For more than a generation, the parallel-twin was considered old-tech that belongs back in the ’60s, as the four cylinders of the ’90s slowly evolved into 200bhp monsters. Then the parallel twin started to make a comeback, Kawasaki kept adding them to different models, Yamaha hit the jackpot with the MT07 and now R7, Royal Enfield joined the party after a century and Aprilia’s new RS660 takes the engine configuration to all new heights. But one company has stood strong throughout and 90 years after their first parallel twin hit the market, Triumph is still going hitting heavy with its double-barrelled bullets. The Thruxton R is the ultimate incarnation and Spain’s Tamarit Motorcycles know them backward, transforming this example into a stunning cafe racer.
The Tamarit team’s commitment to the Triumph brand is legendary and the vast majority of their 121 custom machines have been based on the British bikes. And there would be an added advantage with this customer build, as it would be based around their bike build no. 55, another Thruxton known as Lauritz. Version 2.0 would share the Cafe Racer theme, hell, when you start with a Thruxton R, it almost doesn’t make sense to do anything else. But years of experience would allow for some new improvements and a singular component would transform the aesthetic.
“Our experience has allowed us to collect a lot of knowledge that we put into practice every day, always going a little further with each bike.” But to get the build started they first had to find a quality donor, and the Thruxton R has rightly held its value well since its release as part of the newer water-cooled Triumph range of retro rockets. This is not a bike you want to test the waters with a cheap donor, where other bikes might see you use not much more than the frame and engine, the Thruxton comes with some serious high-end goodies and they’re not cheap to replace.
With the bike in the building, it was all stripped down, and unlike version 1.0, the new take would not have a raw metal look. Instead, the opposite direction was taken, and a sea of black was a big part of the design brief. This meant ripping endless bits and pieces off the bike to repair them back to perfect and prepare them for their blackout coat of paint or powder. The frame is the first part of the bike to get the dark hue treatment, but absolutely everything from the heel guards to the rear master cylinder and a bunch of small bits got hit by the spray gun.
Then the big aesthetic change could be prepared, “Lauritz 2.0 incorporates an extended Tamarit belly pan, inspired by the Jade belly pan, being customised for the project and adapted to fit this new motorcycle, it is undoubtedly one of the most noticeable parts.” When the guys say they customised the piece, they really don’t give themselves enough credit, the fibreglass work to have it conform to the contours of the lower part of the engine is truly first class. An in-house blade style front fender on custom struts joins the party and the bike gets the shortened subframe look too.
The tail unit was another part to improve over the first edition, the cafe hump remains and is beautifully modelled to match the lines of the tank, but it was in the area of comfort that the guys thought they could make the biggest change. So, the base is tweaked and then an all new seat has been shaped from foam to extend up onto the tank for excellent support, before being wrapped up in high-quality black leather. With the Tamarit tank badges, and number emblems taken care of, the paint gun came out again to flow on the beautiful black that is broken up with red and white custom striping.
Having forked out the big dollars for a Thruxton, the rewards come thick and fast in the handling and braking department, with the gold Showa legs being given a basic rebuild before being slotted back through the blacked out triple trees. The rear end comes with the bigger boost from the best in the business, with a set of fully adjustable Ohlins taking things to the next level. The brake package has been refurbished too, and the Brembo radial calipers provide the brilliant stopping power and an even better feel at the lever. Before the rolling package is finished out with newly powder coated rims wearing an aggressive tyre.
The lighting and electrical package is understated, but comes with some very clever custom parts, from the bar end indicators to the gyroscopic LED headlight that looks around the corners for you. Then it was time to turn attention to that parallel-twin engine, and while many sit around the 100hp number when tuned, where the Thruxton really takes the edge is in the torque department.
So, to boost that pulling power, a high-rise set of pipes from exhaust firm Zard adds one of their slick mufflers, and then a dyno tune takes care of adding the additional newton metres. The engine might be an old school aesthetic, but the rest of the build balances current and classic trends for one tasty café racer.
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