Participants of 2018 International GS Trophy Competition Organized by BMW Get to Walk Away with Personalized 3D-Printed Radiator Covers

The International GS Trophy competition is a contest where teams of three ride R1200GS Rallye bikes in various challenges across Mongolia. Organized by BMW Motorrad, this motorcycle adventure promises a fun riding experience and tough as nails challenges.

(All images taken from Motorcycle .com)

 

Check out the video on the 2018 GS Trophy competition below!

 

But other than taking away the experience of a lifetime, competitors also get to bring home individually customized 3D-printed radiator covers used on their bikes.

 

Yes, you heard right.

 

Every single one of the R1200GS Rallye bikes used in the competition was equipped with radiator covers that bore the contestant’s name, start number and the GS Trophy logo. That makes 114 personalized motorcycles in total.

 

According to the press release, a generative design algorithm was used to individualize the radiator covers of the 114 bikes, before the covers were printed using additive manufacturing.

 

For this project, experts from the BMW Group Additive Manufacturing Center teamed up with BMW Motorrad to customize the individual bikes. It was stated that “in the selective laser melting process aluminum powder is fused by powerful lasers. As no tools are required, every produced component can be different, this making it the perfect choice for individualization.”

 

As a result of this detailed process, what emerges are covers of a very high strength, in which an “additional milling process was used to create greater contrast and surface quality of the design.”

The end product must be a high quality, as such a long chunk of text can be printed onto the panels (see image above).

 

Participants were then given the individualized radiator covers as a souvenir for the 2,350 km journey during the awards ceremony.

 

 

Although this is just a small part of the bike, the implications are undeniable. The ‘additive manufacturing’ technology is rapidly gaining traction in the motorcycle industry, and BMW appears to be leading the pack for 3D-printed bike parts.

Perhaps one day there will be a motorcycle that is revealed to be made entirely through 3D-printing.