Just add water and stir: it was the simple change that transformed the Triumph Bonneville range when, in 2016, the British company switched their power plants to liquid cooling. But part of what had made the Bonnies of the early 2000s so successful were those classic lines you can only get with an air-cooled engine. New bike sales have proven the change to be a winning formula, but we see fewer of the modern machines turned into customs. There are simply only so many builders who can make the new look old again, but one of the best in the world at putting his signature stamp on any machine is Kengo Kimura from Japan’s Heiwa Motorcycles. Miraculously, he’s retained all the best tech from a 2024 Triumph Street Scrambler 900 and transformed the machine into a show-stopping desert sled, that is truly a gift from the gods.
Just before Christmas, we featured a full report from the 32nd Yokohama Hot Rod Custom Show, and it was there, among the best custom motorcycles in the world, that Kimura-san showcased the Triumph for the first time. As expected, it was one of the few modern motorcycles on display and one of even fewer powered by a liquid-cooled engine. But the man behind the ultra-successful Heiwa brand loves a challenge, even more so when he gets to show off his wares at a big event. However, it’s not just the water cooling system of a modern motorcycle that makes creating a classic and clean look so difficult, but also the complex electronics package and the sheer amount of controllers and wiring required to run them.
Before addressing any of that, the first step for Kimura-san was to strip the Street Scrambler back to a rolling chassis and bare engine, then begin to envision the look he wanted to create for the bike he calls ‘Trapee’. Knowing he’d be changing every last piece of bodywork, there was no need to consider how to deal with any of those stock components. But even the rear of the chassis wasn’t right to the master’s eye. Angle grinder in hand, he took the stock subframe off and cut everything back to the centre posts. From there, the centre tubes were modified and were given custom mounting points to hold the new subframe. That piece was all made on the bench, using a sizeable steel tube and the concave radius design opens up the space around the rear tyre.
To show off more of the meaty rubber to come, the traditional twin-shock rear end is also now a thing of the past, with Kimura-san fabricating an entirely new system. It starts with giving the swingarm a 50mm extension and then crafting a shock mount towards the front of the swingarm. The upper mount is integrated into the all-new seat rails, which flow off the centre posts with a solid section of steel to give excellent strength and rigidity to the new rear end. Controlling this package, and doing so in style, is a high-end Öhlins Blackline mono-shock, built to the design’s exacting needs. To begin the process of piecing the front end together, Kimura-san had to machine a set of triple clamps.
These are a work of art in their own right and really capture the classic style, so it wouldn’t be fitting to just drop a set of ordinary forks through them. Instead, a set of Italian-made Forcelle forks are used, with their gorgeous upper adjusters and unique lower legs, adding yet another talking point to this stylish scrambler. New mounts and a set of stainless lines ensure the Brembo caliper stays at the front of the bike, and all the ABS components have cleverly been retained and neatly hidden. To make an impact, the tyres are Michelin’s ultra-aggressive Karoo tyres, measuring 110/80-19 at the front and a tough 150/70-17 at the rear, all wrapped around custom rims with stunning hubs.
But where Kimura-san really turns up his signature style to ten is in the bodywork, and it’s all exclusively made at his workshop by the Hiroshima port. Aluminium is his metal of choice, and the fuel tank alone is an absolutely incredible piece. However, such sleek styling doesn’t leave much room for the pump/regulator combo, so a second aluminium tank sits below the seat. Not only does this solve the problem and add extra capacity, but it also gives the bike the old-school oil tank vibe. The tail, with its subtle tracker lines, is instantly recognisable as a Heiwa piece, with upholstery courtesy of Ya Seat Custom. The front fender was hand-rolled in-house and sits on some craftsman-like supports.
For something different, Kimura-san moved away from the solid colours he normally prefers and opted for a Hot Rod-inspired paint job, all expertly laid down by Shakin’ Speedgraphix. There is no missing the creamy white sprayed across just about every component, but it’s then expertly broken up with light grey, mirror-like turned silver accents and Heiwa graphics. But this build is as much about what you don’t see as those pieces that take centre stage. There is a neat belly pan and radiator side panel combo to keep things clean, with the overflow mounted under the swingarm. The throttle bodies are partly shielded off, and extreme effort has gone into hiding all the electrics, with just a small Motogadget offset speedo managing to bypass the CAN Bus.
The controls and headlight really show off this machine’s intentions, with a set of Renthal bars and Pro Taper grips sitting proudly in those stunning risers. The small Bates headlight is mounted hard to the trees, and that grille is not going to let any stone penetrate the glass. That’s because, despite the crowd-pleasing looks, Kimura-san is all about putting on the MX boots and giving this Triumph a tear around the mountain trails.
So, to make sure everyone hears him coming, the stock exhaust has been thrown to the wolves, and a stunning set of high pipes has been hand-crafted, complete with unique heat shields. It’s yet another example of why Heiwa Motorcycles is such an iconic institution in the custom motorcycle scene, a flawlessly executed showstopper that can also be ridden extra hard in any environment.
[ Heiwa Motorcycles | Photos by Kazuo Matsumoto ]