The style of custom bike you’re into is of course a thing of personal taste, but it also has a hell of a lot to do with your age and where you live. High rise living in a vast city centre, where you spend most of your commute in heavy traffic really doesn’t lend itself well to a high-powered machine, nor will a rigid bobber be much fun if you’re on rough roads or highways. Having recently moved to a small beachside town, with a long stretch of cafes and bars, the idea of a cool classic cruiser suddenly sounds like my perfect ride. And right on time arrives Tamarit Motorcycles with this beautiful brat-styled Bonneville known as Sixty2, ready to soak up the Spanish sun.
The Triumph Bonneville range is an excellent choice for this type of build, easily customisable, nice and reliable, and with a host of aftermarket parts available. But it’s also a model that Tamarit Motorcycles knows backward; of the 106 two-wheeled custom creations to leave their shop, 47 of them have been Bonnies! This build would take on a great deal of inspiration from the customs of the ’50s and there was also a very clear brief. “A bike to enjoy every kilometre on. The bike has been designed to provide maximum comfort in a low bike concept.”
To begin the process of creating a long and low bike, the guys had two steps in mind that would bring the machine closer to the ground and visually add to that appearance. The first step was to take the stock swingarm, cut it and extended it to draw out the length of the bike. With the shock mounts left in the stock location, this also helps to mechanically lower the machine without taking too much dampening out of the shocks. The next step was to cut the subframe and then add material so that it too extended rearward, preventing the tyre from poking out on its own like most stretched bikes.
The suspension could now be changed to handle the new setup and a slick set of fully adjustable rear shocks join the party that have been dipped in a nice chrome bath. The front end gets the same look, and the guys tell us they spent a hell of a lot of time cleaning and then chroming parts across the entire build. That shiny front suspension is lowered internally and then dropped through a set of beefy custom triple clamps. To give the bike more of that old-school vibe, a set of blinged out coils between the trees gives the traditional forks a little springer love.
To complete the rolling chassis, the stock wheels have been kicked to the curb and smaller rims have been laced up to the front and rear hubs. Combined with some extra fat rubber, this further helps to exaggerate the look of the bike and the vintage tyres are right on point. With all of these changes a new set of fenders was required, both are hand rolled in-house to match the lines of the machine, with the bobbed front piece swinging from a set of custom mounts. Then it was time to go chrome crazy, from the swingarm and custom chainguard to the pegs and lower legs, everything gets dipped.
To soften things up, the design called for a custom colour, and the baby blue with white, which is broken up by bronze to gold pinstriping is the perfect addition. But before it could be laid down, the rest of the tins had to be brought up to scratch and the stock tank was smoothed out before being fitted with the replacement Tamarit badge work. The side covers too are simply stunning, the recess for the angled-out pod filters adds a whole new visual element, and the use of paint to highlight the design is a masterclass in making the most of small changes.
The brief called for two-up riding capability, but with the stretched subframe, any seat or base designed for a Bonneville simply wouldn’t fit. So, the guys got to work shaping up a base for what looks like a mini scrambler unit, with a harlot pad on custom supports sitting over the fender. Stitched together in a pinstripe matching material and with the grips to tie everything in together, the look flows beautifully from front to back. Those grips sit on a set of chrome bars and risers, with vintage levers and mirrors to complete.
The mechanical package is something that the Spanish outfit takes great pride in and they want their customers to have years of trouble free running. The parallel-twin is completely refreshed, all the serviceable items replaced, and the carbs rebuilt and fitted with pod filters. The exhaust has the sound and the look, the Speedster system comes from the company catalogue and gives the bike the perfect roar.
Finally, the electronics are given a total update that is perfect for impressing your friends at the local cafe, with smartphone integration that allows you to adjust settings and start your ride while still sipping your latte. Sixty2, I’ll take one.
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