In building this bike, Benjie’s Cafe Racer wanted to evolve and stay away from the traditional look, as in they wanted something different and have that urban industrial feel. This bike started as a 2008 Triumph Thruxton with only 6,000 miles. Though the frame, motor and suspension geometry are stock, BCR wanted this bike to have that one-off custom look, thus opting for a bare polished brushed aluminium finish with jet black highlights.

Starting from the front, the stock front end was changed to USD forks off of an early 2000s CBR1000RR. To make the front end fit, a new steering stem was machined and the steering bearings were changed. A 40-hole Harley Davidson front hub was employed in order to be able to use wire wheels, and machined the axle and spacer adapters for the double disc brakes. The front brake system is from the CBR, which means they didn’t have to machine any brake caliper adapters. The uppers trees were cleaned up, along with custom fabricated stainless clip-ons, dash, Harley-Davidson speedo/tach (with speed holes added around it), stock warning lights, and fiberglass front fenders with stainless struts.

The face receives an aluminium number plate-style fairing with a teardrop bead to give the depth, and an offset yellow headlight. A panel was hammered by hand to secure the headlight, which was then surrounded with stainless button head screws for an urban machined look. On the opposite side of the headlight, BCR added claw-like vent grills with stainless screen to cool the voltage rectifier of the bike. Finishing off the fairing is a 1/4″ plexiglass windscreen, and an aluminium panel closing off the bottom.

As BCR wanted to change to fully hydraulic hand controls, the stock cable clutch was ditched in favour of a hydraulic system from a Ducati 900SS. To use the 900SS master and slave, the primary cover was modified so that the clutch slave could be bolted on. To make the Ducati clutch slave blend with the primary cover, BCR fabricated a side cover and drilled speed holes. To match the clutch master, they also changed the front brake master to a Ducati 900SS and slapped on matching brake fluid reservoirs.

The custom aluminium fuel tank also gets lots of stainless allen caps to secure it, along with a one-off cap and hand-hammered tank badge with a brushed finish. The beautiful custom seat is slathered in black cowhide with a single stitch tapered front to back layout, which is then enclosed with double stitch and piping. Where the aluminium tail and upholstery meets, BCR added an aluminium strip with speed holes, finally setting it off a handmade aluminium tail light and rear fiberglass fender painted jet black.

The custom stainless steel exhaust system has a tucked in mid-section, and exits high on both sides with oval-shaped reverse megaphones, wrapping the rear shocks. Other one-off handmade parts on this bike are MX inspired stainless pegs and foot controls, heat shields for the oil cooler, skid plate, oil filler cap, license plate bracket, and even the key. Yes, even the key for the ignition switch was given the one-off treatment.

BCR thanks the crew of www.blacksheepmanila.com (Ben and Maui) for the pics, and Dante Dizon of www.13luckymonkey.com for being the art director during the photshoot.