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Launched in the 1960s, the BMW R50/2 was a machine defined by its Earles forks, hushed exhaust note, and a build quality that suggested it could outlast the rider. It was never meant to be a street-fighting dragster. But then again, Ralf Eggl of Woidwerk isn't exactly interested in building motorcycles for gentlemen.
Operating out of a workshop in the Bavarian Forest (known as the "Woid"), Ralf has earned a reputation for precision engineering with a gritty, artisanal edge. So, when a customer dragged in a bent 1965 R50/2 frame, and an old R80G/S sport-enduro conversion with a simple request to build "something special for the after-work ride, " Eggl was happy to oblige. Ralf explained, "I wanted to build something different based on this frame—something that hadn't existed before. A sporty restomod inspired by drag-style proportions."
The transformation began by mating the bent 1965 frame with the heart of the R80G/S. To achieve that aggressive, "ready-to-launch" stance, Ralf threw the vintage suspension geometry out the window. In its place sits a beefy set of inverted Kawasaki ZX-7R forks, held in place by custom CNC-milled Woidwerk triple clamps.
The rolling stock is where the dragster influence truly takes hold. Ralf opted for an 18-inch wheel up front and a chunky 16-inch unit at the rear. To accommodate the wide rear rubber, Ralf had to get creative; he fabricated a bespoke sheet metal fender that sits slightly offset to the left—the only way to run a tire wider than 100mm on this vintage drivetrain.
Visually, the bike owes its soul to the four-wheeled world. Ralf took inspiration from the legendary 1967 Mustang Fastback built by Ruffian Cars. To echo that muscle car silhouette, he sourced a Cole Foster tank—a staple of the custom Harley scene.
"Of course, the tank didn't fit at all," says Ralf. "It had to be heavily modified, but that’s no problem." It now flows seamlessly into a custom fiberglass seat shell, upholstered in high-grade leather and perched atop a smoothed-out frame that hides a maze of modern electronics.
Ralf is a self-admitted stickler for the small things. To contrast the paint scheme, he incorporated handmade brass accents throughout the build. You’ll find the golden hue on everything from individual screws and plates to CNC-milled emblems.
The engine received a similar level of scrutiny. To sharpen the R80 motor’s reflexes, Ralf fitted Dellorto carburetors with matched intake funnels. For cooling (and a healthy dose of "cool"), a Fallert sports oil pan was bolted to the bottom. Even the engine cover is a work of art, featuring embedded brass funnels that provide both a visual highlight and much-needed ventilation for the hidden ignition coil and regulator.
The cockpit is stripped back. Steering is handled by a set of LSL clip-on handlebars, outfitted with minimalist Motogadget buttons for a clutter-free aesthetic. Ralf integrated a Motogadget Speedo directly into the custom-milled top yoke, ensuring the instrumentation sits flush with the bike's silhouette. For stopping power, a Brembo PS 16 master cylinder provides modern bite, while the Magura throttle serves as a subtle, mechanical nod to the donor R80G/S's motocross heritage. Guiding the way is a BMW R NineT headlight, secured by a bespoke milled bracket and color-matched to the rest of the build's moody palette.
The result is a BMW that feels like a European interpretation of an American muscle car. It’s a "light" R50/2 frame with the heavy-hitting punch of a tuned 800cc boxer, finished with the kind of German precision that makes you want to stare at the brass fasteners almost as much as you want to twist the throttle. Ralf set out to build a "special after-work ride," but we suspect this machine might keep its owner out well past sunset.
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