PROJECT ZERO 29: TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE
It's been a while since the Cafe Rider craftsmen undertook a proper cafe racer build, so it gives us a lot of joy to present PROJECT ZERO 29 to you.
Starting out as a bog standard 2013 Triumph Bonneville, this bike has been fully reworked by the Cafe Rider team.
Going from front to back, this Bonnie is fitted with 18" Excel rims and suitable tyres to capture the correct aesthetic without losing any function. Moving up, a Bates headlight with a yellow lens provides plenty of light for those early evening rides.
Upstream, a welded and streamlined triple tree top with a flush-mounted, tiny Motoscope speedometer keeps the rider informed about current ground speed, without taking over the space as larger gauges often do. Tarozzi clip on handle bars, Motone momentary switches and a Kustom Tech master cylinder and clutch lever have all been hand polished for a vintage look, in keeping with the traditional cafe racer aesthetic, while allowing the controls to provide tactile feedback and function at the rider's fingertips. All of this ends with brushed bar-end mirrors, completing the front of the Bonnie.
Further back, a hand-polished engine, forks and other bits continues the theme of the cafe racer, without losing the Triumph badge on both the engine cover and the fuel tank. The fuel tank and the rear seat cowl (fabricated in house) have been given a gold stripe over black, to evoke the classic John Player livery colors. Deeper inside, the rear seat cowl hides a lithium battery and Motogadget M unit, along with assorted electrics. The seat itself is a beautifully reupholstered unit in hazelnut brown.
It's got the looks, but what about the soundtrack? Air enter the engine through a set of free-flow K&N pod filters, which have replaced the stock airbox. On the other end of the combustion process, a beautiful set of TEC two-into-one titanium pipes allow air to leave with a deep, sonorous chatter.
A custom made Cafe Rider skid plate protects the front of the bike from road grime and debris, while a set of Tarozzi foot pegs take care of shifting duties, mounted to custom-made brackets.
Electrics are handled by a blue M-unit and M Tri, which also controls the Motogadget turn signals, front and rear, along with the rear taillight (which has been installed behind the rear seat cowl. A Motogadget Bluetooth-activated ignition system along with a dedicated RFID tag fires up the Bonnie. Everything is tied together by a stunning leather seat that has been reupholstered in hazelnut brown.
The owner of the bike asked for a classic-looking bike that was completely functional and with this combination of parts and aesthetics, we definitely think that the Cafe Rider craftsmen have delivered, in spades we might add.
