Motorcycle News - BAAK builds a modern day ‘Bathtub’ Triumph
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Edward Turner’s idea to enclose the rear wheel first appeared on the 1957 Triumph 3TA ‘Twenty One,’ and later the 1959 5TA ‘Speed Twin.’ It was a move to offer superior weatherproofing for British riders—but it was a total flop in the States.
But, as with all things vintage, what was a misstep back then is quirky and chic now. Which is why we love this reinterpretation of the Triumph bathtub, from French custom shop, BAAK Motocyclettes.
For this project, they acquired two bikes: a 2018 Triumph T120 Bonneville as a donor, and a 1962 Thunderbird as inspiration. And they did a bang up job: the new bike looks like a contemporary factory replica of its forebear.
He started by building a physical mockup with cardboard. Then he cut, hammered, English-wheeled, TIG welded and hand-sanded the final aluminum structure. All told, it took roughly twenty-six days to finish the bathtub off.
The aluminum front fender was made from scratch too, along with a set of classy mounting struts, and a sump guard. A little further up, BAAK sunk a Motogadget speedo into a custom headlight bucket, equipped with Lucas optics.
The rest of the cockpit’s equipped with handlebars from BAAK’s own catalog, Biltwell Inc. grips, KustomTech levers, and Motogadget bar-end turn signals. The crew also installed a long cable kit for the wider bars, and a set of super-sano triple clamps.
The Bonneville has had a slight stance adjustment too. The front forks were shortened internally, and the rear shocks swapped out for a smaller set from Shock Factory. And there’s now an 18” wheel up front and a 16” in the rear, with Avon MKII tires and a Beringer front brake disc.
For paint, BAAK drew inspiration from the iconic Porsche 356. A warm pearl grey is complemented by super-subtle champagne pin striping, and a set of cast aluminum tank badges.
It also has us wondering how well a factory-issued Triumph bathtub would fare today… BAAK Motocyclettes | Facebook | Instagram Motorcycles via Bike EXIF http://www.bikeexif.com April 25, 2019 at 12:26PM Leave a Reply. |
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4/25/2019
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