The folks at Tamarit Motorcycles never cease to amaze us with their prolificity and creativity in building one-of-a-kind Triumph-based bikes. Building an average of three motorcycles every four months, the customization wizards have already completed almost 130 projects since opening their doors in 2015.
The Spanish outfit’s latest one-off project, dubbed the Helios, started life as an air-cooled Triumph Thruxton 900, and hundreds of men hours of work have gone into crafting the unique, handmade componentry for this motorcycle. But if you’re familiar with Tamarit’s work, you probably already know that even their simplest custom machines boast one-of-a-kind features and great attention to detail.
Named after a mythological Greek sun God, the Helios is a masterpiece of design - a true classic bike in pure Cafe Racer style. The monocoque-bodied two-wheeler features a striking orange color, a single-seat leather saddle embedded in the tank, and bespoke methacrylate front fairing.
“Helios arrives as a god of Greek mythology, bringing the burning beauty of the Sun. A Cafe Racer of unique style and for which unique parts have been developed with hundreds of hours of craftsmanship,” the Alicante-based shop says about their project.
Photo: Tamarit Motorcycles
The handmade bodywork, comprising the single-piece monocoque tank and tail unit, is definitely the pièce de résistance of this custom build. It was made specifically for the Helios and features a hydraulically-assisted hinging mechanism, which means there is no need to disassemble the bike to get access to its parts.
The custom seat is stitched in cream leather and runs halfway up onto the tank, giving a touch of elegance to the bike’s profile. A polished metal cover with integrated LED indicators and a bespoke “Helios 109” badge can be seen on the tail section.
Meanwhile, the ‘60s endurance racer-inspired front fairing incorporates twin LED headlights and lines up perfectly with the frame and bodywork. A nice touch is the section housing the headlight, which matches the cream color of the seat.
Tamarit has treated the air-cooled Boneville engine to a complete rebuild, both visually and mechanically, to make it work like a dream. Additionally, because more air equals more performance, they tweaked the Keihin carbs to work with K&N pod filters.
The original dual-shock configuration at the rear was removed and replaced with a custom-made mono-shocked setup. A Hagon shock absorber is now coupled to an extended swingarm that increased the overall length of the bike by 6 inches (15 cm).
Photo: Tamarit Motorcycles
Another important upgrade in this project is the cooling system. The Helios has been endowed with a cool and innovative in-house-designed cooling system, which sees oil run through the chassis, thus helping lower the temperature. The cooling fin rings can be seen winding around the frame’s front down tubes.
The bike also benefits from a new dual overhead exhaust system, with a set of slash-cut exhaust pipes snaking their way out along the engine and exiting under the cowl. They come complete with custom heat shields on both sides of the bike and stainless steel headers featuring MotoGP-style protective grids.
Getting back at the front of the bike, we can also notice a custom fender mounted on a brass-plated support. Above it, there are bespoke fork yokes made of aluminum, accommodating a compact Motogadget Motoscope Mini digital instrument with a clean and minimalist finish. A set of clip-on bars equipped with Kustom Tech levers, Motogadget buttons, bar-end turn signals, and mirrors complete the front of the bike.
The Helios rides on a set of classic spoked Victory wheels with stock 18F/17R hoops. The rear wheel features a lenticular rim that helps improve driving stability by preventing air from passing through the spokes. The lenticular rim, with its golden accents, also adds to the aesthetic value of the bike.
Photo: Tamarit Motorcycles
Tamarit Motorcycles’ world-class skills, dedication to craftsmanship, and amazing attention to detail in every component of the Helios just go to show how this bike is truly a work of art.
The motorcycle’s metal parts, including the frame and swingarm, have gone through a meticulous chrome plating process to make them shine like a mirror. Brass plated screws and badges give the build a unified, consistent look.
The rich glossy finish on the burnt metallic orange livery and the chrome elements might seem a bit too flashy for some people, but the Helios is undoubtedly a gorgeous bike that many others would love to ride.
It’s worth mentioning that all the modifications made to the donor bike required reinforcement of the chassis, so the team took the final build to the laboratory to test its resistance and ensure its compliance.
The Helios is Tamarit Motorcycles’ 109th completed build to date and one of the first bikes to be sent to Miami, Florida, where the Spanish outfit has opened a new location to serve the North American market. Just imagine how that glossy orange livery will gleam in the Florida sun!
After spending a few years as a copy editor, Ancuta decided to put down the eraser and pick up the writer's pencil. Her favorites subjects are unusual car designs, travel trailers and everything related to the great outdoors. Full profile
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