He’s built more than a thousand individual custom bikes, has a signature range of motorcycles that wear his name and has clients who call Hollywood and the Formula 1 paddock home, but Marcus Walz isn’t resting on his laurels. For decades the master designer and builder has been at the vanguard of the custom bike scene, and his line-up of ‘SCHIZZO’ BMWs is arguably his crowning achievement. Under his WalzWerk brand, classic BMW R series motorcycles are turned into a range of killer customs to suit every taste and are available in multiple trim levels, so there is something for everyone. But development never stops, and to take the famous R to all new heights, WalzWerk has released this incredible SCHIZZO® Cafe Racer to showcase a host of all-new parts and products.
The WalzWerk factory in Hockenheim is a seriously busy place, as Marcus and his team turn out more than fifty SCHIZZO BMWs a year. And it’s not like these are new motorcycles, all based on the classic BMW R80/100 range, each undergoing a full rebuild in addition to extensive customisation. On top of that, they also build a select number of BMW R9T, R12, R18, K100 and other assorted customs each year, and throw in the odd vintage Porsche, and you’re talking about three machines rolling out the door each week.
So, it seems a minor miracle that Marcus has had time to develop all new parts, but in his pursuit of perfection, his mind never stops. To order a WalzWerk SCHIZZO you jump on the company’s website and open their 3D Configurator. There you can select which model you’d like from the list, Cafe Racer, Scrambler, Roadster, Bobber or GT1. Next, you choose the version you’re after, with three trim levels offered, Base, Comp and Pro. Finally, you go through all the parts and colours you want on your machine from the company’s incredible catalogue, pay your deposit and the final 3D rendering you see on your computer screen will be built just for you, to very exacting standards.
The new pieces we announce today, have been added to that parts list and are ready and waiting for you to add them to your own SCHIZZO build or order individually for your R. The new lineup has a heavy focus on engine modifications and it all starts with improved thermal management. “A new part is the “Fallert-Style” aero-oil pan. It was a common tuning product in the 70s/80s invented by BMW Tuning Company Fallert, to allow around 1.5 litres more oil capacity,” Marcus explains. Other products on the market simply add a spacer to the pan to achieve the increased capacity, but this doesn’t allow for active cooling.
To achieve this, the WalzWerk product is built with cooling fins at the front of the pan, which run under the unit and catch all of the cool fresh air as you accelerate. The results have proven to be terrific, with even the biggest power engine coming out of the workshop not requiring the fitment of an oil cooler. Which keeps things uber clean, and your engine cooler, a true win/win. The pan can be spec’d in black with contrast cut fins or silver, for a stock look.
The next new development was all about upping the power and improving the fuelling. “Even when you rebuild the Bing carbs, you always have trouble with the old-fashioned technology inside. Plus you have to deal with the rubber manifolds which often break or become porous, which results in the incorrect amount of air drawn in, which can massively damage the engine,” Marcus tells us. To fix part of this problem, Walz has developed a pair of billet racing manifolds, these are entirely made from CNC-machined aluminium; no more cracked rubbers. Featuring a 42mm thread, they are suitable for most air-cooled R series motors and can be had in black or anodised silver.
Now that you have your new intakes, you’re not going to want to throw the old Bings onto them, and the next new pieces added to the parts catalogue are a set of Dell’Orto 38mm carbs. The Italian firm is one of the few companies in the world still developing carburettors and when you order them from Walz for your build or as part of your SCHIZZO package, they come built and jetted to suit your application. “Plus you gain an extra 3 to 4 horsepower and a more spontaneous throttle response,” Marcus smiles.
The bike that sits before you is the Pro version of the SCHIZZO® Cafe Racer, and to give it a stylish new look, Marcus got out the drawing pad and came up with an all-new front-on design. “Our new headlight fairing, which we offer as a complete kit includes a matching LED-headlight and a tinted windscreen made exclusively for us by MRA.” The final announcement from Walz is for anyone with a BMW R, “You can now order a fully rebuilt engine from us, ready to bolt into your project.” Available in 800cc, 1000cc and 1070cc variants, you can order your desired motor online and be bolting in 80plus horsepower with a two-year warranty in no time at all. The R series might be vintage in its heritage, but thanks to WalzWerk the BMW Boxer has never been better.
[ WalzWerk ]