Motorcycles have come a long way in the last half century, but for some folks, the allure of old machines is too hard to resist. The owner of this early 70s BMW R60/5, Wolfgang, has a much newer R1200GS parked in his garage. But when it was time to take a road trip, he picked the classic boxer over the globetrotting GS.
To make sure his aging Beemer was up to the task, Wolfgang reached out to Ralf Eggl at Woidwerk for a makeover. Based in the small river town of Viechtach in Bavaria, Ralf’s a master mechanic with multiple BMW builds under his belt—so this one was right up his alley.
“Wolfgang came in with his 1973 R60/5,” he tells us, “and wanted a facelift with modern components, but still a classic look.” A restomod, in other words.
High on the list were upgraded suspension and brake components, and more power. As for cosmetics, Ralf had a little wiggle room—as long as most of the original R60 DNA was retained.
Ralf set to work on the engine, upgrading it with the cylinders, heads and carbs from a newer R80. He also installed a Silent Hektik ignition and alternator, and kept the original air box for reliability’s sake.
A pair of Hattech silencers was added for a period correct look (and a better soundtrack), with Ralf eventually managing to eke 50 hp out of the old airhead—a useful bump of around 10 hp.
To nail both the suspension and brake upgrades in one shot, Ralf installed a set of Kawasaki Ninja ZX-7R forks, along with its twin disc brakes. The forks are held in place by the BMW’s modified bottom yoke, and a new top yoke from ABM.
Ralf used the front wheel from a /7 BMW, to accommodate the brake discs. The OEM rear drum brake is still in play, but the shocks have been swapped out for a pair of new Wilbers units. And the tires are sensible too: a set of Continental Classic Attack Vintage radials.
There’s a new seat up top, sitting on a neatly fabricated bolt-on subframe. Ralf’s upholsterer embroidered the coat of arms of Wolfgang’s hometown into the back, and made up a set of matching leather kneepads for the fuel tank.
Cast your eyes under the seat, and you’ll even spot a new leather battery box.
To respect the original design, Ralf has kept both fenders—even the bulky rear unit—and made only small modifications to both. The back end is finished off with a license plate mount flanked by a pair of indicators and the taillight is an off-the-shelf part, but Ralf modified it with a BMW exhaust nut to add a quirky touch.
The R60/5 cockpit is now a mix of old and new. Ralf kept the stock headlight, with its integrated speedo, but remounted it on modified aftermarket brackets. There’s a new set of risers further back, holding high-and-wide bars from LSL.
Ralf also installed Biltwell grips, classic bar-end turn signals and new switches (two of which are embedded in the headlight, with built-in LED dummy lights). And for the long trip, there’s a set of crash bars further down, each with a small spotlight mounted on it.
Capping off this handsome restomod is a paint job that borrows its colors straight from BMW’s iconic roundel. The remaining finishes are refreshingly low-key: a black frame, raw engine and chromed crash bars.
Wolfgang’s R60/5 is still outgunned by the other boxer in his stable. But with a fresh motor and modern running gear, it’ll outshine most other 50-year-old bikes on the road.
We have a feeling this lovely oldtimer is going to be around for many years to come.
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