One-off custom celebrates the bike’s first success in 1976 as Nate Kern participates in Super Hooligan racing with his BMW ahead of the

BMW Motorrad will reveal a one-off creation during the 84th running of the Daytona 200 Weekend from March 5 to 7, 2026. The creation is meant to honor the significant achievement of BMW by winning the inaugural Superbike race at Daytona by Steve McLaughlin on March 6, 1976, and Reg Pridmore’s victory in the inaugural AMA Superbike Championship. Both Steve and Reg were riding BMW R 90 S motorcycles backed by Butler & Smith Racing.

BMW also announced that its brand ambassador Nate Kern would be participating in the Mission Foods Super Hooligan series presented by Roland Sands during the MotoAmerica Daytona 200 race on the R 1300 R Superhooligan.

Also Read : CFMoto 550CL-C Leaked – Bigger Engine, More Power

The concept originated from a small group of experts at the BMW Motorrad Custom Speed Shop, headed by project leader Philipp Ludwig, alongside Katrin Torge, Andreas Martin, Theresa Stukenbrock, Paul Summerer, and Thomas Becker. Building upon the 145-horsepower (107-kilowatt) BMW R 1300 R motorcycle, the team reinvented the motorcycle’s design into a “naked superbike” design, paying homage to superbike designs from the mid-1970s, such as prominent number plates and wide handlebars.

The best way to represent McLaughlin’s victory at Daytona is through the motorcycle’s racing number 83 and paint cues that allude to the color scheme of the BMW R 90 S, including the front mudguard and sides of the fuel tank. Furthermore, there are also blue elements reminiscent of those used on BMW M 1000 RR brake calipers on the rear frame and fork parts, which also include the rear shock spring.

The BMW Custom is presented as a high-performance “Custom Roadster,” designed to offer the experience of a superbike with a speed potential of 275 km/h according to BMW. Important parts used include the fully adjustable Wilbers upside-down fork that is lengthened by 30 mm to increase lean-angle clearance, the fully adjustable Wilbers rear shock absorber, and the BMW M 1000 RR carbon front wheel. This bike also uses carbon fiber pieces from the BMW Motorrad line of products as well as Ilmberger Carbon Parts. Other important parts include the adjustable Advik hand levers and the milled BMW Motorrad footrests.

Also Read : 2026 Suzuki Hayabusa Special Edition Unveiled – What’s New?

The BMW brand is also packaging this Daytona event as a 50-year anniversary celebration for those associated with its triumph in 1976. This was the year that the AMA Superbike series became the first national U.S. championship and which Butler & Smith took advantage of to highlight the performance capabilities of the R 90 S. This would require improvements to the chassis and power enhancements, spearheaded by Chief Mechanic and engine tuner Udo Gietl, and chassis design by Todd Schuster.

Butler & Smith’s team comprised Pridmore, McLaughlin, and Gary Fisher, who rode race-prepared R 90 S bikes for BMW. In the third race of that year on March 6, 1976, McLaughlin beat Pridmore in a close finish to give BMW another one-two finish, with Fisher retiring from his race due to problems with his bike’s gear box after leading for some laps. At the end of the season, Pridmore achieved his dream of being the AMA Superbike champion.