Two Japanese Builders Have Their Sick Way With BMW Sixes

No one in their right mind would think of using BMW's uber-tourer as the basis for a build, but when Germany comes calling and hands you a K 1600 GTL, you either say no or go nuts. Here's what happens when you choose the latter.

Less than a year after BMW tapped four Japanese builders to reinterpret the R nineT, it's given both Kenji Nagai of Ken's Factory and Keiji Kawakita of Hot-Dock Custom-Cycles its six-cylinder, 1,649cc barcalounger and let them have their way.

Both builds basically turned into elaborate art projects.

The Juggernaut from Keiji uses an unmolested frame fitted with BMW's Duolever front suspension and then went off on some kind of militarized alien odyssey, with molded aluminum bodywork, brass gauges, and the nightmares of small children.

Kenji's creation originally started as a bagger, but went full chopper/digger, with hand-made aluminum girder-style forks linked up to a thin triple and topped off with an aluminum front cowl. A 23-inch front wheel was fitted along with a 20-inch rear, while the bare metal extends from the tank to the tractor seat.

Neither looks comfortable or practical or rideable for anything longer than it takes to go from the trailer to the show stand, but that's art. Read more about both builds here.

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