BMW Motorrad unveiled its custom R 1300 R Superhooligan to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Steve McLaughlin's iconic 200-mile Daytona 200 race win, as well as Reg Pridmore's inaugural US-national AMA superbike championship title in 1976. Both riders raced BMW R 90 S bikes for the Butler & Smith team.
The Superhooligan was built by a small team of highly skilled craftsmen from the BMW Motorrad custom speed shop, referencing design elements from the original bikes: the wide tracker-style handlebars, the starting number, and components such as the front fender and side panels finished in the original 1976 paint scheme.
It uses the same running hardware as the road-going BMW R 1300 R with the same 1300cc boxer-twin engine producing 140bhp and 149Nm of torque. BMW claims the superhooligan can reach speeds of 275kmph. The suspension duties are handled by a fully adjustable Wilbers upside-down front fork, which is extended by 30mm for better lean angles.
The bike is extensively draped in carbonfibre with an M 1000 RR front wheel and other components from both BMW Motorrad and Ilmberger carbonfibre parts. The bike is also equipped with a full-system titanium exhaust from Akrapovic with a carbon muffler, along with milled BMW Motorrad footrests.
This special edition will be displayed alongside its historic predecessor, the R 90 S from the Butler & Smith team at the 84th Daytona race weekend from March 5 to 7.
1976 was the first year the AMA Superbike series was launched as a US-national championship. Steve McLaughlin won the Daytona 200 race, finishing ahead of his teammate Reg Pridmore, claiming a double victory for BMW. An unfortunate gearbox failure for their third teammate, Gary Fisher, prevented a triple victory. Reg Pridmore later won the 1976 championship, becoming the first AMA superbike champion.
Now, 50 years after their win, Steve McLaughlin and Reg Pridmore would be united with their championship-winning bikes at the 2026 Daytona race weekend, along with their modern interpretation, the R 1300 R Superhooligan.
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