Source: Bike Bound
Thunderbird 1: Built for an RAF veteran…
Introduced in 2003, the Triumph Thruxton 900 was a modern café racer, a “neo classic” with a big-twin engine, clip-on bars, sporty suspension, and a racy riding position. It bore many of the same design cues as the machines you might’ve parked up at the Ace Café in the heyday of the British scene, which inspired so many of the bikes we see today.
The 865cc parallel-twin was good for 69 hp and 53 lb-ft of torque, and from model years 2004 to 2008, it remained carbureted. Many owners prefer the old-school aesthetics and mechanics of these original Thruxton engines. While the newer Thruxtons are fuel-injected and liquid-cooled, they aren’t necessarily made to look like they are. As one of the veteran members of the Triumph Talk forum points out:
“Among the reasons I wanted a 2005 air-cooled Thruxton with carburetors is those features are not fake. I kind of agree that modern motorcycles shouldn’t just mimic the language of the older classics, but explore how to create a modern classic updated to whatever the tech used is. If it’s EFI then the question should be how to make it classic and timeless with just using elements that no longer serve a purpose. If it’s water cooled then it no longer needs the fins. Strive for simplicity and you will create a classic without it being fake.”
Triumph Thruxton 900: Carb model
The crew at Tamarit Motorcycles of Spain have an affinity for the original air-cooled, carbureted Thruxton 900 engines, and they’ve made one the center of the build you see here. In their words:
“An iconic carbureted Thruxton 900 engine will make all neoclassic motorcycle enthusiasts sigh with its sound. And there’s no better match for this engine than the cafe racer style.”
The bike here is known as “Thunderbird 1,” and it’s the 131st custom build to come out of the Spanish workshop. No other builder in the world has customized so many modern classic Triumphs, especially at this high level of execution.
Though they might be the most veteran builders of this platform in the world, they certainly had their work cut out for them in this case. The owner, Chris, an RAF veteran, wanted a unique creation that drew inspiration from three of the workshop’s highest profile builds.
“The future owner of the bike wanted his motorcycle to be a true gem and, naturally, drew inspiration from some of our greatest two-wheeled gems. The motorcycles that inspired Thunderbird 1 were Jade, Helios, and Gullwing; quite a challenge to adapt the qualities of these bikes to create a unique concept.”
Tamarit Gullwing: 300 SL-Inspired Triumph Thruxton!
The frame and engine mounts have been nickel-plated, and Tamarit says the bike has been equipped with an oil-in-frame cooling system whose fins you can see on the front frame rails.
They welded up a new custom subframe and converted the bike to a mono-shock design with a slightly lengthened swingarm for better stability. Unlike some such conversions, this mono design was far from a fly-by-night affair:
“The modifications made to the motorcycle required chassis reinforcement, so the project was taken to the laboratory to perform the necessary tests and certify its strength.”
For Thunderbird 1’s seat, the idea was to create a shorter version of the seat used in their aforementioned Gullwing project, but without the upholstery extending onto the tank. The solo seat was upholstered in a “black nautical material” hand-stitched with red thread, and a strip of this same material was run over the tank and mounted with a chrome-plated, perforated metal piece to connect the design together.
The rear lighting was integrated into the tail section itself, along with a “Thunderbird 1” nameplate at the very tip of the cowl.
The high-mount dual exhaust is reminiscent of the system they created for their Helios project, here with brass heat shields and slash-cut silencers mounted under the tail.
“Handmade brass grilles have been incorporated to prevent the heat from coming into direct contact with the rider’s leg. Unique pieces crafted by hand for this motorcycle.”
The fairing and belly pan are hand-crafted pieces that make for a gorgeous silhouette — both classic and distinct — and the Thunderbird looks ready to punch through the wind.
The colorway was another area of supreme consideration.
“The goal was to achieve a sportier appearance without deviating from the classic concept. For this, the combination of an intense metallic red with metallic silver was chosen. Additionally, a golden line has been placed between both colors, separating and uniting the two tones at the same time.”
A Motogadget odometer was fit into the cockpit, and other Motogadget components include the mirrors, indicators, and control unit, which allows the owner to monitor the bike from his smartphone.
Other highlights include Beringer brakes, Kustom Tech levers, and brassed or chromed hardware everywhere. A gold chain echoes the gold lines of the paint and brass finishes.
Not only is this bike #131 for the Tamarit workshop, but that number holds a very special meaning the owner of Thunderbird 1.
“In 1978, he enlisted in the British Royal Air Force in the 131st apprentice class. He wanted to represent this on his motorcycle through one of the emblems placed on the fairing, which bears the badge he wore on his uniform back then.”
RAF Apprentice Badge
All in all, this is one true gem of a cafe racer, a signature build that turned the ideas and stories of the owner into a stunning work of two-wheeled art.
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