Fewer badge names in the motorcycle world carry as much weight as that of the Bonneville; named after the great salt flats, a legend of the Triumph line-up and now the original modern-retro machine. But add Thruxton to the mix and things go up another notch, with that racing pedigree and the ethos of the ton-up boys. So what do you do when you own a Bonnie and want to add that extra Thruxton flavour, well if you live in Argentina, you call the talented team at STG Tracker. Known for their incredibly clean customs, the guys have taken a bog-stock 2011 Triumph Bonneville, and given it a total transformation, ready to be a hero at its Hampshire home if the call comes.
The boss men at the Argentine-based workshop are Marcelo Obarrio and Germán Karp, and they’ve been on an absolute roll lately, producing one killer custom after another. Based in Buenos Aires, their showroom has a real high-end feel, with their products beautifully presented in stunning display cases and parts supplied in the sort of packaging you would expect from a premium watchmaker. And it’s the same sort of service they offer when it comes to ground-up rebuilds of a bike, fantastic quality, brilliant presentation and performance, and reliability to last a lifetime.
Once the owner of this Bonneville had left the bike in their more than capable hands, they could have simply used factory parts to create the illusion of a Thruxton. But that’s just not what they’re about, everything that can be done, within the budget constraints, is taken care of to ensure a premium finish. So, once the bike had been completely stripped back to a bare chassis and they’d modified the subframe to their liking, they decided to come up with their own take on that traditional cafe racer’s humped rear end.
To set the foundation, a metal base is fabricated and the inner fender is retained, but chopped back to clear the new piece. Over the top, the fibreglass tail section mates beautifully with the tank before flowing effortlessly rearward, hiding the chassis rail, before kicking up to create the smooth lines of the upper hump, with the sides gently massaged to create knee dents similar to those you see on the tank. At the other end, the front fender is far more sporty and stealth like than the huge factory offering, with custom mounts holding the blade-style item just off the tyre.
Having knocked the fab work out of the park, the factory tank and side covers were panel beaten back to perfection and carefully prepared for paint. The quality of the finish is only ever as good as the work you do to prepare your surface, and the guys put in the time, resulting in the stunning gloss and matte black contrasting finishes. To break them up, gold leaf was chosen for the graphics and vintage Triumph and T100 logos. To complement the new appearance, the guys have fitted a small Rizoma fairing to the front end for that Thruxton flavour and then added a neatly stitched Alcantara and leather seat.
Having created a stunning silhouette, it was time to improve how the bike felt to ride, and a big part of that performance comes from the wheel change. Improved road holding and a sportier turn-in are achieved by dropping the wheels down to a 17in diameter, with new rims laced up with stainless spokes to the stock hubs. This also allows for a meatier 160-section rear tyre, and a confidence inspiring 120-section Michelin Power One hoop at the pointy end. The suspension too is improved, with the rear featuring adjustable shocks with remote reservoirs, and the front end gets a complete rebuild, with gaiters fitted up for protection and the lower legs repainted black.
And when it comes to the Bonneville, the engine forms as much of the look of the bike as it does in serving to provide the performance, and the STG boys have made sure it’s spot on. The covers have been powder-coated black, for a great look that will last a lifetime and the gold chain and open sprocket cover give a mean look. Speaking of mean, it’s the only way you can describe the sound that pours out of those flowing pipes, running back to a set of high quality SC-Project end cans, originally intended for a Thruxton R. To help the engine breathe a little easier, a K&N filter goes into the airbox and then the engine has been remapped to make the most of the modifications.
All of the finishing work is just as good, with a full suite of LED lighting, including tiny indicators to keep things looking super clean. The front headlight is LED too, but to get it to sit just right, the guys 3D printed new mounts for a more flush fit. A Thruxton also requires a certain riding position, and the first step in making that happen was to take rearsets from that exact model and fit them to the frame. In a similar vein, the guys ditched the sit-up and beg bars and popped on a pair of clip-ons, complete with under-slung mirrors. The finished product, as always from STG Tracker, is simply stunning, and now this best of British beast is more than ready for the back roads of Buenos Aires.
[ STG Tracker ]