Before Brice Hennebert started building race-inspired machines as Workhorse Speed Shop, he ran another workshop with a friend, called Kruz Company. The two Belgian builders split amicably a while ago, but there was one notable casualty in the divorce: this Triumph Speed Triple.
Brice and his former partner Olivier first took on the Speed Triple 1050 seven years ago. They set out to build it with a monocoque carbon fiber body, but that’s as far as they got. And when they went their separate ways, Olivier got a full time job and Brice got busy on new projects as Workhorse.
The Speed Triple was boxed and almost forgotten. Then, last summer, the original client called up Brice, and asked him if he had time to slot in the build. Luckily, Brice had a gap in his schedule—so he dusted off the 2009-spec Triumph and got back into it.
Despite being shaped seven years ago, the design of the Triumph’s custom bodywork hasn’t dated. And that’s a good thing, because it took a considerable effort to produce it in the first place. “It was such a challenge,” says Brice.
“I shaped a half bike from pieces of insulation foam, then we decided to 3D scan the shape. At this time, 3D scans were quite prehistoric—super massive, and super tricky. So that was an epic adventure, and eventually didn’t work.”
“Finally it was my friend Christophe from Formae Design who created a CAD model from the foam block. After this first endless step, we asked another guy to build the molds and the carbon fiber piece. At this stage, the project had taken more than a year already.”
The entire structure weighs about two kilos, and sits on a new chromoly subframe (Brice turfed the subframe that they originally built). Underneath it is a custom-built, 13-liter aluminum fuel cell. The bike’s been rewired around a Motogadget mo.unit control box, and all the components are tucked away under the tail and fuel cell.
The cover that rounds out the back of the tail section is a 3D-printed part, with a taillight and turn signals from Highsider embedded into it. Up top is a custom seat from one of Europe’s most prolific upholsterers: Silver Machine in Amsterdam.
Brice left the Speed Triple’s wheels and Brembo brakes alone, but upgraded the suspension with fork cartridges and a rear shock from Nitron.
The yokes are CNC-machined items from Vinco Racing, built to Brice’s design, which includes space for a Motogadget speedo. The cockpit also features new clip-ons, Motogadget mini-switches, and Brembo brake and Harris Performance clutch controls.
There’s a carbon fiber fender up front, an LSL chain guard out back, and a fuel cap, fluid reservoirs and rear sets from Rizoma. The exhaust is a full titanium system from Zard, but it’s the only shiny part on the bike—Brice has finished most of the other parts in Cerakote black.
Brice reckons the Speed Triple’s shed about 35 kg during the build, while taking on a way more aggressive riding position. And now that it’s finally done, he’s looking to offer it as a kit, with extra parts like a belly pan and a fairing.
“The target is to keep the basic version of the kit under €12,000,” he says, “including the donor bike. It’s a good, powerful and popular bike that you can find for around €4,000 across the world, with a hell of an engine that’s really fun to ride in all conditions.”
We’re not the only ones digging this design, because Brice is already talking to potential customers—one of which wants this style applied to the Street Triple. Watch this space.
Workhorse Speed Shop | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Antoine Hotermans
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