What Does It Mean To Be An Automotive Enthusiast?

by

 

Matthew Jones

I’d like to take a trip down memory lane, to a time where you had your first automotive experience. For some, it may have been the first time they took a ride in their grandfather’s hot rod and the feeling of what seemed to be a massive leather bench seat hugging their hips; the sound of the engine cranking and the excitement of the pilot responsibly hitting the gas pedal waiting for you to explode in a giggle-fit of joy. For others, it may be as simple as the first time their parents took them to a car show, where their eyes were exploding with every ounce of automotive culture that surrounded them; picking and choosing from their favorites of the show…

As in my case, it may have even started a bit late, like when I first got my license and simply fell head over heels with the freedom that accompanied four tires and a laminated picture ID.

It didn’t matter what was jolting your shoulders to the back of the seat on that first ride, and it didn’t matter that your favorite car of the show was most likely not anywhere near tasteful – because we were innocent. We were children floating through the experiences with an open mind; following nothing but the feeling in our gut without the concern of being ridiculed for what was right or wrong.

So let’s go back to that innocence – just for these few moments, at the least. And in the case of this 1965 Beetle, let’s forget the whole ‘stance’ thing ever happened. Let’s also forget the function wars; the ‘my car is better than yours because of its ride height’ apparel; the plethora of blogs and shops solely dedicated to camber specifications and the general separation that is amongst our community due to this specific type of style.

Forget all of it. Let’s be kids again. Let’s be genuine adults and enthusiasts rather than rampaging adolescents hiding behind the fortitude of our wireless internet providers. Even better, let’s be artists. Because at the end of the day, that’s exactly what we are.

As hard as it is for the gearheads and fabricators to swallow, every piece you cut, weld, and mold is you being an artist in the purest form. Those of you who are more cultural observers and simply attend meets to check out the scene, you are curators waddling through a vast pond; picking and pointing out whatever sends an emotional shiver down your spine.

And for the ones like Erik Stevenson – the owner of this near-50-year-old ratty hunk of metal –you are creators; cautiously picking your pallet, modifying your details to the nth degree as you dig through junkyards in effort to recreate that initial feeling of innocence. That first automotive ‘high’ so to speak.

Fellow artists, that high is the reason this car is on Speedhunters. It may lose to a tricycle in a speed bump battle, and it may very well be hardly even drivable (though it is). But beneath that testerone, 9-5 caffeine-enraged shell of yours, you know there’s the innocent child in you that can’t deny how freaking cool this Bug looks. It’s a rolling performance piece that some of us will absolutely adore, and others will regret they ever wasted their time stepping into the venue. So in the spirit of this fluffy chatter, let’s continue to take a step back and view the artistic direction and decisions that our artist chose to make in creating this piece, rather than instantly writing it off without understanding.

BMW R100RS by Cytech

Words by Ian Lee.

Somewhere along the way BMW Motorrad missed an opportunity. An opportunity to build a real factory café racer. A bike which would make the heart race faster. To continue the tradition that was born in the R90S, that of BMW saying ‘hey guys, look, we can build exciting bikes’. Don’t get me wrong, the R100RS of the mid seventies was a nice bike for its time. But it could have been so much more. Luckily, Donovan Muller of Cytechcould see the potential in this 1977 BMW R100RS, and utilising factory componentry, has managed to produce what might have been. And it would have been good.

The idea to build a BMW cafe racer came about after ‘many months of research and large amounts of tequila’. The current owner commissioned Cytech to build him a bike, with the decision made to aim for the one litre capacity, to have dual disc front and spoked rims. Luckily, a 1977 model R100RS was stumbled upon, the poor bike having been subjected to being customised and bobbed. The owner and Donovan of Cytech could see the ‘pure BMW cafe racer’ in the rough bike, and got to work.

Taking the bike back to bare bones, the frame and custom subframe were powder coated. While the power plant was out, it was stripped down, the engine casing was sandblasted, and the flywheel machined down. Once these simple yet productive processes were carried out, it was treated to a full rebuild and fitted with a deep dish sump. The Bing carbs were given a work over, and K&N pod filters fitted in place of the factory air box.

Utilising as many factory parts as possible, Cytech has kept the Beemer ‘looking like a bike that came off the production line, not chopped, hacked or highly modified but more of a thoroughbred’. The factory rims have just been polished up, the factory hubs sandblasted. Still sporting its original forks, they have been spruced up with a set of Wilbers progressive fork springs, and a custom front fender. Clip ons have been fitted, but the original controls and handlebar mounts have been used. At the tail end, a set of Wilbers adjustable rear shocks help support the custom seat produced for the build. Rolling on Metzeler tyres front and rear, the power comes through the rebuilt factory gearbox to the original diff assembly. So much BMW goodness.

To keep that factory look, a BMW fuel tank is fitted, albeit modified with a Monza fuel cap. The colour scheme for the bike is ‘Tequila Sunrise’, a colour reminiscent of the factory R90S paintjob. To keep with the sporting look of the airhead, the exhaust is made up of stainless headers feeding into upswept trumpet style tail pipes.

Low and lean, this burnt orange Beemer is exactly what the customer ordered, with Donovan explaining: “the bike and the dream became a reality, looking better than imagined and rides like a beast.” Your loss BMW.

via PIPEBURN

AfricaEcoRace 2015

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