It’s been twenty years since the cafe racer revival took off, and it shows no sign of slowing down. However, that doesn’t mean things have stayed the same, with just 20% of the custom bikes we’ve featured this year fitting neatly into that cafe style. However, if you yearn for the days of the ton-up boys and like your bikes with a truly individual twist, fear not, as Tamarit Motorcycles still has you covered. The Spanish outfit has positioned itself as the king of unique Triumph creations, and when a client showed up with a need for speed, they set about crafting him ‘Absolut’, a new Thruxton RS with a mean monochromatic vibe.
Despite the name ‘Absolut’, which is build number 154 for Tamarit Motorcycles, this creation is much more sober when compared to the outlandish machines we often see roll out of the Alicante-based workshop. In both performance and appearance, this time the team aimed to design a more sophisticated motorcycle, the kind that would suit a gentleman who takes his Martinis shaken, not stirred. But that doesn’t mean conventional; it’s just not in their DNA. The goal was to produce a bike that was not only faster than the factory offering but also one that would turn heads with its premium style.
Before they could create their automotive art, they first had to lay down a solid canvas. The tubular steel cradle frame remains largely as it left the factory, apart from taking two blows from the reciprocating saw to shorten the subframe. The big change was made to enhance the motorcycle’s stability at high speed and provide a flowing ride in fast corners. To achieve this, the Tamarit team tossed aside the factory swingarm and replaced it with another item from the Triumph parts collection. Pinched from the Scrambler 1200 XE, it adds around an inch to the wheelbase.
It’s not an insignificant change; race officials wouldn’t police it so heavily if there weren’t improvements to be had. It’s also here that we see the performance and style aspects of the bike emerge, with the swingarm coated in a unique black nickel finish and the Öhlins fully adjustable shocks giving off a complete murdered-out vibe. This theme of gloss black paint and careful black nickel plating is exhibited across the Thruxton, to further enhance that premium appearance. To match the rear end and keep the theme flowing, the big piston Showa forks have been tweaked for the setup and anodised in black too.
The monochromatic effect continues with the bodywork. While the stock tank remains in place, the strap has been removed, and the badges are as thematically fitting as they come. To get the right side covers for the build, the Tamarit team only needed to look as far as their own parts catalogue, and their number one seller for classic Triumphs is deployed on this machine, known as the Dakota. Wanting to frame the motor and add a little more bulk to the build, the next part from the catalogue is the fibreglass chin spoiler, with its grilled inserts providing cool air to the radiator.
Without a doubt, the standout panel piece is the rear tail section, where Tamarit showcases its ability to take a known style and interpret it in its own unique way. For most of the tailpiece from the tank back, it’s standard cafe racer fare, but just before the hump begins to flow to a classic rounded end, it’s sharply cut off. The exposed face makes a bold statement, and this real estate is used to mount the all-important tail light. The seat above is absolutely beautiful, perfectly stitched, and of the highest quality, while the ribbed front fender, placed on the standard mounts, helps to complete the look.
The Thruxton powerplant might be based on a classic British design, but there is very little that isn’t absolutely modern and high-tech about this motor. Spinning up just over 100bhp and 110Nm of torque, the Tamarit team knew they could add an extra ten to each number with just a few simple modifications. The first was to ditch the restrictive airbox and allow the RS’s extra 500rpm redline to really sing with a set of forward-facing Free Spirit pod filters. Then, to really fire things up, Italian firm Zard provided one of their exhaust systems built especially for the Thruxton from high-quality stainless steel.
Just like the exhaust, Italy is responsible for the wheels too, with a gorgeous set of spoked Kineo items sent over for the job. Then it’s back home to Spain for the big wave pattern discs from Galfer, and the European love affair continues with the Motogadget speedo and that stunning LED front headlight. To round out the build and ensure that the theme has been splashed across every last square inch of the Thruxton, a mix of black paint and black nickel hits every part, from the engine covers all the way through to the chain guard. For Tamarit it’s somewhat dialled back, but for anyone else its a uniquely styled stunner with the performance to make Absolut short work of its rivals around town.
