Within the far east of Germany, Zwickau sits, a metropolis the place the air has smelled of two-stroke premix and industrial ambition for over a century. Often called the ‘Metropolis of Cars,’ it’s the birthplace of Audi and the notorious Trabant. However for individuals who grew up within the rural stretches of the previous GDR, the actual icons weren’t vehicles; they have been the small-capacity machines from Simson.
Enter Oliver Baumgart. A Zwickau native and a hobbyist with a penchant for perfection, Oliver did not have a motorbike license when the {custom} bug bit. What he did have was a deep-seated nostalgia for the bikes of his youth and a drive to do what few within the Simson scene had dared: construct a world-class cafe racer out of a 50cc commuter.
The Simson S50 is greater than only a moped; it’s a cultural touchstone. Produced in Suhl between 1975 and 1980, the S50 was a revelation with its telescopic forks and modular design. Its ‘buffalo’ gasoline tank and spherical headlight gave it a silhouette that regarded like a ‘actual’ motorbike shrunk right down to measurement.
Whereas the inventory 49.6cc engine initially produced a modest 3.6 hp, the S50’s allure lay in its ruggedness. In East Germany, these have been the “go-to” automobiles for everybody from farmers to youngsters. Oliver knew this was the right canvas, so he hunted down a donor 200 km away. It was roadworthy, however drained, the right candidate for a complete teardown.
The challenge took a poignant flip in November 2021. After the primary yr of the construct, Oliver misplaced his trustworthy companion, Dino, a stray cat who had spent eight years as his ‘tinkering buddy,’ by no means leaving the storage till the door was locked.
Grief turned gasoline. Oliver determined to push the S50 past a easy ‘wheels and bars’ swap right into a memorial. The aim: create a Simson so refined it might command respect within the wider motorbike world, whereas remaining 100% road-legal, a herculean activity given Germany’s strict TÜV rules.
The body is the place the heavy lifting began. Oliver bolstered the primary body and added a cross brace between the passenger stays for rigidity. The highest of the body was shortened to accommodate a bespoke cafe seat, whereas the swingarm was modified to deal with the brand new geometry.
The stance is aggressive, due to 2.15″ metal rims that are laced to disc-brake hubs. He wrapped them in a Pirelli/Heidenau combo. To carry the moped to a halt, Oliver went ‘massive bike’ on the specs: a 280mm floating disc up entrance clamped by a Stage 6 four-piston caliper, fed by an Aprilia grasp cylinder and Ducati clutch perch with Brembo levers.
Don’t let the 50cc badge idiot you. Oliver swapped the S50 internals for an S51 block bored out to 85cc. It contains a 5-speed gearbox, a racing crankshaft, and a Ronge K7 coil-spring clutch.
The aesthetic particulars on the engine are jewelry-grade: a 3D fan-type cylinder head, polished covers with sight glasses to see the oil and alternator in movement. The 3D-printed consumption manifold and a {custom} exhaust with a dome system guarantee this “Dino” growls like a a lot bigger beast.
The cockpit is a minimalist’s dream. Fehling clip-ons put on leather-based grips and a quick-action throttle. A Motogadget speedometer and up to date lighting system present fashionable reliability. Practically each bracket, from the 4-piston adapter to the ignition key and the triple clamp was CNC-machined or custom-fabricated by Oliver.
Lastly, the bodywork. The metalwork was drenched in a deep blue end, accented by basic Simson logos. It’s a coloration that feels each royal and melancholic, a becoming nod to the bike’s namesake.
After two years of labor, Oliver’s S50 is completed. There might be no extra mods; in his eyes, it’s good. “It’s generated an unimaginable quantity of consideration and friendships I by no means anticipated,” Oliver says. “Its emotional worth is priceless.” In a world of 200-hp superbikes, this 85cc Simson reminds us that the most effective customs aren’t about displacement—they’re in regards to the tales we inform and the buddies (feline or in any other case) we keep in mind alongside the way in which.
Trending Merchandise
