Source: Bike Bound
“Dead End” Triumph Tiger from Cool Kid Customs…
In 1993, Triumph entered the adventure bike market with the Tiger 900, powered by a re-tuned version of the same 885cc liquid-cooled triple as their Daytona and Speed Triple models. The result was a 130-mph “street missile” that outpaced the BMW GS, Honda Africa Twin, and Yamaha Super Ténéré of the era.
“Nine hundred cee-cees of gargly triple; 130mph, scary wheelies, and a seat as tall as your average five-year-old…” –Bike, 1993
Motorcycle Classics noted how well the Tiger 900 tackled “twisty mountain roads with indifferent surfacing,” while Alan Cathcart of Cycle World called it a “two-wheeled Range Rover” and a “true multi-purpose motorcycle.” All in all, the Tiger was something of a hot-rod adventure machine.
Fast forward 30 years from the bike’s launch, however, and like many adventure bikes of a certain age, your average Tiger 900 is feeling the effects of being ridden hard and put up wet. That was certainly the case with this ’98 model brought to the shop of our friend Michel Szozda of Cool Kid Customs, based in Haarlem, near Amsterdam.
“The customer liked how the bike rode and handled, but it had some fall damage, a leaking tank and other optical issues. So he decided to keep the bike and have it rebuilt into something else.”
A custom transformation would make a perfect afterlife for the old Tiger, and Michel was the right man for the job. Over the last decade, the Dutch builder has earned a reputation for bold, burly builds that defy classification, including his zebra-striped NX650 “Brawler”, “War Machine” Transalp, and one of our favorites, his Akira-inspired ’86 GSX-R750.
Cafe Killer: Suzuki GSX-R750 by Cool Kid Customs
The customer wanted something in a scrambler / street tracker style that would look right at home in a zombie apocalypse, and Michel was happy to oblige. The busted fairings and leaky OEM tank were out, swapped with a vintage Honda tank and hidden speedo. Michel then chopped the frame and fabricated a new subframe and battery box, and the custom leather seat comes from one of the very best in the business, Jeroen Bouwmeester of Silvermachine.
It’s interesting to see 3D-printing in wider use on custom builds, and here Michel 3D-printed the side panels, front fairing, and front fender — some of his favorite parts of the build. The bike is now running LED lighting with a custom wiring loom, pod filters with properly tuned carbs, and set of Heidenau K60 dual-sport tires. Some may complain at the lack of rear fender, but how else shall you streak your leathers with the blood of your slain enemies during the apocalypse?
All in all, this “Dead End” was given a new lease on life, and Michel says it’s hell on wheels:
“The open silencers sound great on a three-cylinder, sounds like a bear with a shotgun. Handles great and it’s quite fast.”
Sounds like our kind of fun. Below, we talk to Michel for more details on this Tiger 900 scrambler.
Tiger 900 Tracker / Scrambler: Builder Interview
• What’s the make, model, and year of the donor bike?
Triumph Tiger 900, 1998.
• Why was this bike built?
The customer liked how the bike rode and handled, but it had some fall damage, a leaking tank and other optical issues. So he decided to keep the bike and have it rebuilt into something else.
• What was the design concept and what influenced the build?
He wanted something zombie apocalyptic-ish with a Street tracker / Scrambler look.
• What custom work was done to the bike?
Chopped the frame, built a new subframe and battery box. Got rid of the fairings and massive enduro tank — swapped that with an old Honda tank.
3D-printed side panels, front fairing, and front fender. Custom wiring loom.
Custom exhaust link pipes and silencers.
LED head and taillights. Custom leather seat by Silvermachine. Pod filters and carbs tuned.
Speedometer hidden in between the tank. Heidenau K60 tires.
Custom paint job with nickname scratched on the side of the fuel tank.
• Does the bike have a nickname?
“Dead End.”
• Any idea of horsepower, weight, and/or performance numbers?
A standard Tiger makes 106.5HP and weighs around 219KG. Did not dyno after custom exhaust, filters, and carb jetting.
• Can you tell us what it’s like to ride this bike?
The open silencers sound great on a three-cylinder, sounds like a bear with a shotgun. Handles great and it’s quite fast.
• Was there anything done during this build that you are particularly proud of?
It was cool making the 3D printed parts, but I am proud of how the whole bike turned out.
• Is there anyone you’d like to thank?
Vincent Mensink, for helping me with the panels and fairings, and Julien for giving me this nice project.
Follow the Builder
Website: www.coolkidcustoms.com
Instagram: @coolkidcustoms
FB: @coolkidcustoms
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