If there’s something we like higher than discovering a brand new builder, it’s discovering a younger builder with probably many years of labor forward of them.
The creator of this crisp and really skilled customized BMW K100 is Richard Petzold, a 22-year-old who’s finding out Power Applied sciences in Dresden. And he’s already gained an award for his work.
“Bike EXIF has been the largest supply of inspiration for me over the previous two years, and that principally pushed me to start out my very own little undertaking,” he tells us. “It began earlier than I even had my bike license, however now the K100 is my ‘each day’.”
There’s a number of design and fabrication occurring right here too, with Richard utilizing his dad and mom’ storage as a base and delving into the world of 3D printing. His K100 can also be fully road authorized in Germany, which is an achievement in itself. “That’s why you gained’t see any open air filters or welds on the body—as unhappy as that’s.”
The bottom bike is a 1991 K100, making it over 30 years outdated. It’s the ‘LT’ mannequin, which got here with a better display screen than commonplace and pumped out round 90 hp from the fuel-injected, longitudinal inline-4.
“The engine is rebuilt, however principally inventory,” Richard says. “With open air filters, the engine solely sucks within the heat air of the radiator. I did strive shorter consumption tubes, however ended up with decrease torque at low rpms.”
“For my part, the inventory setup is the most effective for the highway in case you don’t do open alpha-n programming [airflow optimization], which sadly was not inside my finances.” As an alternative, Richard has optimized the ultimate drive ratio for his driving model, by switching to taller 31/11 gearing.
He’s additionally fitted a hydraulic clutch conversion, utilizing an R nineT slave cylinder and machining a brand new pushrod.
A extra apparent change is a change to Moto Guzzi V11 forks, for extra refined dealing with. These are Marzocchi USD items, and are matched to Brembo P34 four-piston brake calipers and 320 mm disks—which Richard has tailored to the unique K100 Y-spoke entrance wheel.
The wheels are wrapped with carbon fiber entrance and rear fenders, utilizing molds that Richard 3D-printed, and the rear shocks are actually Wilbers items.
There are two airbox covers: the higher one is carbon fiber, taken from a mould that Richard first formed in clay. The decrease one is pressed out of aluminum, for an interesting distinction.
Richard 3D printed the aluminum design first, then made two molds from carbon-reinforced resin, and at last pressed the metallic into them. He used an analogous approach for the carbon fiber alternator cowl, and has fabricated a brand new coolant overflow reservoir from aluminum too.
Different absolutely customized elements are the buttons, that are 3D printed, laser minimize and painted. The fee for them was round $25—“Fairly a bit cheaper than most stuff you should buy!”
Richard additionally made the grips himself, pouring them out of silicone. However he did hit up the catalogs for a number of different elements, such because the Truck-Lite LED headlight, the Highsider bar finish flip indicators and mirrors, and a speedo from MMB. Plus the Magura brake and clutch levers.
The perennial drawback with the BMW K100—and all Ok-series bikes, actually—is getting the tank to take a seat properly with different mods. The odd angles make it very exhausting to get clear traces.
However Richard’s resolution is among the greatest we’ve seen: the brand new airboxes draw the attention away, and there’s a brand new tail unit that stops the underside of the tank trying too disjointed.
This unit is constructed from carbon fiber, and we’re detecting hints of Husqvarna ‘Pilen styling. It integrates the rear mild, flip indicators and an electronics tray. Richard used a mould machined from foam, and the seat itself weighs a mere (12 ounces). The electronics and a Motogadget mo.unit are hid beneath.
The low-slung exhaust system comes from EXIF regulars Unit Storage, however Richard has modified the muffler and finish pipe—by subtly widening the pipe in order that the dB killer parts can lengthen into it.
A CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) evaluation ensured that stream remains to be good, and the noise ranges are inside authorized limits.
After putting in new laser minimize tank emblems and a carbon fiber license plate holder, the K100 was completed. And we’re not the one ones who suppose it appears to be like good.
Within the first stage of the construct course of, the bike gained the Customized Award at a present hosted by the excessive profile Berlin group storage Craftwerk.
“I used to be fortunate sufficient to get to know Nico and Max from Hookie Co., in addition to the Craftwerk guys—who advised me I ought to submit my bike to EXIF,” says Richard.
“It’s definitely not probably the most spectacular trying Ok, however it’s rideable day by day. And most significantly, I discovered so much with this construct.”
For a primary construct, based mostly on such a tough donor bike, it’s an astounding achievement. Richard Petzold is a reputation to observe.
