triumph + down and out t100 is both burly and bonnie

triumph + down and out T100: coming from a background in building choppers, shaun, owner of yorkshire-based down and out cafe racers, likes motorcycles to have a proper presence, stance and perhaps most importantly a proper finish.

images © simon krajnyak 

he occasionally gets to build himself a bike, completely as he wishes, without a customer’s requirements to adhere to. for his latest ‘T100’ the fork shaped legs needed to be spread slightly wider to accommodate the 17 inch tire. the rider’s tyre of choice is continental’s ‘TKC 80’, renowned for its capability off road but also its ability to offer strong grip on the tarmac. to ensure there was no rubbing on the sides fastec racing were entrusted with the job of machining the oversize triple clamps to hold the 2011 ‘CBR1000RR’ forks. 

the motorcycle was sourced directly from triumph

a harley-davidson hub was spaced out in the mounts and laced to a 5 1/2″ rim, while triumph 1050 discs are gripped by the original tokico radial 4-pots. down and out cafe racers source their donor bikes directly from manufacturers, circumventing the need to trawl through the web, or worse, to find low mileage, nearly new or bikes straight off the nearby production line. this allows for more effort and budget to be put into upgrades rather than repairs. but not all components are necessarily expensive, the team scratched there heads and searched through the stock room for an exhaust solution, yet ended up settling for this silencer at an auto market.

the legs of the front fork were widened to make room for the thick tire

the bars and risers, ignition relocation kit and billet brake fluid reservoir were all sourced aftermarket at german specialist LSL. a ‘GSXR750’ master cylinder and clutch perch with levers further tidy the job, while ensuring the radial calipers have enough strength behind them. motone mini buttons replace the stock switchgear and all wiring is discreetly hidden within the bars. 

stubby seat enhances the burly appearance

the custom finishes continue into the bates style headlight, mounted with stainless brackets that double up to house the very tidy little indicators. the team showcases its craft when looping the subframes on bonnies, and in this case, their handiwork is characterized by the stubby seat, keeping a bit more visual bulk towards the centre of the bike. further burliness comes courtesy of a set of engine bars, with the low slung pothole visualization device completing the look. to further incorporate practicality into daily commutes a stainless steel bracket was fabricated to hold a canvas pannier.