Next weekend (March 5-7, 2026), BMW Motorrad Munich will present this BMW R 1300 R Superhooligan in the 84th edition of the Daytona 200. A preparation with which the Munich firm honors Steve McLaughlin’s victory in the first Superbike race in Daytona, 50 years ago, on March 6, 1976, as well as Reg Pridmore’s victory in the first edition of the AMA Superbike Championship.
Both drivers raced BMW R 90 S for the Butler & Smith team, and made motorsport history. This year, BMW Motorrad brand ambassador Nate Kern is also actively participating in the Mission Foods Super Hooligan Series presented by Roland Sands with the BMW R 1300 R Superhooligan as part of the MotoAmerica Daytona 200.
BMW R 1300 R Superhooligan: “Custom Power Roadster”
A small group of employees from the BMW Motorrad Custom Speed Shop took the opportunity to honor this historic racing achievement with this BMW R 1300 R Superhooligan. Philipp Ludwig as project manager with Katrin Torge, vehicle designer Andreas Martin, Theresa Stukenbrock as color and graphics designer, together with the experience and passion of prototype builders Paul Summerer and Thomas Becker, have shaped a unique preparation.
The design incorporates the basic stylistic and technical elements of the BMW R 1300 R, which serves as the basis for the final creation of a preparation that pays tribute to those almost naked superbikes of 50 years ago. Tributes to Steve McLaughlin’s victory at Daytona 50 years ago are reflected not only in the Superhooligan number 83, but also in components painted in the BMW R 90 S color of the era, including the front fenders and tank side panels.
Matching this, the blue used on the brake calipers of the BMW M 1000 RR also appears on the aluminum rear frame and the fixed tubes of the fully adjustable Wilbers inverted front fork, which has been extended by 30 mm for more lean angle clearance. The fully adjustable Wilbers suspension strut spring is also finished in a corresponding shade of blue.
The high dynamic demands of the Custom Roadster, capable of reaching speeds of up to 275 km/h and offering a superbike-level riding experience, are achieved thanks to the lightweight BMW M 1000 RR carbon front wheel, which improves handling, and a wide range of lightweight but high-strength carbon fiber components, both from the BMW Motorrad program and Ilmberger Carbon Parts.
Fully adjustable levers from Advik, a lightweight titanium exhaust system with a carbon silencer from Akrapovič and CNC footpegs from BMW Motorrad complete the Custom Roadster project. The BMW R 1300 R Superhooligan will be on display alongside its historic predecessor, the BMW R 90 S of the Butler & Smith team, and the legendary figures of the 1976 racing season at Daytona from March 5 to 7, 2026 on the 50th anniversary of the iconic 200-mile race in the Sunshine State of Florida. BMW Motorrad will also commemorate one of the most notable milestones in its more than 100-year history.
The story behind the R 1300 R Superhooligan
In 1976, the AMA Superbike Series was launched as an American national championship, and was immediately recognized by American BMW importer Butler & Smith as an ideal platform to further strengthen the already sporty image and dynamic driving qualities of the successful BMW R 90 S.
This required not only chassis modifications suitable for racing, but also a significant increase in engine performance. To achieve this, Butler & Smith hired Udo Gietl as chief mechanic and engine tuner, while Todd Schuster was responsible for chassis optimization.
Born in 1940, Udo Gietl left Germany after World War II and immigrated to Florida, where the passionate motocross racer and electrical engineer worked for NASA and on Polaris submarines, among other projects, before joining Butler & Smith. There, he quickly built an excellent reputation as a BMW technician when two BMW R 69 S motorcycles he had prepared finished first and second in the 1969 Danville 5 Hour Race.
Motivated by this success, Gietl continued to develop BMW racing motorcycles based on the BMW R 75/5 in the following years, culminating in early success with the BMW R 90 S. With Reg Pridmore – who at the time also ran a BMW dealership in Santa Barbara –, Steve McLaughlin and Gary Fisher, the Butler & Smith team not only featured a trio of top-class riders, but also extremely competitive racing machines. The BMW R 90 S were meticulously prepared by Udo Gietl and Todd Schuster.
Steve McLaughlin won the race on March 6, 1976, in a photo finish ahead of his teammate Reg Pridmore, from whom he snatched the victory he already thought was certain in the final meters. Double victory for BMW. A gearbox failure on Gary Fisher’s machine, after he had led the race for several laps, sadly prevented what would have been a sensational triple victory. At the end of the season, BMW Motorrad achieved the ultimate triumph: Reg Pridmore became the first AMA Superbike champion.
Now, 50 years later, the protagonists of that era meet in Daytona. Daytona winner Steve McLaughlin, AMA Superbike champion Reg Pridmore, Gary Fisher’s daughters Heidi and Kimberly, as well as Udo Gietl and numerous guests of honor got to know the BMW R 1300 Superhooligan from the BMW Motorrad Custom Speed Shop and the victorious BMW R 90 S racing cars of that era.
The BMW R 90 S is a classic BMW Museum motorcycle provided by the BMW Group and specially prepared in its in-house racing workshop for the Daytona 200.
