As a Former US Marine, I like to celebrate the Marine Corps birthday with my friends (Also Marines) at a small tavern, with a toast, the Commandant’s Message, a cake cutting ceremony (Following tradition) and remembering all of our past, present and future Marine Corps brothers and sisters.
This year I was set on making a cake that everyone would remember… An Eagle Globe and Anchor Cake in the form of the U.S. Marine Corps official emblem and insignia.
I started out with the basic shapes, cake mix and an idea.
Starting out with the cake basics!
After cooling the cake and cutting it into the major shape, it started to take good form.
Basic blocks of the cake.
Frosting… lots of frosting.
Cover with base coat of frosting.
Details and chocolate coins.
Everyone had a good time, and made fun of my “betty Crocker” home maker cake… but they didn’t say a word while they were enjoying the great cake.
I will have to think hard for next year and make another memorable cake to share.
Well this year I waited too long before working on my invites… but I buckled down last night and finished up a vintage looking invite for my annual Halloween party.
Not my best and most creative invite, but I think a very nice looking none the less.
Below is the cover… a spooky scene with a full moon (which we won’t have the luxury of having this year near halloween), a flying witch and a Jack-o-lantern with a nosy cat! (of course not my artwork but two different ones put together, postcards) The corn stalks and sky with the black, orange and white clouds reminds me of the simpler time in the halloween of yester year that I remember growing up with. The decorations were hung in the classrooms and we as kids made construction paper owls, bats, ghosts and ghouls… ah the good ol’days!
Cover of the 2014 invite.
Inside I left the pumpkin and cat… giving just enough information to get the point across and keep it simple…
Inside of invite.
I wanted to have an elaborate invite with cool steampunked theme… gears that turned, a banner with an old timey feel giving the invited guest a feel of the 19th century’s British Victorian era… a feel like the party would be all the rage and an event that is not to be missed… but now looking at my invite… I feel a vintage, more real and more my style invite shaping up.
I will print, cut out and glue each into a folded sheet of construction paper, letting me relive my days again of fall, elementry school and the excitement of being a kid during Halloween!
Adrienne and I have always been fond of taking cool “old school” pictures. We have a decent 35mm camera and two digital cameras that are par of the normal photo op while on vacation or putting around on the scooter. We do have fun and it has been a goal of mine to share these “back in the day” photos with more than my friends and family.
I had an idea a few months back to make a calendar… it sounds simple, right? Well it does take time, resources and a bit of creativity… a few great photos and a bit of time setting up the calendar on ‘Snapfish’, and you off and running. Sounds easy!
Well it was a lot harder than I thought.
For every person who says they will “Love to help out” or “I can’t wait! it sounds like fun!” you must remember… that to do something great, it usually will be on your shoulders. I found out that volunteering sounds good until the person you asked to help has a better gig, or has to help someone else, or just plain doesn’t show up. You have to stay focused, get up and put your “I am in charge” face on and go do it with or without the help of your friends.
Copyright: W. Davison 2014
August 16th was a beautiful day, bright sunny skies. A warm morning with plenty of daylight to take photos. The photo shoot turned out perfect! The old cars were pulling in as I pulled up on my 1956 BMW R50.
Copyright: W. Davison 2014
With an assistant, two models, a very trusting friend loaning me her SLR camera and three great guys driving their old classics to the staging area, our photo shoot began (of course after some signing of waivers and providing some information to all participants about drinking lots of water, describing the style of photography and that no one was going to get rich).
Copyright: W. Davison 2014
The day presented many great photographs, classic cars, open fields and scenic backgrounds. With a few adjustments and filtering I had over 400 photos to begin the task of searching for those two or three “Great Shots” and use them to create a portfolio to show business owners my ideas and present to them why there business should “pony up” for the advertising calendar.
Copyright: W. Davison 2014
With the lessons learned from my first photo shoot I do believe that the next “Fall Scene” photo shoot will turn out great and I should have enough to get 6 or 7 months of the calendar completed. I have already started planning the next shoot, and will hope to present more “Great Shots” at the end of September.
Yesterday was hot in the city with a high of 93 degrees it made the hot air blasting into the winglet windows of the 1968 BMW 2002 seem like a hair drier. Keeping an eye on the road I would glance down to the temperature gauge on the cluster to monitor the the severity of stop and go traffic… but once on the freeway with the speedometer at a steady 55 MPH the Stuka seemed to float with no care in the world. A calm took over the engine and the little car with 45 years of driving pleasure lived up to its name once again.
North of Denver, I25 in my 1968 BMW 2002. Photo credit Stephanie Chamberlin
Going to Denver is always a production, I25 is notorious for having bad traffic and even worse drivers, accident at every major on and off ramp plague the morning commute during the week… but on the weekend it is a sea of cars with drivers that don’t care if you are in your collector car as they cut in front, wiz by you as they champion their right given lane even if that lane is stopping… they are winners at getting in front of you… just to change back after they feel that the other lane is better suited to their speed.
Once in denver it does calm down, and the little shops and bookstores are a cool little spot on Broadway for an afternoon adventure to unfold. I pull into a street parking space and before I am out of the car I get my first question.. “What Year is THAT!?” A common question I hear almost everywhere I go… I tell them it is a 1968 2002… and an instant confusing look takes over their face and so i have to explain the 2002 is the model.
Good food, good conversation, and a great group of friends to discuss what friends discuss while appreciating the time shared. Music, art and work, a blender of topics that all seem to connect back to the fact that we get each other, we are friends and life right now is easy. An easy feeling that the rest of the week calls out for, but never quite gets due to work schedules and errands.
After our day in Denver I come back to the little car and check to make sure my time on the parking meter is good… it is. I have 8 minutes left, but why do I have a ticket on my window? A closer look describes the reason… my plate does not have a month tag… and I have a 5 year collector plate and it is going to expire in September… I look at the ticket and decide it is not worth my time nor effort to explain that I never received a month tag and being new to the area I thought that this was a standard on all 5 year collector plates… I was wrong. I will however use this experience to remind myself the next time I want to go to Denver to just head over to Louisville and save my money for better things like old tube amps and brisket at “LuLu’s”.
The drive home was nice… the sun was setting and I was feeling the blister on my hand from the steering wheel (with no power assist, makes you appreciate power steering) and the soreness in my legs from the “pedal dance” over the stop and go day driving. But all in all a great Saturday drive with good friend and fun memories.
It is that time of year again when the small towns surrounding Denver close off the streets, gather the local business owners, growers and makers and group them into one big blob of dis-function… insurance, honey and time share get-aways all in small tents that provide no real shade and have people walking by quickly to avoid the sales pitch… and the sample of free honey gets passed up again. (You would think the planners would put the honey next to the jelly and the insurance next to the attorney OR the bounce house…. giggle giggle!)
Every year my wife and I go to Louisville on Saturday morning to enjoy the fresh cool air. We ride our BMW R50 over on the farm roads and park in the center of town. I like to get a cup of coffee and she likes to have a crepe. We walk down the street and see if there is anything that catches our eye or discuss buying fresh fruit or veggies to add to our dinner meal. Most of the time we make it quickly through the booths and move to a more air conditioned, indoor, with a bar… establishment. Most of the time the people know our names and we feel quite welcome. We order our food and drink and sit back for the discussions to follow.
I always recommend going to the small town USA markets… a connection to the community, the neighbors that you see everyday, your friends and the the very people who thrive when their goods are sold. Like a way to say to the global economy… “Hey Walmart! You might beat the prices but you can’t beat real people and the goods!” These are the people that they produce high quality goods for a very small and appreciative group of the community… check a market out one weekend, you won’t be disappointed when you meet a new friend and find a preserve for your toast on sunday.
It sounds like common sense but how many time have you seen a car or van off on the side of the road and the hood is open. Now I try to stop and help if I am just commuting to work or out and about running errands and the person I stop to help says “My radiator coolant is low” or “My oil light came on a while back…” I think the easiest way to have a bit of piece of mind is to check all the fluids, get the air to the right pressure in the tires (accounting for the added weight of luggage and supplies), while filling and checking the tires look for signs of wear, tread depth, etc. Take a look at the belts for wear or fraying, and check and clean the battery. Change your wiper blades and look for items that may need to be cleaned (Mirrors, rear glass, headlamps). Simple and easy to do, so Vehicle preparation is one of the main topics of preparing for a road trip.
Roads, high traffic and weather check:
Construction, floods and bad drivers…
Road repair is a summertime nightmare… good weather means the best time to repair, resurface or widen the roads that have been beaten up all winter. Go on line and get the latest road reports for the states you plan on traveling. Check the weather for potential bad weather days and forecasts. Spring and summer storms move fast and when they do hit, roads can be a mess cause lengthy delays and unplanned stops. It has been said a million times… when the holiday weekends hit the number of drivers make it feel like the 300 cars in front of you are going to the same destination you are but with a snails pace… be patient, travel on the off peak days, take the more untraveled scenic route.
Supplies and maps:
Bullets, Beans and Band-aids!
Now I know it isn’t a military movement for your road trip, but go prepared. A few tools, some food and water and a first aid kit are not to hard to add to the trunk or back seat in a small backpack. This definitely adds to the prep time by gathering all the basic stuff, but it is a life saver in the unlikely and unlucky event that something does happen on the road. Carry an extra bottle of motor oil, have some spare bulbs for your tail/turn lights and maybe even a belt for the water pump and alternator. A one hour fix on the side of a deserted road is definitely better than waiting for a tow to the next town that might not even have the parts. Have a few simple maps printed out of your planned route, and actually look at them. the GPS talking to you is good, but you are better at driving safely if you already know where you are going.
Prepare yourself
Music, sleep and road fatigue…
Get lots of sleep before heading out on a long road trip, take breaks often and stretch. Stay hydrated and have fun… it is a road trip after all… the destination is there but the journey can sometimes be half the fun. Good music, good conversation and a feeling of the open road is a magical time. Stay aware of your driving position. Good posture ensures your alert and staying comfortable.
What is some of your items you check or carry when going on a road trip? Having any tips from your experiences? Please share!
My very first few days of riding were not the way I had envisioned myself riding off into the sunset on my ‘new to me’ BMW. The R50 has a very easy clutch to engage but sometimes my hand would let the lever go a bit too fast and the front wheel would rise up and my hands would grip tight as the motorcycle would rapidly accelerate with a POP. Since I had just learned to ride on a very small Kawasaki about two weeks before I had the R50 running, the hand and gas combination had been a bit of a challenge for me.
One day while riding I notice the “slip” of the transmission, I knew I was in gear but it felt as if the clutch was not engaging. I had been riding now for about 5 weeks and had felt comfortable but I knew I would have to figure something out very soon. Coming back from lunch and first gear would not even allow me to roll. I ended up pushing my scooter about 2 blocks off the main road and back to my work. In the hot sun with my helmet and jacket on I was drenched in sweat.
My new Allstate insurance paid for itself as the tow truck back to my house was covered. That night I started immediately and had the transmission off and looking at the clutch plate.
Everything looked fine, but I went ahead (since I was there) and ordered all new clutch plate, clutch plate spring, friction plate and 6 hex bolts to upgrade to the old slot screws. The next weekend, once my parts arrived, I put it all back together, but to my surprise, the scooter still would not go… I removed the transmission and tested in first gear to verify operation of the final drive and check the slinger area.
Bingo! The woodruff key had been sheared off and the castle nut had not been torqued to the correct foot pounds.
This is a tapered fitting and required I also purchase a special castle nut socket. Purchasing a new castle nut and woodruff key I waited.
Castle Nut!
Reassembly was fast, I could feel the excitement in the air that summer night as I put the R50 all back together. Leaving no bolt, washer, screw and connection checked and rechecked for correct assembly.
That night I did a test ride and perfection, a new clutch and correctly assembled final drive shaft. My experience was sometimes frustrating, but at the end of the day, with the ‘scooter’ back on the road, I felt a good sense of accomplishment.
Many people think that they must have some level of skill before embarking on an adventure (restoration) with an old car or motorcycle. Having my own adventure with a 1968 BMW 2002 and a 1956 BMW R50 in my life time I don’t think that a high level of mechanical skill is required for the simple tasks. But, I do think there is one thing that is required to go forward into the garage and find peace working on your dream ride…
It is having the correct tools! I have seen the best mechanics turn into crazed tool tossers when the tool they are using just doesn’t “do the trick” like the correct tool would have. (Also using the correct tool can keep the user from hurting oneself. Since the incorrect tool can have disastrous out comes… knuckle mashing, elbow splitting and finger pinching painful reminders that the “I shouldn’t use this tool” thought right before you did, was certainly a recall from past experiences AND the correct answer).
Knowing what tools you use, how to use them correctly, the correct size, quality, cleanliness of the tool, and the extra adapters that make the job easier are all things to consider when you finally decide to start a restoration project. That being said, when you do use the correct tool you find a peaceful connection to the project. It makes me feel like I am part of the history of a well designed, well maintained, and appreciated motorcycle that I hope to have a chance at riding and pass on in another 45 years. (OK… if you really know me, you know I would never pass the “Scooter” on to anyone).
Sure! I can fix it!
A well organized, clean, and trash free environment to work in is key and is rarely found in my garage… so I try to clean up before and clean up after. I try to wipe down all my tools and clean with WD40 every now and then… I try to place old parts in the parts bin with a mark in sharpie of the date it was removed (10/23/13), what model (R50), and a basic reason of why it came off (broken) and/or why it was replaced (better functioning used one) on a ribbon of masking tape. I take plastic baggies with nuts, bolts and washers and do the same thing. All this make me think one day I will go back and have a treasure trove of parts that will bring excitement to my eyes…. but I really know when I am looking for a quick fix I will have a junk bin, which of course will have nothing close to what I need.
But I did say “try” in that last paragraph… it happens about 50% of the time, which I feel is better than nothing.
Opening up the front cover to the R50 allows a tight and uncomfortable access to the regulator/relay for charging the battery, timing components, generator and a small wiring harness. All of these items in this cover are part of the electrical and timing of the motorcycle. Plain and simple I keep my fingers off this stuff… I use a digital multi-meter to measure the voltages and check relay operation with my eyes and ears, I use a few Q-Tips to clean off dirt and grime with isopropyl alcohol and try to keep any and all tools away from the timing cap and rotating advance.
Front cover removed… regulator on the right side next to the generator.
My regulator is the Item of my concern this winter and will revisit this component repair/replace in a later post. This post is the joy using the correct tool for the job… it really makes sense then, that BMW has provided a tool tray/roll with the required tools to conduct the right level of repair/maintenance for every vehicle produced (that I have owned).
The one thing I always do when looking to buy a used BMW is to ask to see the tool kit… if it is gone, I ask for it, if the owner does not have the tools, I don’t buy the used BMW. Just that simple… it is not because I am a cheapy… and don’t want to buy another replacement set… what I am really doing is asking to see if the tools were ever used in the weekly/monthly/yearly maintenance of the engine.
No tools, then someone didn’t care enough to do the basic care. (Sure someone can say …. “Well I took it in to my favorite shop, and they did the work!” Great! Let’s see the receipts… or “sure… they must be Master BMW technicians?” Jiffy Lube? I think not…and really… the older the BMW car or motorcycle the less likely someone was REALLY taking care of it by spending money at a repair shop… therefore at least looking at the condition of the tools can provide a small sense if the owner cared. (Perfect and clean = watch out! OR oily with grease and worn surfaces = great, someone looked at the level of the oil in the rear drive!)
Tools! Tools! Everywhere!
So, be bold… open your tool box, look at the owners manual, find a repair book or general maintenance book on your favorite web site, change your oil, replace a bulb, see what it is to work on an old classic and turn a wrench on it. The wrench you turn will just maybe make you feel a connection to history, a history you are continuing to preserve for the future.
As promised I am back to share and provide detail of the discovery, restoration, repair, accessorizing and riding adventures of my 1956 BMW R50!
It all started the summer of 2011… searching e-Bay for the “One of a Kind” motorcycle that would be… first off a good learner bike… second be mechanically sound to start a simple and easy restoration. I had never ridden a motorcycle and had never even though of buying one until I moved from Reno, Nevada to Colorado and realized the area I was now living provide almost year round “scooting”. A term now I like to use to let my wife know that there will be no crazy stuff occurring on two wheels and thus safe for her to ride along with me on an always certain adventure, a term is used to describe the easy going, back road, very balanced and smooth, warm sun in your face riding experience only a BMW can provide.
Thus the nickname I have fondly given my BMW… ‘Scooter’ which some people think I am telling them that the motorcycle I am describing to them is an actual moped or scooter…. but make no mistake when they finally see this ’56… they always appreciate that it is a great rider with good steady power, classic lines and a “gentlemanly” look to it.
My wife was a bit concerned that I might be a bit crazy to buy a 56 year old motorcycle, and with no previous riding, why would I want such an adult toy. But I convinced her that this would be a great purchase and for collecting a good bet that this BMW would only go up in price… thus if I never felt able or comfortable riding it, we could get our investment back with ease.
The auction for the R50 would end on July 4th in the evening… I waited next to the computer like a little kid until the very end and was the first and only bidder.. (you can be sure, that on the 4th of July, there would be few people that would be watching a computer screen instead of the fire in the sky celebrating the independence of our great United States of America ).
The gentleman I bought the BMW from was very nice and worked with me on the delivery as though he knew it was going to received as a prized possession and that it would be well looked after… he brought it down in his van while going on a trip to Arizona.
Here is, in his words, the description presented….
“1956 BMW R50 discovered in a basement in Duluth Mn. in 2005. Bike had a 1960 Mn. plate on it so it sat in this basement for 45 years. I know the guy who found it…he has a garbage route and was contracted to clean out the house. He traded it to the fellow I got it from, whom I also know very well. Second guy (Jim) likes to tinker…he played around with it, discovered that the magneto still had spark but was insufficient to get the bike running. He patched in a coil and battery & it started right up and ran quietly and smoothly. This was all in the last three months. He wanted me to sell it for him, changed his mind and said he’d just sell it to me. As I said, he likes to tinker, but isn’t really a rider. He sort of loses interest or finds something else to occupy his free time. He hangs out in his little garage/shop without a telephone or cell phone. I bought it knowing the title was lost, and after advertising this bike on numerous occasions and on many venues, I finally took the leap, went to the DMV, picked up a one sided single sheet “lost or misplaced title’ document. Got together with Jim, filled out the form, and along with 4 pictures, now have a clear title coming in the mail. Bike is in my name and I have a temporary title and a brand new Mn. license plate. Unfortunately, Mn. titles take 8-10 weeks to arrive at a person’s mailbox. This should not persuade a person from buying this bike, as the temporary title is proof that the bike is sellable. Title will be promptly mailed out to the new owner when I get it. Odometer shows 16K miles and I know that this is correct. Bike was sold at a dealership in Minneapolis, Mn. and was on the road from 1956 to 1960, when it was put in storage. “
Dent… what dent? I see some character.
He went on to describe the dent in the gas tank that could be fixed (which I would never have fixed, as I like the character) the few items that were “extra” and the two things he did to get the bike started with a coil and a battery (the original magneto was bad, and since been replaced at a very steep cost) and how the ” Left muffler chrome is lifting, otherwise the bike is solid, straight, and not oxidized. “ thus began my love affair with this great motorcycle.
One of the first images I saw online of the R50.
I was very excited the day the Scooter arrived… my wife and I planned to be at our home the entire day, as not to miss Rick as he delivered the motorcycle to our home. As he pulled in I can remember the nice Colorado July day, a bit hot, sunny day, but nice enough to sit on the front porch of our home. The van slowed near our home after a 20 minute wait. The time that had to pass since he called me to let me know he was near and on his way. Rick the seller was very nice and talked with my neighbor who was there to see my new purchase and I. As we all looked over the classic lines, the patina on the engine parts and how the motor would be turned over by a side mounted kick starter. I remember feeling like the past was now present and that the next chapter was going to be a dream come true with the adventures my wife and I would have on this R50.
I proudly showed my wife the extra parts and tools that came with the purchase. “Look here !” I said to my wife… “a complete set of original tools in the canvas roll!” like a young boy finding the next large box of LEGO Bricks under the Christmas tree . What a find… what a treasure to behold… but now what?
The extra parts that followed the bike from Duluth.
What was I going to do with a motorcycle that needed some expertise and caring hands to make this R50 a road warrior again, with safe and correct operation?
I just started taking it apart, right there in the drive… in a way it was like just going “back to the basics”.
After getting my R50 and fixing it up, riding it and enjoying the attention that it brings to me every time I ride, I have decided to share my adventure with photos, repair photos and general information I have learned over the past two years.
I bought her off of ebay on July 4th 2011… the auction ended that night and you already know that half of America is out watching fireworks and the other half wants nothing to do with an old Bimmer …. I was the only bidder!
Of course my wife asked what was I going to do with this 56 year old bike, since I had never ridden a motorcycle, never owned a motorcycle and surely had no experience restoring/fixing an old BMW motorcycle…. I told her that this bike will bring many days of joy to the both of us and that this bike was exactly the first bike that I would treasure forever…
Of course it wasn’t all great at the beginning. I had many repairs, rebuilds, parts to buy, knuckles to bust, tears to cry and electrons to measure. So I thought it would be fun to share this adventure and provide a look into the world of fixing, learning to ride, what I still have to fix, drawings I found, “other” parts that work and maintaining a 1956 R50.
1956 BMW R50 with out any fixing. (Purchased condition)
Future post will be about the history of my R50, the clutch rebuild, the 6 volt battery, how to check the bike before riding, the carburetors (why floats!) that I wished were easier to work on and how I found great parts.
March 28, 2023 It’s been a while but I have found some information on the rims of this bike and wanted to stick the information somewhere….it turns out that the rims on my motorcycle are Weinmann Aluminum Wheels R50S and are very hard to find
Turns out... I am Crazy! 