If you praise the custom motorcycle Gods in just the right way, then you will indeed be rewarded for your efforts. No sooner had we published our top ten engine list for a custom bike, than machines with those motors mounted in them started to arrive in our inbox. At number four we had high praise for the modern classic Triumph twin and the undisputable kings of that engine are the team at Tamarit Motorcycles. From across the border in France came a request for a Triumph Bonneville that was equal parts Brat and classic British, and the Spanish shop have nailed the brief with build number 144, appropriately named ‘Blanche’.
When it comes time to look for the right custom shop to build your dream bike, it’s worth considering what knowledge and skills are possessed by the potential candidate that can help to add that extra something special to your machine. If you live in Europe and own a Triumph, there is immense value in going to a workshop that knows these machines backwards, you avoid any nasty surprises. “No one has created as many motorcycles with the same engine, with over 151 unique motorcycles showcased on our website and around 50 that we haven’t showcased. Our core value is the specialization and know-how we have acquired with each project.”
So, the functionality was never going to be a problem for the Tamarit team, they can infuse that into any modern Triumph with their eyes closed. What they had to work on was the form and also ensuring that when the bike was finished it would meet the strict French road registration regulations. A new member of the team, Stéphane, is originally from France and would help solve one part of the equation, while digging into the design brief it was decided that a black engine would be best served with a white base colour, and simple highlights to separate the two and show off the key modifications.
The owner wanted to ride the bike two-up, so very little of the rear subframe has been removed, with a hoop added to clean up the lines. Not wanting to run the license plate off the frame, the decision was made to construct an axle-mounted unit, that hosts the big plate and has the required lighting built in to make it road-legal.
The seat pan construction and upholstery are all done in-house, “This seat has been finished in brown suede, a colour that complements the main design of the motorcycle. It is a comfortable seat with optimal grip, perfect for daily urban riding.” The machined passenger pegs add to the brat vibe and the rider gets their own custom pegs to match.
The bodywork is minimal, super clean and helps to frame the engine and it all starts with the use of a neatly chopped blade style fender which perfectly hovers over the front tyre. Above, a smaller blacked-out headlight housing that is mounted tightly to the forks cleans up the lines further, as does ditching the big ears factory indicators.
The fuel tank is stock but has been blinged out with a machined filler cap and a set of Tamarit decals. But it’s the side covers that create the talking point, brilliantly executed to allow the engine filters to sit inside the 3D shape. The white paint gives the bike its name and the brown and bronze graphics package provides a real pop to the finish.
Now the team could turn their attention to bolting the bike back together and the wheels feature one of the company’s signature styling cues. The lenticular rear wheel has proven benefits in cycling, so it’s not entirely about the look, but that part has also been addressed with “a custom-made trim ring that has been added inside the lenticular wheel, secured with screws. A unique piece, made by our team, an element not found on traditional lenticular wheels.” It definitely looks cool that’s for sure and with both ends wrapped in classic Shinko tyres, you get the brat look shining through strongly. Adding to that element is also the use of fork gaiters and the imposing Pantera springs.
But the forks don’t just get a dress up, they’ve also been properly rebuilt and the rear end benefits from Hagon Nitro shocks, allowing the setup to be adjusted depending on whether the bike is carrying a passenger or just the pilot. Extra weight also adds to the needs of the stopping power and the aptly named Braking company supplies a set of their wave pattern discs.
“As for the sound of the 144 project, dual low-mounted exhausts have been installed, framing the lower area of the engine. The exhausts have been painted with black electrostatic paint to match the colour of the engine block, which has also undergone the same treatment.” And when you’re not listening to the rumble of the exhaust, those big K&N pod filters make a mighty induction roar.
The wiring loom on these bikes is not actually that old compared to many of the machines we deal with. But Tamarit feels the stock components seriously benefit from an upgrade and start the process of rewiring all of their bikes with a Motogadget mo.unit, which is paired to a full suite of the same company’s LED lighting and a set of brown grips to match the paintwork. Keeping the classic style alive is an analogue instrument, round bar end mirrors and a set of adjustable levers to improve the ergonomics.
The final pieces to the puzzle were taken from the company catalogue, with one of their Hummer sump guards and a laser-cut chain guard to get the bike ready for battle. And as the boys say bonjour to another brilliant build in ‘Blanche’, they’ve proven once again just how versatile the Triumph Twin platform really is.
