Retro Rescue: PBM’s custom Triumph Bonneville T140

I spend time around people who love old English bikes, and I feel like the Triumph Bonneville T140 cops a bit of flak from the Triumph crowd. Granted, its legendary predecessor, the T120, was a tough act to follow. But while the T140 doesn’t quite have the same allure, it does make for a brilliant custom in the right hands.

Built by the team at Purpose Built Moto from their Gold Coast workshop in Australia, this 1973 Bonneville T140V has been transformed into a very sleek desert sled. Vintage Triumphs aren’t usually their cup of tea, but the PBM gang were more than keen to handle something a little left field. And to make things even more interesting, the bike came to them in a sorry state.

“If you have a nice old bike and you want to keep it that way, make sure you use it,” says Tom Gilroy, ‘Chief of Escapades’ at Purpose Built Moto.

“This project came to us because it had been neglected for so long it was no longer running. Everything had seized up, and without some serious attention it was going to slowly fade away and crumble.”

To kick things off, the entire front end got one hell of a birthday. The forks and brakes were stripped down and rebuilt, with all new finishes applied. PBM fabricated a new front fender and brackets in-house, featuring a looped-over design not too dissimilar from a vintage motorcycle, albeit quite a bit shorter.

The wheel set is one of my favorite parts of this build. It consists of a new set of valanced rims for a bit more vintage flair, laced to the stock hubs. The trials-style rubber comes from Pirelli and certainly looks the part.

The original low profile Bonneville handlebars were retained, but retrofitted with vintage switches and new grips. PBM deleted the tachometer, then cleverly Frenched the factory speedometer into the Lucas-style headlight bucket, along with a set of warning lights. The factory headlight brackets were carried over too, with PBM’s own chrome LED indicators also acting as the headlight bolts.

Moving back to the fuel tank, it was decided that a riff on a factory design would suit the build well. Laid down by Justin at Popbang Classics, a fellow Gold Coast lad, the silver and off-white scheme oozes classic Triumph, but with a modern twist.

With the build progressing, attention was turned to the engine. The carburetors were rebuilt, the top end was adjusted and a new Boyer ignition was fitted.

“According to the owner, it used to run strong—and he was actually on the money,” explains Tom. “The motor was in great condition inside, so we polished up the outside to match, replaced the leaky gaskets and got it started on the second kick.”

All scramblers worth their salt feature a nice exhaust, and this one is no exception. Running high down the left side of the engine is a custom-built stainless steel system. A bit of back pressure never hurt anyone, so PBM used oversized piping so that they could hide some baffles in the end.

As someone who regularly experiences the sound of 744 cc Bonnevilles with lightly-baffled pipes screaming through tunnels, I bet this thing sounds spectacular at wide-open throttle.

Moving upwards, a new seat pan was cut to mirror the frame rails perfectly, and then topped with a nicely shaped piece of foam. The new seat was then sent down the road to Jamason at Timeless Auto Trimming, who stitched together a classic leather cover.

Out back are some more PBM parts. Their new rear fender kit cleans up the back end very nicely; it’s adorned with their own ‘Orbit’ taillight, and flanked by a pair of their LED turn signals. The old shock absorbers had seen better days, so they were promptly replaced with a brand new set that are 20 mm longer.

What do Tom and the PBM team think of the end result? It’s not exactly a surprising end note.

“Being our first vintage Triumph, I’d never actually ridden any of the old twins,” describes Tom. “About 3.5 seconds into the test ride I fully understood why these bikes were just so damn popular. The sound from the exhaust and rattle of the engine is what draws you in—then you rip back the throttle and realize that this dinosaur can move!”

“It is surprisingly fast and with the suspension upgrades, it’s a killer bike to get around on. Seeing as I had to hand it back to our client to enjoy for many years to come, I might have to add an old Triumph to my ever-growing list.”

Purpose Built Moto | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Brandan Trudinger

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Vespizzatevi! A custom vintage Vespa from 2LOUD

Ever since Max Yicheng broke onto the scene, he’s made one thing abundantly clear: he can apply his signature style to just about any bike. The man behind the 2LOUD Custom moniker has wrenched on everything from big fours to pint-sized Honda Cubs, with stunning results every time. So when a friend asked for a custom Vespa, Max was all too happy to oblige.

Max’s friend loves classic Vespa scooters in particular, so the donor bike was pieced together from the Italian marque’s greatest hits. The body is a 1960s Vespa 90 unit, while the engine comes from the newer 1980s PK 125. But neither are in original condition any more.

Not only has the monocoque chassis been restored to showroom condition, but it’s sporting some tasteful mods too.

The horn, although customized, sits front and center like it always has on vintage Vespas—but the front fender adornment is new. Max kept the period-correct Vespa and Piaggio badging too, but that’s where the OEM stuff ends.

Vespatisti will immediate notice a major change up in the cockpit. This Vespa wears a set of custom bars, stretched and dropped in a sort of scooter-cum-café racer style. The steering housing has been rebuilt to match, and is kitted with a new headlight from Germany’s SIP-Scootershop.

Max installed a custom CNC-machined throttle and lever assembly too, along with new grips and one-off bar-ends. Finishing things off are vintage switch clusters, with a single mirror attached to the left of the fairing, lower down.

Also unmissable is this Vespa’s new café racer-style tail section. Featuring a traditional stitching pattern and a customary rear hump, it’s executed perfectly—right down to small details like the carefully crafted seat hinge. The seat flips up to reveal a storage compartment, while the hump forms part of the fuel tank.

Max finished the rear half of the scooter off with a hand-formed engine intake cover, and a cheeky Mooneyes taillight. The tidy floor trim kit and side stand are also fresh additions.

Look even closer, and you’ll spot non-standard wheels and suspension. The rims come from SIP, and are wrapped in Bridgestone Battlax BT39 scooter tires.

Each end’s held up on a new BGM shock, and Max has even customized the braking system.

Then there’s the motor, which has had almost as much work as the rest of the bike. Inside you’ll find a 136 cc upgrade from Malossi, complete with a racing crankshaft from Mazzucchelli. Max also installed a new seamless clutch with carbon steel plates, and a lightweight CNC-machined distributor with a custom cover.

A PWK30 carb feeds the motor via an MRP intake manifold. Gasses exit via a custom JL titanium exhaust system (also supplied by SIP), featuring a ceramic coated header.

There’s nothing too loud about the Vespa’s paint scheme though. It’s been finished in a timeless piano black, complemented by a selection of chromed and electroplated parts, and just a hint of pin striping.

The whole thing is so tasteful, that from a distance it could easily pass for a stock vintage Vespa. But under close scrutiny, it displays the kind of charming style that we’ve come to expect from Max’s work.

It also makes a strong case for customizing vintage Italian scooters that purists might otherwise leave alone. More custom Vespas, anyone?

2LOUD Facebook | Instagram

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Second time round: reviving a rotary engine motorcycle

The motorcycling world is replete with mechanical oddities that never really caught on. Think hub center steering, two-wheel drive, and even automatic transmissions. But top of the list has got to be the rotary engine. Despite its limited success in the mainstream car world, there are plenty of folks who have tried to make a Wankel-powered motorcycle.

Suzuki is probably the best known, with the RE5. But around the same time, the Dutch company Van Veen was also experimenting, and so was the German outfit Hercules—with its imposing W-2000.

This is the first time we’ve seen a custom Hercules, but it was built by a man who will be familiar to regular visitors of this site: Greg Hageman. Greg made his name with Virago customs, but these days, he can turn his hand to just about anything with two wheels.

That made him the perfect choice for client Alessandro Bonomi, who was intrigued by the idea of a first-of-its-kind rotary restomod.

Alessandro is particularly fascinated by the story of Hercules: “There’s something magical about forgotten automotive dreams and relics,” he ruminates. “One notion was the idea that rotary engines could have been the future of motorcycles.”

“On paper, the thought appeared to be genius. A system that would reduce vibration and provide uniform torque, while providing considerable weight savings. Unfortunately, it was the right idea but not the right time.”

Finding the right donor bike was paramount, because resuscitating or repairing a poor condition rotary engine from the 70s would be tricky. As luck would have it, Greg’s father-in-law happened to have an ultra-rare Hercules W-2000 in his collection. And believing in what Greg and Alessandro were setting out to do, he was willing to part with it.

“This human and emotional connection made the build that much more special,” says Alessandro. So I dedicated the bike and build to my own father, titling the adventure ‘Project Andy’.”

Alessandro pitched his vision to Greg, with ideas around design and performance upgrades. Because even by 1970s standards, a Hercules W-2000 is quite rustic—and the 294cc Sachs air-cooled single rotor engine is a pretty basic mill, despite the unusual technology.

“I saw this as a positive, because we had a ‘pure,’ early industrial rotary engine, undisturbed by unnecessary complexity. It was the parts surrounding the engine that needed the most attention.”

The Hercules had predictable if somewhat slow handling, so Greg has upgraded the suspension with Yamaha XS650 forks. These have been overhauled with new tubes and seals, plus innards from Race Tech—including Gold Valve cartridge emulators.

The hubs are XS650 too, both front and rear, and laced up to new 17-inch rims from Buchanan’s. They’re 3.5 inches wide at the front and 4.25 at the back, and laced up with heavy duty stainless spokes. The tires are Avon MKII, with a period-correct tread pattern matched to modern construction.

There’s no shortage of braking power though, because Greg has installed the front calipers from a 2003 Yamaha YZF-R1 using billet adaptors, along with 320 mm Brembo rotors. They’re fed by a Magura HC1 radial master cylinder.

At the rear, there’s an XS650 drum—upgraded with new shoes from EBC—flanked by a pair of custom-spec Hagon Nitro shocks.

The finishes are top-notch, from the steely glint of the CNC-machined Motogadget grips to the newly-plated hardware and the stunning metalflake paint, which was shot by Tampa-based Moe Colors.

The graphics on the stock tank are inspired, mirroring the shape of the side covers, and everything else has been neatly refinished in powder or Cerakote by Schwarz Powder Coating in Illinois.

In factory form the Hercules looks a little stodgy, but Greg has smartly lightened the aesthetics with a new seat upholstered by Tuffside, and a waspish little tail unit. He’s also added a classic quarter-fairing at the front, which houses a Custom Dynamics ProBEAM LED headlight behind a clear dome.

As always with builds like this, a lot of the work is hidden. That includes the new electrical system, which should banish any vestiges of vintage unreliability. The hidden goodies are mostly Motogadget componentry, with an mo.unit Bluetooth control box feeding out to a speedo, switchgear and turn signals from the same manufacturer.

This W-2000 is one of those builds that could have gone horribly wrong, but Alessandro is very pleased with the result.

“It’s like no bike I’ve ever ridden,” he enthuses. “She’s light, nippy, and unexpectedly fast. But more than anything, there is a different energy when you hit the throttle … the bike almost disappears from beneath, there are no real vibrations, and you simply find yourself gliding effortlessly.”

We’d give anything to swing a leg over this one and see what smooth rotary power feels like in a lightweight, updated chassis. Alessandro is the first to admit that the Hercules project is ‘idealistic,’ but his dollars and imagination have also turned the spotlight back onto a lost moment in motorcycle history.

More like this, please.

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Ctrl Z: Ellaspede rebuilds their first Honda XR600

The Honda XR600 has a cult following across the globe, and for good reason. As the original king of the Baja 1000, it’s one of the best big singles to ever tear across the desert. And while it might look outdated against modern machines, it’s still a great bike to own—and customize.

The Australian custom shop Ellaspede has a particular soft spot for the venerable XR. One of the first custom motorcycles they ever built was based on a 1998-model XR600 [below], way back in 2011. And now they’ve dragged that very same scrambler back into the workshop for a makeover.

“It’s always hard to let go of first loves,” says Ellaspede’s Hughan Seary, “so this XR600 was ridden around and used for promotional duties and shows throughout the years, until the motor was due for a refresh and pulled from the frame. But as customer builds come first, it then sat stagnant for the following years, waiting in the wings for its second lease on life.”

When their tenth birthday rolled around last year, the Ellaspede team decided it would be the perfect time to revive the Honda. Around that time a customer, Tom, serendipitously decided that he wanted a custom XR600 of his own. He already had a suitable donor and a specific direction in mind—but then he visited the workshop, and his plans quickly changed.

“We took a walk with him down memory lane about our original XR600 that we still owned,” explains Hughan. “It seemed like a perfect match to get him behind the bars on this renewed build.”

One of the big ideas for the second pass at the XR involved a bigger electric start motor. Tom hopped onto Facebook Marketplace and found a dismantled NX650 Dominator, complete with an engine rebuild kit. With that, the project was officially underway.

The Dominator engine went off to Wayne at All Carts & Cycles, who rebuilt it with a larger piston, a solid porting job and a whole handful of unnamed internal upgrades.

While that was happening, Ellaspede tore the XR600 down to its nuts and bolts to prep it for its remake. “We’ve learned a lot in the last ten-plus years of building bikes,” says Hughan. “There was plenty we wanted to update or upgrade based on those learnings, to ensure the XR600 was once again the best it could be.”

High on the list was a complete overhaul of the Honda’s suspension. Ellaspede sourced a pair of well-worn Honda CRF forks, then stripped them, cleaned them up and anodized them black. They shortened them by 100 mm too, then mated the XR600 stem to the CRF yokes to fit them to the bike, and turned a new set of spacers to reinstall the original build’s 18” front wheel.

The rear shock was upgraded to a beefier unit with an external reservoir, but it was far from a straight swap. Ellaspede had to rebuild the shock and shorten its stroke, plus they had to modify the upper suspension mount on the frame itself.

The rebuilt Dominator mill was popped back in the frame with a 42 mm Mikuni pumper carb. Ellaspede kept the two-into-two exhaust that they built for the Honda the first time around, but added new baffles and re-coated everything.

Next up, they fabricated a new battery box to make room for the new air filter placement, and to accommodate the extra electrical bits that weren’t there with the older kickstart-only engine. And since neither the XR600 or Dominator wiring looms would have been suitable without substantial mods, they built a new system from scratch too.

Other small upgrades included a Daytona Velona speedo, a Koso Thunderbolt LED headlight, and a Hawkeye LED taillight. Ellaspede wedged the taillight into the same recessed housing that they had built before, and kept the original Posh turn signals. There’s also a USB charge port up front now.

The rest of the work focused mostly on refreshing parts that weren’t up to par, and making small tweaks, like lengthening the side stand. But for the general aesthetic, Tom was happy to keep things mostly the same.

“I really loved the look of the original build, and still to this day,” he says. “Even with the excessive amount of XR builds that are scattered across the web, I haven’t seen an XR quite like it. I put it down to the textbook slender XR600 frame, the unusual color scheme, the 18F/18R wheel combination, and fat tires that really set this bike off.”

With that in mind, Ellaspede kept the original build’s Honda XL500 fuel tank, but added new fenders at both ends. The original seat had large ‘630’ numbering on it in reference to the engine capacity, so that had to go. The crew stashed it away for nostalgia’s sake, and built a new unit from scratch with matching green stitching.

With new Heidenau K60 tires spooned on, Tom’s refurbished Honda XR was ready for delivery. “Now that the bike is finished, it continues to grow on me,” he tells us. “Cheers to the legends at Ellaspede for holding onto this fine machine for me for the best part of 12 years!”

“One thing is for sure, I’ll be holding onto this bike for many years to come—I’m sure it will outlive me!”

Ellaspede | Facebook | Instagram

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Automotive Smart Key Market Set to Grow

Vehicle keys have undergone a significant transformation in the last few decades. The traditional mechanical keys have been replaced by programmable, transponders, proximity FOBs, and Tibbe keys that are not only smart but convenient too. The introduction of hybrid and electric vehicles will also provide a fillip to the smart key segment. The automotive smart key market is set to grow to $12,020.4 million by 2028 from $8,023.9 million in 2021 at a CAGR of 5.9%. The segment comprises single function keys and multiple function smart keys that can prevent vehicle lockout situations.

While the growth of single-function keys is driven by the growing requirement for enhanced vehicle security, the multi-function keys are convenient and allow the drivers to keep the key fob in the pocket when unlocking or locking, or even starting the vehicle. The use of smart keys also requires the vehicle owners to stay in touch with certified automotive locksmiths who can program a new transponder key or make duplicate keys in case of a lockout. Cerrajero Metro Puerto Rico, a leading provider of emergency locksmith services, is fully equipped with modern and up-to-date tools required to make duplicate vehicle keys in case your smart key is lost or breaks down or is damaged.

What Makes Smart Keys Attractive?

Leading car makers like BMW are developing new technological solutions to strengthen their position. And in the process, they are integrating advanced technologies like IoT, artificial intelligence, and 5G networks to offer smart solutions that not only make driving easy but also safe. Smart keys are a common feature of the latest luxury and electric vehicles, and they enable the automatic unlocking of the doors even without being inserted. And when the driver is leaving the vehicle, it gets locked by either pressing a button on a door handle or by simply closing the door. Some manufacturers even make remote control keys that can be used to open or close the vehicle doors from a distance. Expert San Juan locksmiths can not only help you in reprogramming your remote-controlled keys in case they malfunction, but also make new ones in case of a lockout.

Developments in the Smart Key Segment

The demand for advanced safety and security features in the vehicles has also led the vehicle manufacturers to offer multi-functional smart keys. Some major developments in the area are:

• Keys that can be integrated with the customer’s phone through Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.
• Some cars come with band-type wearable smart keys that not only enable the remote opening of the car doors and engine start but also feature real-time fitness trackers.
• Some multi-function keys also allow drivers to check the tire pressure and fuel levels while others are programmed to restrict the maximum speed of a car.

Some car manufacturers are even tying up with app manufacturers to develop digital car keys that can be used from smartphones and watches. The smart key market is expected to witness the mass production of UWB (Ultra-Wide Band) keys by automobile giants like BMW, NIO, Audi, Hyundai, and Ford. The UWB technology will ensure keyless entry, remote parking, autonomous driving, micro-navigation, proximity sensing, vehicle interior detection, and rain-sensing from a single digital key. Get ready to benefit from the union of smart technology with the automotive locksmith industry.

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Can You Get A Car with Bad Credit?

For many drivers, getting a car on finance with bad credit can be worrying. If you’ve already been refused car finance due to a low credit score, you may be wondering if you’ll ever be able to get a car. It’s a common misconception that having a bad credit score can mean you can’t get approved for loans or car finance. However, with more bad credit car finance lenders coming to the market and more focus on affordability rather than credit history, it can be possible. The guide below has been designed to explore how you can increase your chances of buying your first car with bad credit, and how to boost your credit score along the way.

How does bad credit affect car finance?

When it comes to car finance for bad credit, it’s all about your ability to make payments and how much you can afford to pay for finance. Lenders will want to take a look at how you’ve handled credit in the past and if you’ve not kept on top of your payments, you may find yourself with a low credit score. However, you can’t form new financial habits if you aren’t given the opportunity to take out finance again. By choosing the right lender and increasing your credit score, you can avoid being refused car finance and get the car you want. Let’s take a look at the factors you should consider before you start applying for car loans.

Check your credit file

The first place you should start is with your credit file. If you don’t know where you currently fall on the credit scale, you may need a little refresh. You should make sure all the information listed on your credit file is accurate and up to date. Incorrect information can negatively impact your credit score and make it harder for finance lenders to verify that you say you are. If you have taken out credit in the past with someone who has bad credit, you could consider removing them from your credit file. If you have no active credit with them, their bad credit score could be negatively impacting yours too. If you wish to make any changes to your credit report, you can contact the credit referencing agency who provided your credit file for more information.

Save up for a deposit

Many drivers want bad credit deals with no down payment but having a deposit can actually work in your favour. Its recommended that you save up some money to put down for a deposit in the run up to your car finance application. Putting more money in for your car finance deal reduces how much you need to borrow from the lender and makes your loan smaller. Smaller loans can be easier to pay back and can reduce your monthly payments. Lenders can also favour people with a deposit as it can show good financial management.

Get a co-signer

Getting car finance for bad credit can sometimes be hard on your own, and you may be considering taking out finance with someone else. A guarantor car loan is when a friend or family member agree to pay your car finance if you fail to do so. From a lenders point of view, they essentially have two chances for the loan to be paid back and can be suited to people with bad credit. Alternately, if you’re a couple who want to own a car together, but your credit score is holding you back, you could consider taking out a joint car finance agreement.

Choose the right lender

If you have bad credit, it can be hard to get approved with mainstream lenders. However, there are more bad credit specialist lenders who are on hand to help you get car finance. By choosing a car finance agreement such as hire-purchase, you could get a car on finance with affordable monthly payments. Hire-purchase is a form of secured loan, which means the lender owns the car until the final payment has been made. If you fail to make your repayments, the lender can use the car as collateral and has the right to take the car off you.

Increase your credit score

Having a better credit score can have a whole range of benefits to your financial life. If you’re struggling to get approved for finance with bad credit, you could consider increasing your credit score before you start applying. You can do this by reducing any existing debt you have, paying your bills on time and in full, not taking on any more credit and keeping your credit usage low.

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