Launched within the Nineteen Sixties, the BMW R50/2 was a machine outlined by its Earles forks, hushed exhaust be aware, and a construct high quality that urged it might outlast the rider. It was by no means meant to be a street-fighting dragster. However then once more, Ralf Eggl of Woidwerk is not precisely interested by constructing bikes for gents.
Working out of a workshop within the Bavarian Forest (referred to as the “Woid”), Ralf has earned a repute for precision engineering with a gritty, artisanal edge. So, when a buyer dragged in a bent 1965 R50/2 body, and an previous R80G/S sport-enduro conversion with a easy request to construct “one thing particular for the after-work trip,” he was joyful to oblige. Ralf defined, “I wished to construct one thing totally different based mostly on this body—one thing that hadn’t existed earlier than. A sporty restomod impressed by drag-style proportions.”
The transformation started by mating the bent 1965 body with the center of the R80G/S. To attain that aggressive, “ready-to-launch” stance, Ralf threw the classic suspension geometry out the window. Instead sits a beefy set of inverted Kawasaki ZX-7R forks, held in place by {custom} CNC-milled Woidwerk triple clamps.
The rolling inventory is the place the dragster affect actually takes maintain. Ralf opted for an 18-inch wheel up entrance and a chunky 16-inch unit on the rear. To accommodate the extensive rear rubber, Ralf needed to get artistic; he fabricated a bespoke sheet metallic fender that sits barely offset to the left—the one option to run a tire wider than 100mm on this classic drivetrain.
Visually, the bike owes its soul to the four-wheeled world. Ralf took inspiration from the legendary 1967 Mustang Fastback constructed by Ruffian Vehicles. To echo that muscle automotive silhouette, he sourced a Cole Foster tank—a staple of the {custom} Harley scene.
“In fact, the tank did not match in any respect,” says Ralf. “It needed to be closely modified, however that’s no drawback.” It now flows seamlessly right into a {custom} fiberglass seat shell, upholstered in high-grade leather-based and perched atop a smoothed-out body that hides a maze of contemporary electronics.
Ralf is a self-admitted stickler for the small issues. To distinction the paint scheme, he included handmade brass accents all through the construct. You’ll discover the golden hue on every thing from particular person screws and plates to CNC-milled emblems.
The engine obtained the same stage of scrutiny. To sharpen the R80 motor’s reflexes, Ralf fitted Dellorto carburetors with matched consumption funnels. For cooling (and a wholesome dose of “cool”), a Fallert sports activities oil pan was bolted to the underside. Even the engine cowl is a murals, that includes embedded brass funnels that present each a visible spotlight and much-needed air flow for the hidden ignition coil and regulator.
The cockpit is stripped again. Steering is dealt with by a set of LSL clip-on handlebars, outfitted with minimalist Motogadget buttons for a clutter-free aesthetic. Ralf built-in a Motogadget Speedo straight into the custom-milled high yoke, making certain the instrumentation sits flush with the bike’s silhouette. For stopping energy, a Brembo PS 16 grasp cylinder supplies trendy chew, whereas the Magura throttle serves as a refined, mechanical nod to the donor R80G/S’s motocross heritage. Guiding the way in which is a BMW R NineT headlight, secured by a bespoke milled bracket and color-matched to the remainder of the construct’s moody palette.
The result’s a BMW that seems like a European interpretation of an American muscle automotive. It’s a “gentle” R50/2 body with the heavy-hitting punch of a tuned 800cc boxer, completed with the sort of German precision that makes you need to stare on the brass fasteners virtually as a lot as you need to twist the throttle. Ralf got down to construct a “particular after-work trip,” however we suspect this machine would possibly maintain its proprietor out effectively previous sundown.
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