The BMW K101 by Impuls is a handcrafted custom motorcycle that turns a 1985 BMW K100 into a rolling piece of art, built in Munich by Philipp Wulk and Matthias Pittner of Impuls in collaboration with artist Fabian Gatermann. It takes a three-decade-old bike and brings it firmly into modern times, fusing digital 3D design with hand-painted craftsmanship.
Who built the BMW K101?
The K101 is a handcrafted motorcycle project from Philipp Wulk and Matthias Pittner, the duo known as Impuls, in collaboration with the artist Fabian Gatermann. The bike is handbuilt in Munich. Gatermann brought the whole motorcycle back into 3D and created a set of polygons through manual iteration, then drew them back onto the bodywork by hand. As Designboom reported, the uncluttered bodywork and polygonal pattern were designed with the help of 3D computer renderings before being painted on by hand. The K101 project builds a new fusion between art and motorcycle.
How was the K100 modified?
Mechanically, the K101 is more than just paint. It uses a K1100 drivetrain on a modified K100 frame with a custom exhaust. The levers and footpegs come from ABM Motorrad, and a longer shock by Wilbers was fitted to sharpen the stance. The bike is fully street legal only once you change the exhaust and add mirrors and a license plate. According to Classic Driver, that blend of digital design and hand finishing is exactly what sets the K101 apart from a conventional cafe racer build.
Why the BMW K101 is a mobile artwork
The single-piece tank and seat were entirely hand-painted by Gatermann, making this a mobile piece of art rather than just another restomod. The K101 shows how far a classic BMW K-series airhead-era machine can be reimagined when a custom workshop and a fine artist work side by side.
Where to find custom BMW motorcycles
If the K101 captures your imagination, TheArsenale curates a deep catalog of custom BMW builds. Start with the BMW K1100 by Impuls from the very same workshop, then explore the BMW K100 Sir Ulrich and the BMW K100 Z17.1 Lux, both built on the same K100 platform.
Ready to find your own two-wheeled artwork? Browse the full TheArsenale motorcycles collection.
