[Dagenham Dave]

Hi guys

Some of you may remember my "Berry Bads" café-racer project (see first photo below).

Well, after a year in storage, I took the bike out and noted that the paint had started to bubble on the tank... After too-ing and fro-ing a bit with DEUS, they agreed to repaint it under warranty, and found that the paint had failed because of poor fabrication of the tank.

Anyways, DEUS said I'd be without the tank for a good 4-6 weeks (it's been 9 weeks so far, but it's finally on it's way with a totally new design), so I decided to investigate having a "bolt-on" 2-seater made up so I could take my new lady riding. And to be honest, I NEVER really loved the finished DEUS package - it just didn't sit right (stance wise), particularly in the arse end...

So I asked DEUS if they'd be interested in making me a "bolt-on" 2-seater, and after a few emails and calls, they said "NO", and I'm glad, because I sourced an awesome local custom spray painter who specializes in motorcycles, cars, and choppers named Shannon Jennings (PRO FINISH KUSTOM PAINT) in Geelong where I live - he was someone I more knew in passing at the time... And this 2nd skin build has really come along and I've developed a great friendship with Shannon along the way (and had a much more hands on role because I have been able to see the bike every day and re-direct the build whenever I want to)... And along the way, the build's direction has changed, but has basically followed a desire to get my motorcycle looking lower, older (more 50s), and in the vein of a 50s salt-flat racer come bobber.

So after a bit of ****ing around, Shannon and I decided the only way to get a double seat that looked and felt and sat right would be to completely piss off the single cowl, and to completely cut away the rear sub-frame and have built a flatter and longer sub-frame that would allow me to stretch my arse back a bit (I was too cramped on the DEUS single seat), and also carry my new lovely lady...

Anyways, here is where I am at so far... The photos below show the mock-up of my bike with a chrome Harley 21-inch wheel (I have ordered a 21-inch wheel (21 x 1.85 steel to be laced to the OEM Triumph hub, and fitted up with an Avon 300-21 tyre)... I am absolutely LOVING its stance for the first time since I owned this motorcycle...!!!

So far, Shannon and I have done the following to the bike:

- Extended and lowered the rear sub-frame to accept a 2-person seat;
- Lowered and strutted the rear to nearly sit on the rear wheel;
- Lowered the speedo;
- Lowered the headlight considerably and pushed it forward;
- Dropped the clip-ons half way down between the top and bottom tree.

We still need to do the following:

- Mount a new bobber taillight and and my license plate behind the rear sprocket;
- Finish the seat-pan, and upholster a double seat;
- Cut-out the kink in the header and attach aftermarket
CLASSIC MEGAPHONE mufflers running totally flat along the bottom (see picture).

And, I now need to decide on the following:

1. CHROME vs GLOSS BLACK POWDER COATED rim/hub for the new 21x1.85 up front on order and coming from England; The reason I ask this is because I really want my front wheel to look big and open, and I do not know which will give a bigger and more open look - chromed (as in the mock-up), or powder coated black?
2. Rake or no rake of the front end like jostalli's awesome Bonneville bobber below.

Your opinions would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,
Dagenham Dave
Australia

 

[Dagenham Dave]

I gotta be honest man. I absolutely love the first pic. I followed this build on triumph rat. The new look will be killer too and it's your bike so get er done how you want er done.

Side note. If you want to sell that single seat pm me. I'll buy it from you. I love it!

That's cool. My tastes have changed radically in the last 12 months or so, so I must say I really HATE the red Bonneville now - but the red one is no more...

Sorry motorhead - I'm giving the seat to a good mate of mine in Sydney...

 

[Dagenham Dave]

Update:

I got the tank back and it looked fucking shit-house - totally the wrong shape for my new stance. So as we speak I am having a completely new tank fabricated along the lines of the one on the raked Bonnie in the photos - longer and much much lower... And the original tank is for the rubbish!!! The new tank will be matt (or maybe gloss) black with red and white 50s pin-striping - sidecovers to match. All done by my mate Shannon Jennings (PRO FINISH KUSTOM PAINT) in Geelong where I live

I have decided on a chrome rim and a polished (or chromed) hub, and an Avon Venom white-wall: Venom AM41 (front) MH-90-21ww 56H

 

[Dagenham Dave]

Update:

I got the tank back and it looked fucking shit-house - totally the wrong shape for my new stance. So as we speak I am having a completely new tank fabricated along the lines of the one on the raked Bonnie in the photos - longer and much much lower... And the original tank is for the rubbish!!! The new tank will be matt (or maybe gloss) black with red and white 50s pin-striping - sidecovers to match. All done by my mate Shannon Jennings (PRO FINISH KUSTOM PAINT) in Geelong where I live

I have decided on a chrome rim and a polished (or chromed) hub, and an Avon Venom white-wall: Venom AM41 (front) MH-90-21ww 56H

Update on the update:

I am having the complete custom tank fabricated by another local guy named Keith Bakker (KEITH BAKKER PANEL BEATING in Geelong). It's gonna be long and low like the one on the Garage Co. Customs Bonneville (although LONGER and LOWER). Keith is also going to cut-out the kink in the header and attach aftermarket classic megaphone mufflers running totally flat along the bottom. Once Keith has finished the tank, it's back to Shannon Jennings at PRO FINISH KUSTOM PAINT to:

- Finish the seat-pan, and upholster a double seat;
- Paint the new tank matt (or maybe gloss) black with red and white 50s pin-striping - sidecovers to match.

I have also decided to go with white-walls, front AND rear:

The 21-inch front is being done by Ash at ASH'S SPOKED WHEELZ in QLD, and will be fitted to an Avon Venom white-wall.

Also, I am awaiting a COKER-BECK 400-18 white walled rear tyre to fit to my 18 x 2.5 rear rim, coming from Ben McKinnon at ANTIQUE TYRES in Melbourne. I think I like the idea of a rear wheel that has an overall diameter smaller than the front (which is 27.0" for the WW Venom AM41), and the COKER BECK 400-18 has an overall diameter of 26.5". My only concern with the COKER BECK 400-18 (I am currently running a FIRESTONE 450-18), is that perhaps it will be too narrow at 4" for the front WW Venom (3.3") I will be running?

I'm still not sure whether or not to rake the bike +6 degrees like the Garage Co. Customs Bonneville, but I think I have decided to go with NO rake, because the stance seems really appropriate for a 50s motorcycle just with the standard rake and a 21" white-wall up front.

Cheers for listening,
Dagenham Dave
Australia

PS. Attached are some pictures with "white-walls" done using my unbelievable skills with photo-shop!!!

Since the photos, Shannon has also:

- Removed all the lugs from the forks and primed (to be gloss black);
- dropped the fork tubes an inch to get a lower stance (now 3.5" lower than standard);
- Dropped the clip-ons half way down between the top and bottom tree;
- Mounted a new bobber taillight and and my license plate behind the rear sprocket;

 

[Dagenham Dave]

...hello, I m just in a similar project but with a T140.
I have couple of questions:
-when was Red, what s the distance from top of the seat to the ground?
-do you have any pictures with somebody on top for reference?

-did you finally rode with it? not so good the stance?

thanks

Hello reverb

I can't remember what the distance from the top of the seat to the ground was when it had the red single-seat and the rear Icon shocks. I know though that it has been lowered significantly in the rear, and the front has been lowered 3.5" from standard.

I don't have any photos with anyone on it, but I am 6'3.5" tall and feel good sitting on it (because it is long - 2.5" stretch in the rear from standard) and low up front (clip-ons mid-mounted), and my mate Shannon (who is doing most of the mods) is 6'4" tall, and he looks great sitting on it. It's just super low looking when you stand next to it.

It hasn't been ridden because the tank is being fabricated and then fitted at the moment.

Hope that helps.

Dave

 

[Dagenham Dave]

Liking the style your heading in! Good to see another G-Town lad on here. Hopefully see you burning around on it when im down in the home town.

Thanks Jay Everyday.

Let me know when you're here and we can go for a ride together.

Dave

 

[Dagenham Dave]

Dave: I remember the first time i saw your bike...
it was new, fresh and a very nicely done bike..

it inspired me to "café" my 2001.. (Im kenneth_k on triumprat)

and with all the attention you got with that bike im sure you could sell the whole bike and buy a new (old) one (or 2) and start over.. with cash to spare..

anyway, i really like the raked bike to...

thats the "problem" with these bikes you have to many options.. lol

will be watching and maybe this will get me started on my Hinckley project again..

have fun and good luck man.

cheers // Kenneth

Thanks Kenneth.

My good mate Shane McDonald (who really helped me with the original café-build) absolutely loved the "red" café version too (so much so that he can't even talk to me about the new build he's so disgusted), but it just never sat right with me. And I'm not sure it would have been that easy to sell, because it certainly wasn't everyone's cup of tea.

But I'm finally heading in a direction that I am excited about and REALLY looking forward to getting it finished and out on the roads in Spring and Summer this year. And Shane will see, it's gonna be fucking cool!

 

[Dagenham Dave]

Progress since my last update:

- The 21 x 1.85" front is now complete (chromed rim, and polished OEM hub) with an Avon MH90-21 white wall, and looks fantastic. A big thanks to Ash and Jack at ASH'S SPOKED WHEELZ in QLD.
- A 16 x 3.0" rear is on its way (chromed rim, OEM black powder coated hub), with a white walled Avon MT90-16 tyre to be fitted, also being done by ASH'S SPOKED WHEELZ in QLD.
[Note: The 18" Coker Beck would have been too close in overall diameter (26.5") to the front 21" wheel (approx. 27"), and too narrow (at 4"), so I decided it needed to be the 16" rear with the 5.2" wide Avon white-walled rear. Once the rear wheel is back (25" diameter vs. the 27" of my current Firestone 18 x 4.0), I will have some shorter struts made so that the seat sits no more than 1/2" above the rear tyre. The difference in overall diameter between the front wheel and the rear will now be 2".]

The top frame has been chopped and lowered so that top of the new tank (which includes the EFI fuel pump) now sits 1" lower than the top tree (exactly like the Garage Co. Bonneville). The tank is 1 week from being finished and looks great.

Another awesome Angry Monkey bike that I am using as a guide is below, and has the exact tyres and rim sizes I will be running on my motorcycle.

Since the photos, Shannon Jennings has:

- Lowered and considerably pushed forward front headlight and mounted with new long brackets;

- Mounted a new bobber taillight and and my license plate behind the rear sprocket;

Once Keith Bakker has finished the tank, it's back to Shannon Jennings at PRO FINISH KUSTOM PAINT to:

- Finish the seat-pan, and upholster a double seat;

- Paint the new tank matt (or maybe gloss) black with red and white 50s pin-striping - sidecovers to match.

As I said above, I was thinking of raking the bike +6 degrees like the Garage Co. Customs Bonneville, but I think I have decided to go with NO rake, because the stance seems really appropriate for a 50s motorcycle just with the standard rake and a 21" white-wall up front and 16" white-wall in back.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[Dagenham Dave]

congrets ,i like the black /new version way better than the red one ....except for the whitewalls

and that avon venom is just an ugly modern looking tyre on a bike like yours
i would prefer a AVon Mk2 ribbed on that front ....if it was mine

but hey thats just my 2 cents

Hey el diablo. Your 2 cents are appreciated. I did actually buy the ribbed Avon for up front and then decided I loved the look of the Avon white walls on the Angry Monkey bikes (and the Garage Co. bobber), despite their modern "ugly" looking tread, that that's what I wanted...

And tyres are not that hard to change, where as wheels/rims are, and I definitely am happy with my choice of 21 up front and 16 out back.