seat is actually the original BMW two-seat unit, but we’ve converted it into a single-seat setup.
The exhausts are Laser silencers, which were originally homologated for this model, but we had to completely redesign the exhaust routing. That meant modifying the mid-pipes leading to the silencers, repositioning the silencers themselves, and fabricating entirely new mounting brackets integrated into the modified subframe. We also insulated the fiberglass tail section to prevent heat from reaching the seat.
The wheels, fork ends, triple clamps, frame, and belly pan were refinished in satin black. The paintwork was done by Óscar from Handmade Soul. He painted the entire bodywork in a satin British Racing Green, which really suits the bike. We also fitted a smoked touring windscreen, which we trimmed down to give it a more aggressive, racing-inspired look.
Mechanically, the bike remains mostly original. We also added the factory carbon-fiber cylinder head covers available for this model. The engine is fitted with the BMW “S” performance chip, together with a catalytic converter delete, giving it a bit more power.
The owner is a former rider from the 24 Hours of Catalonia endurance race here in Spain. He’s incredibly fast, and watching him ride this bike is honestly terrifying — he leans it over so far that he’s scraping the cylinder heads on the ground. He’s absolutely delighted with the finished bike.
Follow the Builder
Instagram: @xavi_dynamische
Xavi’s business partner and welder: @francolinerr
Painter: @handmadesoul.hms
Owner: @diegogp70
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