A BMW R1300 R Superhooligan custom bike made in-house was not on my 2026 bingo card, but you won’t catch me complaining. BMW is celebrating the 50th anniversary of Steve McLaughlin’s Daytona 200 race win. McLaughlin piloted a BMW R90 S to victory during the first-ever superbike race at Daytona in 1976. That machine will be presented alongside the R1300 R Superhooligan throughout the Daytona 200 this year.
The custom R1300 R Superhooligan will be spinning laps this year for the Daytona 200 Mission Foods Super Hooligan series at the hand of Nate Kern. Judging by its spec sheet, it should be quick. This unit uses the same liquid-cooled boxer as the road-going model, producing 143 hp at 7,750rpm and 110 Ib-ft of torque at 6,500rpm. Even in standard trim, this powerplant is a monster. And funnily enough, BMW didn’t try to shake off the identity of the standard R1300 R when designing this beauty.
“The design incorporates the basic stylistic and technical elements of the BMW R1300 R, which serves as the basis, and skillfully translates them into the highly dynamic design language of a naked superbike,”, according to a BMW spokesperson.
Although the engine produces the same power, the bike is littered with performance parts that leave no doubt this custom unit wouldn’t share the same lap times around Daytona as the road-going R1300 R. Firstly, the custom superhooligan can corner faster because it can achieve a higher lean angle, thanks to fully adjustable Wilbers upside-down front forks that have been extended by 30mm for extra clearance—this is the price you pay for using a boxer powerplant.
Photo by: BMW
This model should be significantly lighter than the production version, not just because it’s shed all its road-legal parts, but because it’s been fitted with a range of lightweight carbon-fibre components. One of the parts BMW aficionados might recognize is the carbon front wheel that the M1000 RR rolls on. Finishing the package is a carbon end silencer from Akrapovič, milled BMW Motorrad footrests, and fully adjustable hand levers from Advik. Oh, and when you need to sink anchors, this bike bites into its discs with the same calipers as the M1000 RR.
The Custom Roadster project shares the same number—83—as McLaughlin sported when he rode to victory on the R90 S, along with the same bright orange paintwork on the frond fenders and side panels. What wasn’t featured on the ’76 bike is the lashings of blue, from the front fork tubes to the rear frame. Again, aficionados will be quick to spot that it’s the exact same blue used on the M1000 RR calipers.
Photo by: BMW
If BMW brought out a limited-edition road-legal version of this model, I’m sure some boxer lovers would be screaming, “Take my money.” But, to my knowledge, this will be the first time that an R1300 R has competed in the class, so getting to see that feels pretty special.
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