Recently, we brought you news that RPM Ventures NC, in partnership with the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America (BMW MOA) will host a special 50th Anniversary Celebration at Daytona International Speedway this week to commemorate the world’s first Superbike race and its winner Steve McLaughlin, runner-up Reg Pridmore, and additional team rider Gary Fisher, all of whom were aboard specially prepared Butler & Smith BMW R 90 S Superbikes.

Long-time BMW Motorrad rider Nate Kern is also commemorating McLaughlin’s historic 1976 Superbike victory by competing at Daytona in round one of the Mission Super Hooligan National Championship aboard a bespoke ROKiT BMW R 1300 R that was built by a small group of BMW Motorrad employees from the BMW Motorrad Custom Speed Shop.

Project managers Philipp Ludwig and Katrin Torge, bike designer Andreas Martin, color and graphic designer Theresa Stukenbrock, and prototype builders Paul Summerer and Thomas Becker were all involved in the build. 

A stock BMW R 1300 R served as the foundation for the special, one-off motorcycle, and the project team translated it into a high-handlebar, unfaired “Superbike in Super Hooligan clothing.” In addition, a few design references to the BMW Superbikes from five decades ago made it into the build. 

Tangible tributes to McLaughlin’s 1976 Superbike victory are reflected not only in the bike`s #83 plates, but also by the components that mimic the Butler & Smith livery that was featured on the BMW R 90 S Superbikes, including the front fenders and tank side panels. Matching this, the blue used on BMW M 1000 RR brake calipers also appears on the aluminum subframe and on the fixed fork tubes of the fully adjustable Wilbers upside-down front fork, which has been extended by 30 millimeters to increase lean angle on the horizontally opposed, twin-cylinder engine. Also, the spring on the fully adjustable Wilbers rear shock is finished in a matching blue. 

The bike bristles with high-end eye candy, including a wide range of lightweight, high-strength carbon fiber components from both the BMW Motorrad program and Ilmberger Carbonparts, as well as fully adjustable hand levers from Advik; a lightweight, titanium exhaust system with carbon silencer from Akrapovič; and milled BMW Motorrad footrests.

When it’s not out on the road course at Daytona, the “Super Hooliganized” ROKiT BMW R 1300 R will be showcased in the paddock right alongside the Butler & Smith BMW R 90 S Superbikes that were raced in 1976.