Even after more over 120 custom builds, Tamarit Motorcycles no sign of slowing down. To further their search for motorcycle luxury, the Spanish custom shop based their latest work on a 2004 Triumph Bonneville fitted with carburetors. Named ‘Circe’ after the minor goddess of Greek mythology, the venerable Bonnie has been elevated with hints of Baroque-inspired design.
With such an extensive back catalog, it’s tempting to walk on familiar ground. But Tamarit deliberately avoids trends with bobberaims to create something “classic, beautiful and bold”.
The most fundamental changes are Bonneville’s front and rear end. Up front is a set of shiny chrome spring forks, with Bates-style headlights nestled between copper-plated springs. This combination of chrome and brass is a continuous thread, extending to both the wheels and brakes.
Behind the fork is an inverted board style handlebar, equipped with a Biltwell Inc. grip, polishing lever and Motogadget switch and turn signal at the end of the bar. A small Motogadget speedo is mounted low to the right of the spring, like a piece of fitted jewelry.
The back part of the original bike is not much left. The new subframe is built from the main frame, while the swingarm has been converted to a monoshock. Tamarit has used this latter suspension setup on previous versions and it is great to see that they are still developing the technology.
Not only has it been splinted and polished, but the swingarm has also been extended by about 6″. The fiberglass rear fender is attached to the swingarm on a copper-plated frame. Tires are classic Continental tyres; they are put on a narrower wheel available at the front and a solid disc wheel at the rear.
At the top, you’ll see the original Bonneville gas tank, painted white and decorated with some finishing touches. The brass fuel tank cap, gold Tamarit badge, and brown leather kneepads are all top-of-the-line.
The crew wanted to give a sense of movement throughout the bike, where one part flows smoothly into the next. This is most evident in the saddle design, where the leather is folded down to the tank and the saddle is intricately carved. The drill in the seat’s subframe is repeated in parts like the swingarm and rear fender brace, adding another level of cohesion.
The back of the saddle features a custom ‘Circe’ logo and integrated LED taillights. Power is provided by a small battery hidden in the craft box under the swingarm.
The bike has been rebuilt from the ground up with everything running smoothly through the blue Motogadget mo.unit control box, complete with a smartphone app. There’s no key — instead, an RFID padlock is hidden under the front of the seat, activated with a fob.
The engine has been blown up for a super clean look, and the cases are polished to within an inch of their lifespan. The K&N air filter helps the engine breathe easy, and to further improve it, Tamarit built a custom, high-mounted exhaust.
A copper-plated grill protects the rider’s right foot from clipped silencers. After a heat cycle, the stainless steel tips have an iridescent golden color that matches the rest of the bike perfectly.
The Bonneville also features new footpegs and a sump guard from Tamarit’s own portfolio. Sitting right above it is one of our favorite features: the frame’s downpipes have been converted into an oil cooler, with fins that mimic the springs at the front end.
There are countless little caveats like these for bicycles. Tamarit was right to photograph it like a work of art — you could sit and pick new details for hours on end.
Tamarit did not build Circe for any particular customer. Instead, they partnered with prestigious French auction house, Artcurial, to sell it.
If you’re looking for a piece of motor art from one of Europe’s most prolific customizers, the Circe will be up for auction at next year’s Salon Retromobile show, in Paris. After the success of JadeThe last Tamarit bike to be auctioned off by Artcurial, we can’t wait to see how the public reacts to this one.
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