Nobody thinks twice about custom builders taking angle grinders to ageing “Universal Japanese Motorcycles”, but when sparks fly from rare pieces of classic Brit machinery, the occasionally uneasy relationship between classic purists and custom aficionados can become stretched. But when a bike has been crafted with the care and respect that is put into the builds of The Pacific Motorcycle Co. you simply end up with a bike that satisfies every niche of biking admiration.
Based in Nelson, New Zealand, The Pacific Motorcycle Co. specialise in both customising bikes and in classic restorations - “but sometimes the two get mixed up, on purpose,” as was the case with this beautiful 1965 Triumph TR6 SR Desert Scrambler. You may well recall the story of their ’69 BSA A65 which arrived in a wondrous consignment of old Brit machinery that they had shipped to New Zealand from the United States. This Triumph emerged from the same Aladdin’s cave. The majority of the bikes that made the voyage arrived in a a sorry state and the TR6 was no exception, but it showed enough potential to earn the nickname “Fonzie” and be ear marked for much further attention.
“The plan was to restore, but with a twist, as the TR6 SR was built for the American market and in particular Desert Racing, she was to receive a look of a classic scrambler. At first glance of the original, it seemed a very long and arduous task, but with a clear picture of what she could become, the teardown started.”
The process was extensive, all parts were disassembled, the engine was completely stripped down, rebored and fitted with new bearings, pistons, rods, seals, valves, guides and any other bits it craved. Whilst its inners lay in pieces the cases were vapour blasted and given a coat of flat black powder coat along with the frame. Once the motor was completed, it went back in the frame with electronic ignition and a 12 volt conversion. The colour matched engine cases and tank (complete with rack and grippy knee pads) supply the bike with great visual balance, sandwiching the bright clean engine and pipes in deep black.
Those high straight through exhausts allow the engine to project its glorious rasp as it fires toward the horizon. The wheels were stripped, blasted then coated and fully rebuilt with new spokes, nipples and bearings before being shod in dual purpose modern rubber befitting of the bikes multi purpose proclivities. The rear shocks are modern YSS units.
The original seat pan was narrowed and fitted with high density foam to provide a slimmer profile without sacrificing the comfort, it was then upholstered in black with classic grey banding. A high level front mudguard was fabricated and fitted whilst the original rear was cut down for balance. The headlight is the restored original fitted with a black stone grill whilst the rear light was modified from an old “Sparto” unit that was pilfered from a Ducati Desmo single that was residing in a corner of the shop.
After featuring so many modern Bonneville scrambler customs it is splendid to see how perfectly the original stacks up when given a similar treatment. The regulation enforced extra weight and bulk in modern machines that builders try so hard to hide is gloriously conspicuous by its absence. In selecting the vintage donor the Pacific Coast boys were left with the job of bringing the best out of the motorcycle as oppose to hiding the worst of it. It is a job very well done. Their own words to end, “No frills, just an old Triumph that’s had an attitude adjustment!”
See more from Pacific Motorcycle Co on their Bike Shed Page, and on their Facebook page.
via The Bike Shed
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