Triumph Bonnieville Cafe Racer

It’s been a while since Purpose Built Moto turned its attention to a nice, simple Bonneville custom. These bikes are a staple for riders wanting a reliable, classically styled machine on which they can rack up miles. The Bonneville SE was introduced with a sportier 17” wheel set.

Tony reached out to us looking for a substantial facelift for his bike, along with some custom touches and a few mods to make the ride more exciting. We started with a set of Canyon spoked wheels, giving the Bonneville a 180 rear tyre and a lighter wheel set all round. Paired with Matris fork cartridges and YSS rear shocks, the bike now sits slightly lower, and its handling has been drastically improved by better technology and reduced unsprung weight.

We kept the custom fabrication simple—just a few basic modifications to create a cleaner overall look. Beginning with the exhaust, we crafted a polished stainless steel 2-into-1 system ending in a PBM torpedo muffler. Routing the exhaust along what’s usually deemed the “B-side” of the bike gave us new shapes to work with, as Cody fabricated a set of swirling headers that sweep down the side.

The tail has been shortened and hooped, with a polished aluminium fender mounted, complete with a tail tidy, Orbit tail light, and a set of our all-new OMNI lights. All pulled from the Purpose Built Moto product range, the tail is as clean and simple as it gets. Up front, the bike sports a set of OMNI light indicators and a 7” Flashpoint headlight mounted on PBM fork brackets. We retained the factory gauge but modified its mount for a better fit. The low-rise bars are finished off with slim mirrors and Daytona grips.

As fabrication wrapped up and paint colours were being discussed, we decided to add some detailing to the side covers. Using the PBM Delta logo with a mesh backing, we created a clean effect that contrasts the flat midnight blue against stainless steel mesh. To complement the vintage tone, we paired the midnight blue paint with Triumph’s classic cursive logo from 1904–1922. We also chose to leave the fenders unpainted, opting instead to polish both the front and rear aluminium pieces.

Once the suspension was rebuilt and all the painted parts were reassembled, the bike was sent to Dynomite Moto for an airbox upgrade and a flash tune on the dyno. The finishing touch was a walnut-coloured seat trimmed by Timeless Auto Trim, perfectly matching the midnight blue paint. Brown seats aren’t something you’ll see from us very often anymore, but some bikes just need it!

Our focus with this Bonneville was to keep the ride simple while making big-impact changes. At first glance, it’s obviously a Triumph Bonneville, but the modifications we’ve made have elevated its finish quality, styling, and performance. We’re in the midst of some very large, in-depth, and intricate projects here at PBM, so it was nice to get back to a foundational build.

I’ve always said Triumph Bonneville engines are a great base for a custom bike; personally, I prefer the 270-degree variants, but the ride on this one is entertaining on all roads. With the lighter wheel set, Pirelli tyres, and suspension upgrades, the handling has been immensely improved. Paired with a bit more horsepower unlocked from the parallel twin, you’ve got an epic custom bike that you can ride daily without any hassle.