Source: Bike Bound
Classic Custom Winner…and Beyond: Thruxton RS by Jake Apiata x Triumph Annecy…
Triumph is one of the brands that’s readily embraced the custom world, inviting and commissioning various dealers and bike-builders to transform production machines according to their individual vision, style, and focus. In France, they’ve hosted the Classic Custom Contest, where six of the major French Triumph dealers competed head to head to build the most popular custom creation using one of the manufacturer’s production bikes as a donor.
“Because French Triumph dealers have real expertise in customizing modern classic motorcycles, we gave them carte blanche for a preparation competition like no other.”
Triumph dealers from Annecy, La Rochelle, Coignières, Lyon, St. Lo, and Paris Italie all participated, customizing different base models. Triumph Annecy began with a Thruxton 1200 RS, the company’s flagship cafe racer, and enlisted the help of our friend Jake Apiata of Apiata Metal Shaping to transform the bike.
Though he now lives in Annecy, Jake originally hails from Invercargill, New Zealand, the hometown of none other than the legendary Burt Munro, builder and racer of the “World’s Fastest Indian” — an auspicious point of origin indeed! Jake himself has had quite the interesting career:
“I started as a machinist for a small business building replica Le Mans classic cars such as C and D type Jaguars and the Ford GT40 from factory drawings. It was a great way to learn. Once I moved to France I worked for four years for Lazareth Auto Moto and started my own small business after that in 2018 with the desire to work more with the metalshaping side of things.”
Lazareth is known for designing and producing some of the most mind-blowing wheeled creations on the planet, such as their “Moto Volante” flying motorcycle. More recently, we’ve seen Jake’s incredible work on such builds as FrenchMoto’s Harley-Davidson Adventure Sportster and Royal Enfield “Stellar” 650, as well as the Moto Guzzi V100 “Le Mans” we recently featured, and his metal-shaping were on full display with this Thruxton RS.
“I always wanted to put a full aluminium fairing on a Thruxton. And this fortunately was also the desire of the client.”
Jake hand-built the tank, full fairing, and fenders from aluminum, and also modified the exhaust to more closely align with the bodywork. The modifications were kept to the aesthetics, as the Thruxton RS is a formidable modern retro machine straight from the showroom floor. As Jake says:
“I don’t believe in modifying bikes to look good but be unrideable.”
The results speak for themselves. The Thruxton won the Classic Custom Contest in decisive fashion, winning the public vote against a stable of serious competition. Jake is especially proud of how well the aluminum fairing fits the machine.
“I was very pleased to make the fairing snug on the bike. I find a lot of fibreglass kits are very large and I wanted the bike to be elegant and sleek.”
And just last weekend, the Thruxton took home first place in the National Pro category of the Lyon Kustom Factory Cafe Racer Contest — France’s largest custom show! The selection jury included such bike-building luminaries as Fred Krugger and Fred Duban — high praise indeed!
A hearty congratulations goes out to Jake for this well-earned win. We know how many hundreds of hours go into the craft of metal-shaping…and the thousands of hours it takes even to get to this level.
We’re honored to showcase this build and can’t wait to see what metallic art rolls out of Jake’s shop in the weeks and years to come. Below, we talk to the man himself for more details on the build, and credit goes out to Guillaume Ducasse Photography for the majority of the photos.
Aluminum Thruxton RS: Builder Interview
• Please tell us a bit about yourself, your history with motorcycles, and your workshop.
I’m from Invercargill, New Zealand, the home of Burt Munro. I started as a machinist for a small business building replica Le Mans classic cars such as C and D type Jaguars and the Ford GT40 from factory drawings. It was a great way to learn. Once I moved to France I worked for four years for Lazareth Auto Moto and started my own small business after that in 2018 with the desire to work more with the metalshaping side of things.
• What’s the make, model, and year of the donor bike?
The bike is a Triumph Thruxton 1200 RS.
• Why was this bike built?
A collaboration With Triumph Annecy for the Classic Custom Contest. The bike won 1st place.
• What was the design concept and what influenced the build?
I always wanted to put a full aluminium fairing on a Thruxton. And this fortunately was also the desire of the client.
• What custom work was done to the bike?
Full aluminium tank, mud guards, and full fairing. Also, the exhaust looks standard but was actually modified to follow a closer line to the bodywork.
• Does the bike have a nickname?
I’ll have to ask its new owner. It was purchased to be put on display in someone’s lounge. Probably the biggest compliment I have ever had for my work.
• Can you tell us what it’s like to ride this bike?
The bike was intended to be sold and the RS is already a great bike to ride so the bike was only modified aesthetically. I don’t believe in modifying bikes to look good but be unrideable.
• Was there anything done during this build that you are particularly proud of?
I was very pleased to make the fairing snug on the bike. I find a lot of fibreglass kits are very large and I wanted the bike to be elegant and sleek.
Follow the Builder
Apiata Metal Shaping: Website | Facebook | @jakeapiata
Client: Triumph Annecy | @triumph.annecy
Project Manager: @thomascaniedo
Show: Classic Custom Contest
Photography: @guillaumeducasse_photography”}]]
