Photo: UPDLT
Great things can happen when a graphics artist decides he no longer likes the stock trim of his Triumph Thunderbird, and Jean-Philippe and his ride provide the best example.
A friend of our French buddies at Un Pneu Dans la Tombe, Jean-Philippe bought the Thunderbird in an almost stock shape back in 1997, but after spending more than 10 years aboard it, he decided it was high time he went British cafe-racer-style.
The rear of the Triumph Thunderbird was adapted to receive a custom-made seat. Far more good-looking than the classic flat cafe-racer designs, Jean-Philippe's new seat also sports a dash of Ducati Monster-ish DNA which we simply adore. Curved and beautifully shaped, the new seat also provides increased lower-lumbar support, and this is a great thing.
Since ergonomics were changed, the Frenchman knew it was time to upgrade the rest of the bike: a triple tree was sourced from a Speed Triple, and new bars were mounted, while rear sets replaced the stock foot controls.
Beringer high-performance brakes came in place, together with a floating rotor and a powerful 6-pot caliper. The rear rim went up from 16"to 17" for accommodating better tires, while the airbox was tossed and replaced with high-flow K&N air filters.
New, slimmer side covers have also been hand-made after carefully designing their shape in wood and then molding them. A Mecatwin exhaust was installed for allowing the 900 Classic to breathe better and there you go, a sweet British cafe-racer from France.
The rear of the Triumph Thunderbird was adapted to receive a custom-made seat. Far more good-looking than the classic flat cafe-racer designs, Jean-Philippe's new seat also sports a dash of Ducati Monster-ish DNA which we simply adore. Curved and beautifully shaped, the new seat also provides increased lower-lumbar support, and this is a great thing.
Since ergonomics were changed, the Frenchman knew it was time to upgrade the rest of the bike: a triple tree was sourced from a Speed Triple, and new bars were mounted, while rear sets replaced the stock foot controls.
Beringer high-performance brakes came in place, together with a floating rotor and a powerful 6-pot caliper. The rear rim went up from 16"to 17" for accommodating better tires, while the airbox was tossed and replaced with high-flow K&N air filters.
New, slimmer side covers have also been hand-made after carefully designing their shape in wood and then molding them. A Mecatwin exhaust was installed for allowing the 900 Classic to breathe better and there you go, a sweet British cafe-racer from France.
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