One look at the Bench Mark Works logo tells you two things, well, three things. One, the Sturgis, Mississippi company caters to vintage and classic BMW motorcycles; two, they’re in the “fossil” restoration business, and three, they’re the T-Rex of all things Beemer related.

You can’t miss the shop, appropriately located at 3400 Earles Fork Road. Replicating the company logo, there’s a dinosaur skeleton sitting astride a 1966 BMW hoisted atop a 15- foot pole in the driveway. It’s a mandatory “Kodak moment” when any Beemer rider rambles into the neighborhood.

The “iron horse paleontologist” behind the enterprise is Craig “Vech” Vechorik and the man behind the voice you’ll encounter when you dial his free technical hotline for BMW’s circa 1925-1970s. That’s a half century of constant refinement and innovations and a lot of stuff to remember. Fortunately Vech’s got a colossal memory…and a matching inventory while his personal collection ranges from a 1925 R52 to a 1976 R90S.

“Like I tell everybody, if you have technical questions…how do I take this apart or why is it doing what it’s doing…just call,” says Vech with his distinctive St. Louis meets Mississippi accent. “I offer free technical advice to everybody and that’s not just because you’re buying parts from me.” There is a method to his semi-madness. After listening to Vech’s eloquent brand of downhome build-a-better-Beemer observations, you’re prone, and rightly so, to peruse his Web site for the parts you needed.

Seizing the moment we mention that we’ve just acquired a 1966 R50/2 that’s been sitting for 13 years, the gas in the tank turned to very aromatic shellac. Vech begins a list of recommendations, caveats and anecdotes. “When you take the carb apart, pay close attention to the floats because with time the brass floats crack. If you see little vertical lines on the sides of the brass floats, throw them away, because if they’re not leaking they will, and you’ll end up with a shoefull of gasoline.”

To prevent this and similar problems, Bench Mark Works offers about any part you can imagine, and then some since Vech has come up with innovations of his own, for instance, an easy-pull clutch lever gizmo (that’s also easy to install). Not only is Vech literally a treasure trove of information and helpful suggestions regarding your project, the Bench Mark Works website is a vast smorgasbord listing not only parts, but also a small encyclopedia of articles that take you by the hand and lead you step by step through a number of service and installation procedures that make preserving and enjoying your bike all that easier.

Back to our ’66 R50 project bike. When we asked Vech if it was a good idea to switch from the vintage BMW stock 6-volt to a 12-volt electrical system, he replied, “It would be if you like to see at night. Or you could have someone run in the front of the bike with a lantern.” Vech’s formulated a better way by helping to design of a 12-volt/200-watt alternator that replaces the stock 6-volt 50-watt generator. It arrives complete with a built- in diode board and voltage regulator as one-piece unit. It’s a bolt-on deal with no wire changes needed.

“It will take you longer to change the battery and bulbs than to install the upgraded alternator,” say Vech who also took it one step further. To keep the vintage and very stylish Bosh headlight and reflector, he had halogen bulbs made that incorporate an incandescent base that fits right into either a 6- or 12-volt bulb holder, so you don’t need to buy a different lens and reflector. Bench Mark Works also offers a 400 watt alternator that replaces the somewhat feeble stock 180-watt unit found on /5 models which means you can add accessories like a heated vest and driving lights.

If you happen to own a very early BMW from the 1920-'30s and need parts in the unobtainium category, fear not, Vech has got you covered thanks to a long time relationship with master machinist and master problem solver Bob Davis who can fix or fabricate about anything you can shake a stick at. “About 30 years ago I was riding through Mountain Home, Arkansas when I came upon an Indian inline four and had to stop, and that’s how I met Bob. Like they said in the movie “Casablanca,” it was the beginning of a beautiful friendship…and a lot of beautiful pre- war BMW parts for our customers.”

The Bench Mark Works Web site, besides an 86-page downloadable catalog, features a wide a gallery photos displaying the bikes they’ve restored for customers and bikes that Vech and his wife Elaine ride themselves, Elaine having rebuilt her R50’s engine herself. “Vech’s got my bike running so well that I can use my hand to start the bike with the kick starter. Plus you can ride it all day long at 70 mph, if you were wanting to.”

You can also personally meet Vech and Elaine during their annual Antique BMW rally every April when Beemer fans from hither and thither (even Europe) gather in “that other Sturgis,” the one located in Mississippi, situated in a triangle about 2 ˝ hours west of Birmingham, two hours from Jackson and two hours out of Memphis.

“Enthusiasts and customers gather here in the yard. We have a swap meet, people kick tires and lie, sip a beer, and we ride en masse to lunch and dinner,” says Vech. “Last year we had about a hundred of us moving as a small herd.” That would be a large herd considering Sturgis, MS has a population of about 232. And yes, it’s also home to the “Little Sturgis Rally” that last year saw some 32,000 bikers crowd into the little town during August. The Bench Mark Works Rally takes place on a somewhat quieter venue with a bevy of elegant old BMW’s gliding through the local lanes, Vech amongst them.

Asked which of his BMWs was his favorite, Vech replies, “My 1936 R17. They only made 434 between 1935-37 It’s an overhead valve 750 and it will go right at 100 mph. It’s a screamer.”

For more information contact:
Bench Mark Works USA
3400 Earles Fork Road
Sturgis, MS 39769
Telephone/FAX: (662) 465-6444
Toll-free order line: 1-800-323-7102
Hours: Monday-Friday 8-5 central time
Technical advice from Vech Mon-Fri 1-5 Central Time: (662) 465-6444
Online store: http://www.benchmarkworks.com/store
Craig Vechorik email: vechbmw@aol.com