In the far east of Germany, Zwickau sits, a city where the air has smelled of two-stroke premix and industrial ambition for over a century. Known as the ‘City of Automobiles,’ it’s the birthplace of Audi and the infamous Trabant. But for those who grew up in the rural stretches of the former GDR, the real icons weren't cars; they were the small-capacity machines from Simson.
Enter Oliver Baumgart. A Zwickau local and a hobbyist with a penchant for perfection, Oliver didn't have a motorcycle license when the custom bug bit. What he did have was a deep-seated nostalgia for the bikes of his youth and a drive to do what few in the Simson scene had dared: build a world-class cafe racer out of a 50cc commuter.
The Simson S50 is more than just a moped; it’s a cultural touchstone. Produced in Suhl between 1975 and 1980, the S50 was a revelation with its telescopic forks and modular design. Its 'buffalo' fuel tank and spherical headlight gave it a silhouette that looked like a 'real' motorcycle shrunk down to size.
While the stock 49.6cc engine originally produced a modest 3.6 hp, the S50’s charm lay in its ruggedness. In East Germany, these were the "go-to" vehicles for everyone from farmers to teenagers. Oliver knew this was the perfect canvas, so he hunted down a donor 200 km away. It was roadworthy, but tired, the perfect candidate for a total teardown.
The project took a poignant turn in November 2021. After the first year of the build, Oliver lost his faithful companion, Dino, a stray cat who had spent eight years as his ‘tinkering buddy,’ never leaving the garage until the door was locked.
Grief became fuel. Oliver decided to push the S50 beyond a simple ‘wheels and bars’ swap into a memorial. The goal: create a Simson so refined it would command respect in the wider motorcycle world, while remaining 100% road-legal, a herculean task given Germany’s strict TÜV regulations.
The frame is where the heavy lifting started. Oliver reinforced the main frame and added a cross brace between the passenger stays for rigidity. The top of the frame was shortened to accommodate a bespoke cafe seat, while the swingarm was modified to handle the new geometry.
The stance is aggressive, thanks to 2.15" steel rims which are laced to disc-brake hubs. He wrapped them in a Pirelli/Heidenau combo. To bring the moped to a halt, Oliver went ‘big bike’ on the specs: a 280mm floating disc up front clamped by a Stage 6 four-piston caliper, fed by an Aprilia master cylinder and Ducati clutch perch with Brembo levers.
Don’t let the 50cc badge fool you. Oliver swapped the S50 internals for an S51 block bored out to 85cc. It features a 5-speed gearbox, a racing crankshaft, and a Ronge K7 coil-spring clutch.
The aesthetic details on the engine are jewelry-grade: a 3D fan-type cylinder head, polished covers with sight glasses to see the oil and alternator in motion. The 3D-printed intake manifold and a custom exhaust with a dome system ensure this "Dino" growls like a much larger beast.
The cockpit is a minimalist’s dream. Fehling clip-ons wear leather grips and a quick-action throttle. A Motogadget speedometer and updated lighting system provide modern reliability. Nearly every bracket, from the 4-piston adapter to the ignition key and the triple clamp was CNC-machined or custom-fabricated by Oliver.
Finally, the bodywork. The metalwork was drenched in a deep blue finish, accented by classic Simson logos. It’s a color that feels both royal and melancholic, a fitting nod to the bike’s namesake.
After two years of labor, Oliver’s S50 is finished. There will be no more mods; in his eyes, it is perfect. "It’s generated an incredible amount of attention and friendships I never expected," Oliver says. "Its emotional value is priceless." In a world of 200-hp superbikes, this 85cc Simson reminds us that the best customs aren't about displacement—they’re about the stories we tell and the buddies (feline or otherwise) we remember along the way.
Oliver Baumgart | Instagram | Facebook |
Photo Credit: Da Guru Photography
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