Obsessive Compulsive Design's BMW R50/2

Anybody who’s ever constructed one thing will let you know that inspiration can come from the strangest locations. Within the bike world, it may very well be a headlight bucket, paint chip or a set of outdated bias ply tires. For builder Bret Crandell it was one thing so simple as a 1977 Florida State Inspection sticker that set the tone for his 1966 BMW R50/2 construct. Whereas he sought to honor the life his challenge bike had already lived, the barn-find Beemer proved to be the proper canvas for a number of of his racier concepts as properly.

Bret hails from Flint, Michigan, which he affectionately calls ‘a post-industrial wasteland metropolis,’ and, he not too long ago stop his full-time gig at Chrysler to pursue his ardour. His enterprise is Obsessive Compulsive Design, specializing within the improvement and manufacture of {custom} bike elements. Bret remains to be operating circles to get OCD up to the mark, however he carved out time for his R50 challenge to assist showcase his stuff—a worthy funding in our opinion.

Bret’s BMW landed on our radar after the NYC Lightning Bolt show, the place it instantly caught out for its daring mixture of one thing outdated and one thing new. Bret would be the first to let you know that the dents and corrosion are legit, and after briefly contemplating a full restoration, he determined it might be an terrible disgrace to erase character that solely time may create.

“The bike had been sitting in a barn since 1976, as evidenced by the license plate nonetheless hooked up to the rear fender. It was partially disassembled on the time as a result of a damaged valve seat within the left head, and there it sat for 40-something years,” Bret explains.

Breaking down the manufacturing facility driveline elements revealed that the necessary bits have been nonetheless in good condition, and solely wanted fundamental refreshing to function as supposed in 1966. The place some could be tempted to vapor-blast the air-cooled boxer’s instances, Bret allow them to be to match the BMW’s well-seasoned exterior.

Digging into the ancillaries, Bret eradicated many of the R50’s wiring, retaining solely the ignition swap, lights and brake gentle swap on the rear brake pedal. Flat trackers impressed the high-mounted exhaust pipes, with the BMW’s left pipe passing via the body the place the battery as soon as lived. The clamp that helps each mufflers was machined in-house.

When it got here time to outline the bike’s aesthetics, Bret knew he didn’t need his R50 to mix in with the scores of boxer restomods. The bike already had a lot character and wanted solely delicate refining to remodel it from a forlorn outdated tourer to a rad retro roadster, and the most important strides have been definitely made with the operating gear.

After rebuilding the inventory suspension elements and dropping the entrance finish 1.5,” Bret referred to as Buchanan to have a set of 17” Excel rims custom-drilled for the BMW’s solid aluminum drums. He then ordered the widest set of Dunlop Sportmax This autumn meats he may stuff between the thin swingarms—sized 120/70-17.

Instrumental in defining the bike’s character, there was merely no alternative for the patina’d BMW gasoline tank, however the inventory fenders now not match this system. With the huge rear fender gone, Bret wanted a brand new resolution for mounting the taillight. After trimming up the inventory piece, he designed and machined a mount for the taillight that ties into the rear fender tabs. Within the effort to protect the unique gear, and be capable of return the bike to inventory if want be, Bret identifies the taillight as his sole casualty.

ProTaper handlebars tie collectively the neo-retro theme, and Bret states that he all the time feels proper at dwelling with an MX bend. Mounting the 1-1/8″ bars to the BMW’s high clamp was achieved with a splendidly sculpted {custom} clamp completed in-house.

The saddle is one other {custom} piece, and Bret crafted it to tie into the BMW’s rear fender mount in lieu of welding in new tabs. Citing inspiration from MotoGP, it’s lined in black neoprene.

As a closing completion, Bret loaded the inventory headlight bucket with a classic yellow incandescent bulb and a {custom} CNC-machined bezel with a black anodized end. Whether or not intentional or by glad accident, the three splashes of yellow on the bulb, wheels and handlebars add a little bit raciness to the R50’s weathered monochromatic look.

In its time, the BMW R50 was as stoic and dependable as a tourer may very well be, and after being sidelined for 4 a long time in a barn, it discovered a much more thrilling life in Bret’s palms. “This bike is tremendous enjoyable to experience. Its quick wheelbase and low heart of gravity make it actually whippy for a 60-year-old machine,” Bret says.

Bret’s R50 is again and sportier than BMW ever dreamed the R50 may very well be, all with out dropping its roots. Which may be a hackneyed outdated saying, however we’d wager the boxer’s unique proprietor would nonetheless gaze fondly at each scrape, dent and ding. However most likely not that pesky Florida inspection sticker.