Triumph Thruxton Steampunk Racer
Back in the early two thousands Steampunk was all the rage. Popularised
by films like Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, Hell Boy and The
League of Extraordinary Gentlemen the Steampunk design aesthetic made
it's way into the world of custom bike building. Unfortunately though
after a while it all became a bit too clichéd. Excessive copper
embellishments, bizarre use of old plumbing fittings and an obsession
with form over function turned me off the style all together. That was
at least until Benjie from Benjie's Cafe Racer sent me details of his
latest build... behold the BCR Triumph Thruxton Steampunk Racer!
Before anyone starts questioning the functionality of this beauty I can
assure you that outstanding performance was a top priority for the BCR
team. The '08 Triumph Thruxton retains little of it's original running
gear with the only OEM components being the bikes frame, engine and
suspension geometry. The front end is entirely new. Honda CBR1000RR
upside down forks mounted using a custom made steering stem hold a
Harley Davidson hub in place. A custom axle and spacers allow for the
fitment of the CBR twin discs and the rim has been laced in stainless.
The top clamp has been shaved clean and a set of custom stainless clip
ons were slid on to the upper fork tubes. The speedo is also a new
addition which is Harley Davidson by design and is held in place by a
custom fabbed instrument panel.
On the bars you'll find Ducati 900ss controls which operate a custom
mounted 900ss hydraulic clutch. The air/fuel delivery has been upgraded
using a pair of bolt on 39mm Keihin FCR carbs with those unmistakable
red velocity stacks. For all you Thruxton owners out there, if you're
looking for a bit more grunt, Benjie informed me that with these you'll
get a 'night and day difference in performance'. An entirely new,
stainless steel exhaust was also fabricated for the Thruxton. Because
of the revised bodywork and new riding position it was essential that
the pipes sat high. The oval mufflers flow back around the rear springs
and alloy heat shields protect the riders thighs from uncomfortable
burns.
The Steampunk Racers most impressive feature is of course its bodywork.
The bike took around 1000 hours and 12 months to complete, being worked
on whenever a free moment came up between customers jobs. Aside from the
fiberglass fenders everything is hand formed, brushed and polished
aluminium. The tank is a one of a kind original designed in house by the
BCR team. With its organic lines and streamlined profile the tank
features a scalloped bead that was designed to compliment the front
fairing. The BCR badges are hand hammered and that lovely gas cap is
also a one of a kind BCR original.
Up front is a small fairing with a 1/4" plexiglass shield. The
asymmetrical design sits the yellow lensed headlight off to the left
while on the opposing face is a series of claw like fins that wrap over
a stainless mesh screen that cools the bikes voltage rectifier which
hides beneath the instrument cluster. In the rear is another custom work
of art. The tapered curves of the cowhide covered seat extend the lines
of the tank back before widening out into a Cafe style tail end.
"Even with the stock Triumph frame,
the tank, seat and number plate fairing that we made, totally changed
the look of the bike. It made the bike look nothing like the stock
Thruxton."
It's all in the details. Other touches that place this build in the
"incredible" category include custom heat shields on the oil cooler and
exhausts, MX inspired stainless steel foot pegs and controls, the
clever combination of brushed vs polished finishes, custom made struts
and countless drilled and polished, functional embellishments that cover
the bike. Benjie and his team have hit it out of the ball park with
this one and he tells me they have another Ducati project in the
pipeline... I can't wait to see what they come up with for that one!
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