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Watkins M001 Custom Bike

This unique Watkins M001 was designed and built by Jack Watkins a lecturer/researcher with a PhD in mechanical design at Gdańsk University of Technology, Poland.

It took Jack four years just to design the front end of the M001, and the result is nothing short of spectacular. The M001 is a combination of ingenious solutions and futuristic lines.

He teamed up with Mateusz Kozlowski from Moto Spec in Gdańsk, as he didn’t have the experience or workshop to build the bike by himself.

Almost everything is custom made to perfection in order to bring Watkins’ vision to life and hundreds of components had to be made in order to get the Watkins M001 to perform as how it should.

The 2002 air-cooled BMW R1150RT donated the engine, shaft and rear shock. The rear wheel comes from a BMW GS, and Yamaha XJ6 front wheel and the hub was milled to make room for the complex steering and suspension system. The frame was made out of two laser-cut sheets of steel and welded together.

A 16-litre fuel tank was also a huge challenge in making sure everything fits perfectly in the bike’s dimensions. Major considerations on weight distribution were also thought of as Watkins wanted the bike lean more towards its rear end.

A complex exhaust system was manufactured, and it took Jack over five hours to install. He also claimes that the noise it makes is ‘unique’.

Watkins M001 is an example of a technological masterpiece in terms of design and functionality.