Vagabund BMW CE 02 Is the Funkiest Custom Scooter of the Year, Almost Looks Like a Cake

You may remember that aside from the many high-profile motorcycles it sells, BMW Motorrad also has quite a solid lineup of scooters. And by solid I don't necessarily mean extensive, but so different than what the others are offering that they are impossible to ignore.

The company doesn't call the products it sells in this segment scooters, but urban mobility vehicles. There are three of them at the moment, namely CE 04, CE 02, and C 400 GT. It's the CE 02 that captures our attention today, thanks to a custom project based on it developed over in Austria.

The CE 02 was introduced in the summer of last year as something called an eParkourer for urban areas. It was designed with riders over 16 years of age in mind, and it has already developed a sort of cult following in some parts of this world.

The CE 02 is built around a steel frame, held upright by a set of telescopic forks at the front and and a single-sided swingarm at the rear. The powertrain comprises a battery pack that gives it a range of 56 miles (90 km), feeding an electric motor capable of delivering two power levels, namely 5 hp and 15 hp.

The less capable version can reach top speeds of 28 mph (45 kph), while the more potent one tops at 59 mph (95 kph). Charging times for the battery from zero to 100 percent can be as high as five hours and a half hours when using a 900W charger.

So, numbers and features you would expect from a player in its segment. But the scooter is as visually different from its competing siblings as it gets. The solid-looking wheels, the straight lines, and the color scheme all contribute to making the thing look almost industrial, an instant head-turner.

If that's true for the stock version of the CE 02, then the custom one we have here is even more so, especially because it pulls over that industrial look both futuristic and retro themes that really transform it into a one-off.

The bike is a joint work between BMW Motorrad Austria, located in Salzburg, and local custom bike maker Vagabund, one of the most active BMW custom shops on the Old Continent (but also the creator of some fine custom cars, ranging from Russian Ladas to German Porsches).

Work on the CE 02 did not target the scooter's mechanical bits, but changed its appearance to such an extent it now kind of looks like those Cake scooters we keep stumbling upon from time to time.

The most visible change is, of course, the paint job, but we also have plenty of extra elements included on the project to really make it one to remember.

First up, the scooter was fitted with something called the OB-4 Magic Radio. If you're not young enough, that may be something you're pretty unfamiliar with, so here's the rundown: we're talking about something that looks like an old-school radio receiver, but it is actually a Bluetooth loudspeaker.

The thing is made by a company called Teenage Engineering and offers, aside from the Bluetooth connection to a compatible device, FM radio capabilities and even a disk mode. One of these babies is selling for 549 euros, which is roughly $600.

As you know, electric motorcycles and scooters do not come with an exhaust system, because they don't need one. Yet such an element is featured on this custom CE 02. As per its maker, the hardware is there as a visual highlight, but it also serves a practical purpose: it doubles as a support element for an umbrella.

Another minor yet forceful element fitted on the scooter is the running board, which comes with a skateboard grip tape for a more powerful visual impact.

The custom projects is officially called BMW CE 02 x Vagabund, and it's a one-off build meant to show the world how people can customize their Bimmer scooters. We are not told how much the project is worth, or what will happen to it now that it was shown in public.

In its normal, factory incarnation, the CE 02 is selling on the American market for prices that start at $7,599. Only one color option is available, called Cosmic Black, and a so-called Highline package adds things like connected services, a 1,200W quick charger that brings the charging time mentioned above down to four hours and 50 minutes, and heated grips, among other things.

The list of optional extras then includes, for a price, anything from rucksacks to top cases and side bags. Customize a stock CE 02 as much as you like with the factory extras, though, and you still won't be able to replicate the Vagabund.