The Quickshift
- There are tons of custom builds out there, but none quite like VTR Customs’ Spitfire
- It’s inspired by the World War II aircraft of the same name
- Clearly, tons of custom work has gone into this thing
If you take a look at the Instagram page of Swiss custom bike builder VTR Customs, chances are you’ll find yourself going down a rabbit hole of wild, extremely well-built customs. The team at the workshop is no stranger to pushing the envelope when it comes to custom builds, and its latest custom build, dubbed “Spitfire,” is clearly a testament to this.
The Spitfire, as its name suggests, draws inspiration from the iconic World War II aircraft of the same name.
It’s based on a 2017 BMW R 1200 R, and it’s a pretty sick build. I mean, it literally spits flames—talk about walking the walk.
VTR Customs did a lot of work on this bike, and it’s pretty much impossible to tell that beneath the surface of this torpedo-like beast was a fairly recent model-year BMW R 1200 R. The team at VTR put hundreds of hours of work into this thing, even going as far as sourcing authentic WWII Spitfire cockpit instruments and switches. The goal wasn’t just to make a showpiece, but a through-and-through build that embodied the essence of the original Spitfire.
Naturally, a build as ambitious as this is by no means easy. According to VTR, it’s the most complicated project they’ve ever done. Crafting handmade aluminum bodywork was one thing, but making sure the entire thing sat properly was a whole different story.
To achieve the low-slung look, the bike’s height was dropped to just 35 inches, with the suspension being shortened by more than 11 inches. This gave the bike a very sleek and level stance, making it look like it was hovering off the ground.
With the bike’s stance dialed in, VTR turned its attention to the details. Everything from the full-aluminum bodywork to the flame-spitting custom exhaust system was crafted in-house by VTR.
Beneath the surface, the R 1200 R’s engine and electronics were left untouched in order to keep it compliant with emissions regulations—pretty sick, as this means that the bike is meant to be ridden. But quite frankly, given how crazy this thing looks, it strikes me as something that’s more at home in an art gallery. Plus, its ergonomics are giving me wrist and lower back pain just by looking at it.
At the end of the day, wild and crazy builds like the Spitfire aren’t just feats of engineering, they’re living proof of just how far we can push the limits of design on two wheels. And it’s no surprise that a shop like VTR Customs was able to pull it off.
Would you take this aircraft-inspired custom build for a spin? I know I sure would.
