Source: Bike Bound
[[{“value”:”A British Bulldog from New York’s A&J Cycles…
In 2017, Triumph unveiled the Bonneville Bobber, a modern production take on the British and American bobbers of the post-WWII era. The Bobber boasted the same 1200cc liquid-cooled parallel-twin as the Bonnies, but with a special tune that offered 10% more power in the lower rev range, as well as a tractor-style solo seat, softtail suspension that resembled a hardtail frame, slash-cut exhaust, and the requisite bobbed fenders that give this style of bike its name.
Though you might expect such a machine to sacrifice comfort in the name of style, the Bobber has proved itself a much more capable performer than anyone might have expected.
“A fantastic modern take on the retro bobber style that delivers on every single front so well it could actually convert those who previously sneered at this kind of bike to bobber fans.” –MCN
But with only about 75 horsepower on tap from the 1200cc twin, some riders have longed for more performance from the 550-pound machine. Over in the UK, the native homeland of the bike, a thriving aftermarket ecosystem has arisen for transforming the standard Bobber into a ground-pounding muscle bike. Here in the States, however, we haven’t seen such attention paid to the Bobber…until now.
Brian Ballard and the team at A&J Cycles have earned a reputation for modifying a wide range of different bikes, but they return again and again to the modern Triumph platform. Over the last 4-5 years, their client Andy had them transform his first-year Bobber from a bone-stocker to a force-inducted brute of muscular proportions and outsized power.
The A&J crew worked with several of their most trusted partners to carry out the build. Mike Desomma of Torque Custom Cycles designed and machined custom yokes and axles to accommodate the massive 18×5.5″ Canyon Motorcycles wheels and dual disc front brake setup.
Meanwhile, our friends at UK-based TTS Performance, builder of the 382-hp SuperBusa, provided a Rotrex supercharged kit that results in a +45% horsepower increase — about 110 rwhp! The blower was paired with 1.75″ drag pipes welded up by Tom at Hitchcox Cycles and a Power Commander 5 tuned by Mike from New Jersey’s Standard Cycle.
Dave at Slag Kustom stripped the tank, custom-painted the logos, and clear-coated the raw metal, and the bike is decked out in parts from Motone, Motodemic, Wunderkind, Speakeasy Motors, and more. Brian and Andy aptly nicknamed the bike “The Terminator,” and the aggressive aesthetics are matched only by the riding experience.
“It’s a beast. The power delivery is pretty intense if you’re not ready for it. But it handles and rides very nicely with the upgrades. The bike currently has over 9,000 miles. So it does get ridden.”
Below, we talk to Brian for the full details on the build, and photography credit goes to Antonio Carusone (@antoniocarusone). Enjoy!
Supercharged Triumph Bobber: Builder Interview
• What’s the make, model, and year of the donor bike?
2017 Triumph Bobber.
• Why was this bike built?
We built it for a good customer of ours, Andy from The Blind Spot in NJ.
• What was the design concept and what influenced the build?
The bike has been modified in 3 main phases
Phase 1: Paint, cosmetic updates, and the original wide wheel setup
Phase 2: TTS Supercharger Kit and Drag Pipe setup
Phase 3: Front wide wheel setup with upgraded suspension and brakes
The concept was to build a clean, bare bones bobber with modern technology.
• What custom work was done to the bike?
The bike entered our shop as a bone stock first year Triumph Bobber. Over the past 4-5 years there is not much that has been left untouched. Our resident painter Dave from Slag Kustom stripped the tank of paint, hit it with scotch brite, and custom painted the logos. It was then clear coated to preserve the work.
The front end setup was the brainchild of Mike Desomma from Torque Custom Cycles. He designed and machined the triple trees and axle setup to accommodate the 18”X5.5” front wheel with 180mm tire. The rear setup is a 18×5.5” wheel with 200mm tire. Canyon provided the wide wheel kit for the project. This project was unique in that we swapped from single disc setup to dual disc setup that comes on the newer bobbers.
TTS in the UK provided the Rotrex based supercharger kit that we installed. They take the guess work out of the setup with a straightforward install.
Tom at Hitchcox Cycles in the UK designed and built the big bore drag pipe setup. It flairs out to 1.75” main pipes and has custom clearance for the supercharger kit.
Braking was upgraded with Brembo 4-pot front calipers and floating rotors from Free Spirits in Italy.
We then upgraded the front and rear suspension with the Nitron TVT 22 cartridge kit and R3 4-way adjustable rear shock.
Lighting upgrades include Motodemic adaptive 2 7” headlight in a Twinton headlight bucket, Motogadget Tens signals front and back.
High end parts from Motone, Wunderkind Customs and Speakeasy Motors were also used on the bike.
Powder coating was handled by Tom and TRG Coating.
• Does the bike have a nickname?
Once the bike was completed, it just has a menacing look with the contrast of the black components and the raw / machined tank and supercharger kit. So we felt the Terminator was fitting.
• Any idea of horsepower, weight, and/or performance numbers?
The bike makes 110 HP at the rear wheel — a 45% increase over stock (75 ish). The bike has a DynoJet Power Commander 5 on it with auto tune. Mike from Standard Cycle in NJ (@standard_cycle_company) handled the tuning.
• Can you tell us what it’s like to ride this bike?
It’s a beast. The power delivery is pretty intense if you’re not ready for it. But it handles and rides very nicely with the upgrades. The bike currently has over 9,000 miles. So it does get ridden.
• Was there anything done during this build that you are particularly proud of?
The wide wheel bobber stuff is pretty popular in the UK. Thornton Hundred has mastered the design and aesthetics of the modern Triumph Bobbers. I’m proud of what Mike at Torque Custom Cycles undertook to provide us with an option in the US. The stance of this bike with the 18” rims really stands out to us.
• Is there anyone you’d like to thank?
I’d like to thank everyone that makes A&J Cycles successful: Alyssa, Danny, Ryan, Michelle, Matt and Jimmy. As well as our partners we work with: Dave at Slag Kustom, Tom at TRG Coating, Mike at Standard Cycle, and Mike at Torque Custom Cycles.
And thanks to Antonio Carusone for capturing our bikes with his camera.
More Photos
Photography
Antonio Carusone: @antoniocarusone
Follow A&J Cycles
www.ajcyclesny.com
www.facebook.com/aandjcyclesNY
www.instagram.com/aandjcycles
More A&J Cycles Builds
Blown Bobber: Supercharged Triumph “Terminator” – A British Bulldog from New York’s A&J Cycles… In 2017, Triumph unveiled the Bonneville Bobber, a modern production take on the British and American bobbers of the post-WWII era. The Bobber boasted the same […] Modern FatCat: Honda CRF110 Big Wheel – ATC-Inspired “BW110” Flat Track Pit Bike by A&J Cycles… How many of you remember the Honda FatCat? In the mid-1980s, three-wheelers were all the rage, including Honda’s red-hot ATC “All Terrain Cycle” range. For 1986, […] Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing: Triumph Speed Twin Custom – A&J Cycles builds a high-performance retro roadster… The 2022 Triumph Speed Twin has been called the best Bonnie of the lot, featuring a new 43mm Marzocchi fork, Brembo M50 monobloc calipers, 320mm discs, and 99 […] Fast For Fun: Triumph “Traxton R” Street Tracker – From Thruxton to Traxton: Street Tracker from Speakeasy Motors, et al. Introduced at Bike Shed London in 2015, the Triumph Thruxton R was the sharp point of the Bonneville range, a modern café racer with […] Big Wheel: Yamaha XS650 Bobber by A&J Cycles – A metric bobber recalling the Big Wheel trikes of yesteryear… The Yamaha XS650 remains one of the most versatile vintage motorcycles in the hands of custom builders. We regularly see the British-inspired Japanese twin transformed […] XEcutioner: Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE by A&J Cycles – This year, the crew from Hinkley debuted the Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE and XC with a very bold statement: “The Real Deal.” Unlike many factory-built “scramblers” of today, the big Triumph Scrambler 1200 lives up […]
Brian
• What’s the make, model, and year of the donor bike?
2017 Triumph Bobber.
• Why was this bike built?
We built it for a good customer of ours, Andy from The Blind Spot in NJ.
• What was the design concept and what influenced the build?
The bike has been modified in 3 main phases
Phase 1: Paint, cosmetic updates and the original wide wheel setup
Phase 2: TTS Supercharger Kit and Drag Pipe setup
Phase 3: Front wide wheel setup with upgraded suspension and brakes
The concept was to build a clean, bare bones bobber with modern technology.
• What custom work was done to the bike?
The bike entered our shop as a bone stock first year Triumph Bobber. Over the past 4-5 years there is not much that has been left untouched. Our resident painter Dave from Slag Kustom stripped the tank of paint, hit it with scotch brite, and custom painted the logos. It was then clear coated to preserve the work.
The front end setup was the brainchild of Mike Desomma from Torque Custom Cycles. He designed and machined the triple trees and axle setup to accommodate the 18”X5.5” front wheel with 180mm tire. The rear setup is a 18×5.5” wheel with 200mm tire. Canyon provided the wide wheel kit for the project. This project was unique in that we swapped from single disk setup to dual disk setup that comes on the newer bobbers.
TTS in the UK provided the Rotrex based supercharger kit that we installed. They take the guess work out of the setup with a straightforward install.
Tom at Hitchcox Cycles in the UK designed and built the big bore drag pipe setup. It flairs out to 1.75” main pipes and has custom clearance for the supercharger kit.
Braking was upgraded with Brembo 4-pot front calipers and floating rotors from Free Spirits in Italy.
We then upgraded the front and rear suspension with the Nitron TVT 22 cartridge kit and R3 4-way adjustable rear shock.
Lighting upgrades include Motodemic adaptive 2 7” headlight in a Twinton headlight bucket, Motogadget Tens signals front and back.
High end parts from Motone, Wunderkind Customs and Speakeasy Motors were also used on the bike.
Powder coating was handled by Tom and TRG Coating.
• Does the bike have a nickname?
Once the bike was completed, it just has a menacing look with the contrast of the black components and the raw / machined tank and supercharger kit. So we felt the Terminator was fitting.
• Any idea of horsepower, weight, and/or performance numbers?
The bike makes 110 HP at the rear wheel — a 45% increase over stock (75 ish). The bike has a DynoJet Power Commander 5 on it with auto tune. Mike from Standard Cycle in NJ (@standard_cycle_company) handled the tuning.
• Can you tell us what it’s like to ride this bike?
It’s a beast. The power delivery is pretty intense if you’re not ready for it. But it handles and rides very nicely with the upgrades. The bike currently has over 9,000 miles. So it does get ridden.
• Was there anything done during this build that you are particularly proud of?
The wide wheel bobber stuff is pretty popular in the UK. Thornton Hundred has mastered the design and aesthetics of the modern Triumph Bobbers. I’m proud of what Mike at Torque Custom Cycles undertook to provide us with an option in the US. The stance of this bike with the 18” rims really stands out to us.
• Is there anyone you’d like to thank?
I’d like to thank everyone that makes A&J Cycles successful: Alyssa, Danny, Ryan, Michelle, Matt and Jimmy. As well as our partners we work with: Dave at Slag Kustom, Tom at TRG Coating, Mike at Standard Cycle, and Mike at Torque Custom Cycles.
And thanks to Antonio Carusone for capturing our bikes with his camera.
Photography
Antonio Carusone: @antoniocarusone
Follow A&J Cycles
www.ajcyclesny.com
www.facebook.com/aandjcyclesNY
www.instagram.com/aandjcycles
More A&J Cycles Builds
Blown Bobber: Supercharged Triumph “Terminator” – A British Bulldog from New York’s A&J Cycles… In 2017, Triumph unveiled the Bonneville Bobber, a modern production take on the British and American bobbers of the post-WWII era. The Bobber boasted the same […] Modern FatCat: Honda CRF110 Big Wheel – ATC-Inspired “BW110” Flat Track Pit Bike by A&J Cycles… How many of you remember the Honda FatCat? In the mid-1980s, three-wheelers were all the rage, including Honda’s red-hot ATC “All Terrain Cycle” range. For 1986, […] Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing: Triumph Speed Twin Custom – A&J Cycles builds a high-performance retro roadster… The 2022 Triumph Speed Twin has been called the best Bonnie of the lot, featuring a new 43mm Marzocchi fork, Brembo M50 monobloc calipers, 320mm discs, and 99 […] Fast For Fun: Triumph “Traxton R” Street Tracker – From Thruxton to Traxton: Street Tracker from Speakeasy Motors, et al. Introduced at Bike Shed London in 2015, the Triumph Thruxton R was the sharp point of the Bonneville range, a modern café racer with […] Big Wheel: Yamaha XS650 Bobber by A&J Cycles – A metric bobber recalling the Big Wheel trikes of yesteryear… The Yamaha XS650 remains one of the most versatile vintage motorcycles in the hands of custom builders. We regularly see the British-inspired Japanese twin transformed […] XEcutioner: Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE by A&J Cycles – This year, the crew from Hinkley debuted the Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE and XC with a very bold statement: “The Real Deal.” Unlike many factory-built “scramblers” of today, the big Triumph Scrambler 1200 lives up […”}]]
