Dave started this build not wanting to go down the route of a traditional bobber, and any part that could fit on this bike was chucked on, but with intention. It’s an amalgamation of parts that form a one of a kind ride.
Bought as a roller, Dave got to work on this 1970 Triumph T120R Bonneville adding on whatever parts he could source for the bike – regardless of make or model. “That’s why the bike got a CBR rear mag – CR125 forks, and a Kawasaki tank just to mention a few. I basically bought every nut & bolt individually, which took hours of searching eBay for that perfect piece, like the Kawasaki Z1000 cable to hydraulic master cylinders to keep the bars clean.”
Dave’s build would slowly take on a unique look, as he incorporated both modern and traditional style to the aesthetic. A lot of hours went into fabricating parts and as Dave admits, more often than not some re-fabricating. “After 6 years it was finally on the road… 7km’s later I blew it up and the bike went in for another total engine rebuild. New crank and rods – by a professional this time (Paul Abdilla) and sure enough the bike was then (touch wood) back on the road a year later. I still had to work a few of the gremlins out, but she’s been a pleasure to ride ever since.”
“I love the oil tank on this bike, it’s an industrial inline water trap/filter turned upside down and gutted. I love the paintwork as well, my painter Joe Webb from Bad Image Painting had worked together on a ton of other bikes so I gave him a free pass to do whatever he wanted; I was shocked and amazed at how good the final product was!”
It’s not just bikes Dave works on, and one of the crowning features of this bike is the leather seat that Dave created himself. He’s been a trimmer since the age of 16, and in 2005 made the decision to branch out and focus on custom bikes – and so Bad Arse Trim Co. was created. “I’ve mainly been doing Harley seats over the years, but lately I’ve been enjoying doing cafe racers. I don’t really do other leather goods, but with my enjoyment of tooling leather have knocked up a couple of tool bags and Bell Moto 3 masks for open face helmets.”
