A Boxer-less “BMW?” This Suzuki Burgman Masquerades As An R 100 RS

This is not a BMW R 100 RS. This is a Suzuki 650 Burgman that’s been customized to look like a BMW R 100 RS, but you wouldn’t know that if you didn’t see the missing boxer engine. Thomas Joanotta created a “Suzuki R 65 Burgman RS,” something rather “polarizing” as Motorrad puts it, but something that is definitely interesting in the world of custom replicas. 

Hailing from the Swabian town of Beilstein, Janotta is a man of many trades, an optician, watchmaker, goldsmith, and inventor. Apart from this bike, he also cooked up a few other things in his garage. 

Opinions on custom homage to the R 100 RS are mixed, to say the least. Of the people Janotta asked, some thought that it was cool, and others asked “Why?” The reactions are understandable given that the Suzuki Burgman is the furthest thing from the R 100 RS. 

The legend of the Suzuki 650 Burgman holds true, and it did a number on Janotta, with him showing interest in how powerful of a scooter it is. Before his commitment to the “R 65” build, Janotta wanted to make a racing Kneeler team with the Burgman as the towing vehicle. However, a few things prevented him from seeing it through. 

In terms of the acquisition price, the 650 Burgman was bought for just 600 EUR. Why so affordable? Well, the previous owner took a tumble while going slow and decided to sell it. A damaged fairing later, the bike found its way into the garage of Janotta. 

Janotta is a BMW fan, that much is true, and he decided to give the Burgman a R 100 RS fairing from 1981. One gas tank, side covers, and a seat later, Janotta had all the pieces to make the bike’s top half like the R 100 RS. 

It did not fit like a glove. Turning a scooter into a motorcycle was anything buy “plug and play,” and it was definitely a custom job shoehorning the parts onto the bike. Brackets, and adaptors were crafted and grafted onto the bike. Due to the absence of the boxer heads, the holes for the air-cooling had to be covered, so Janotta attached sheet metal cladding on the sides, which was taken from a Volkswagen Transporter. 

Aside from the lack of a boxer engine, the Burgman is fitted with 15-inch front wheels. Other workarounds include an access pipe for the integrated fuel tank that comes in at 18 liters in capacity, a special gas pump for the Burgman’s engine, a shortened RS seat slightly widened, and an air filter that has been relocated to the tank. An R 100 GS handlebar has also been added to widen the Burgman’s stance. 

What’s also cool about this custom is that it is properly prepared for TÜV approval. With the original headlights, taillights, and indicators along with the original drivetrain and chassis of the Burgman, it’s set for registration. The only accessory is an approved muffler—keyword “approved.” The only caveat here is the shortened rear end which won’t fit two people anymore. 

The total damage? 2,200 EUR (about $2,400 USD). From the bike to the parts, and to the metallic gold paint. The whole project didn’t cost an arm and a leg.