A decade is a long time in the motorcycle industry, but that’s how long it’s been since Triumph first announced the Bonneville Bobber and Brogue Motorcycles launched in a two-car garage in Tuscon, Arizona. It’s fair to say that both have come a hell of a long way, with the Bob now a staple of the British manufacturer’s line-up and Brogue having moved across the country and expanded into one hell of a serious operation. So, it makes perfect sense then that the company which has always supported other Triumph products, has created a catalogue of kick-ass parts to transform your Bobber from factory fresh into a proper show-stopper for the street. Meet the Brogue Motorcycles 2024 Triumph Bobber, dripping with their own parts of pure perfection, all crafted at their facility in New York state.
Having started Brogue Motorcycles in a small garage, it really was only a matter of time before Mike Schartz took the company from strength to strength. Previously employed in aviation maintenance by some of the biggest manufacturers in the world, he transferred those skills over to custom bike building. But it’s in parts development and manufacturing that his skill set really shines, and it all started when he found a busted CNC machine in the desert and got it up and running. Years later, Brogue is now located in the beautiful Hudson Valley and the talented team of seven, designs and manufactures premium parts for Yamaha, Ducati, Harley, KTM, Triumph, and more.
As for the Bobber, “We purchased the bike brand new in January 2024 with the goal of developing a complete product lineup entirely in-house. Every component—from design to manufacturing—was created by our team at the shop, showcasing our capabilities and commitment to producing premium, purpose-built parts under one roof.” This is no easy task, the sheer amount of time it takes to design a part, program the machines, test and then make the necessary refinements can run into months, all of which costs an extraordinary amount of money. And yet despite this and the amazing quality you get from American designed and manufactured components, they’re damn good value.
Most of these parts are already available on their website, where you’ll also find all their other top-shelf products for other makes and models. But this Bobber has had them all thrown at it, and it gives any potential customer an exacting idea of what they will get for their money. Take the sort of pieces you buy to remove some of the plastic fantastic from the factory. The chain guard, for example, is CNC laser cut & bent from .060 Stainless Steel, before being finished off in a durable black powder coat. It comes with all of the necessary hardware to complete the installation and yet the price, is just US$84.95. The radiator guard gives a much tougher look, as well as providing vital protection, the brushed badge options are attached with aircraft AD rivets, and yet the cost is only US$134.95. So, why the hell would you shop on Temu.
Now, an editorial should never descend into an advertisement, but it’s hard not to be both enthusiastic and excited when a small manufacturer, who genuinely loves and lives the custom bike industry, is able to produce such quality products and yet supply them at such an affordable price. Looking across the bike, all of the pieces you need to tidy a Bobber up and give it the stripped-down look are there, a neat axle-mounted number plate holder, horn relocation kit, machined Clutch & ACG covers, a low profile locking gas cap and the absolutely stunning Brogue Classic mirrors and bar end finishers, combine to really give the bars a great look.
The electrical side of things hasn’t been forgotten either, with options like the frame rail turn signal kit and front machined adapters for fitting Motogadgets pin signals, which helps to get rid of those god-awful big factory indicators. And the rear brake kit is brilliant too, perfectly integrated into the seat and using high-end Kellermann lighting components. “We’ve painstakingly machined and 3D contoured a piece of billet artwork to achieve both an appealing look with optimal lighting performance.” There are even parts you don’t think of until you see them, everything from an adaptive headlight to a frame cradle brace.
Then there are the big ticket items, which help to make a big impact to both form and function immediately. Brogue has developed their own wide wheel kit and there are a whole host of options. The display bike features an 18-inch Excel rim at the front with stainless spokes and a 120 Dunlop tyre, while at the rear, a 17-inch Excel rim gets the same treatment, before being wrapped in a meaty 170-section piece of rubber. Helping to further improve the handling, the rear shock is a trick K-Tech Razor Lite item, and Galfer provides the brake rotors front and rear, with quality EBC sintered pads. To add some extra power, Mike built the stunning custom exhaust, and with DNA filters and an ECU tune, the engine is bang on.
And he’s also shown off his brilliant fabrication skills with the custom front and rear fenders, which are mounted on uber-clean brackets and truly capture the cut down Bobber vibe that makes the style such a beloved look. And when it comes to the visuals, Culley’s Customs has absolutely nailed the paint, the heavy flake and candy colour scheme a beautiful tribute to old school bike building.
Even the seat upholstery was taken care of in-house by Mike, and I don’t need any more proof that his aviation skills have successfully transferred over to the bike game. Second-hand Triumph Bobbers are getting cheaper these days, so with the right donor bike and a host of Brogue Motorcycle parts, you could build a similar machine on an affordable budget, and that just might be the best news I’ve heard all week.
