Air-cooled Triumph The Thruxton remains a solid base for a custom motorcycle. Thanks to the sheer volume they sell — and the internet — parts are plentiful, spare parts are easy to find, and tuning information is plentiful. So it’s no surprise that some stores specialize in customizing them.
This cafe racer started its life as a skeletonized, carbureted Thruxton, but then the team at tamarit motorcycle have their hands on it. Fluent in air-cooled Triumphs (they’re up to 120 now), the Spanish outfit has treated it with hand-made parts, gorgeous paintwork, and a dash of Greek mythology. Lap, and named it ‘Helios’.
Starting with the handcrafted bodywork, monolithic fuel tank and tail unit developed specifically for the project. It features a convenient hydraulically-assisted hinge mechanism that makes it easy to access all bike components without having to disassemble. It is not only practical but also looks luxurious AF.
The saddle is stitched with cream-colored leather that runs along the fuel tank, adding a subtle touch to the bike’s shape.
The custom front apron combines with round, cleverly recessed twin headlights to give the bike just the right amount of endurance racer feel. The headlight area is painted cream color to match the saddle; Another ultra-luxurious touch.
These air-cooled Bonneville engines are more powerful than they seem and hide a bit of the air. With a few selection modifications, owners can actually wake them up—which is exactly what Tamarit did. They rebuilt the entire engine, then tweaked the Keihin carburetor to run with a K&N pod filter.
Tamarit would be remiss to attach an aftermarket exhaust to a custom of this caliber, so they built one from scratch. Stainless steel dual ends wind along the engine to exit under the rear cover. Complete with custom fenders and MotoGP-style hexagonal mesh mufflers on the exhaust outlets, the system is a work of art.
See the fins on the front tubes of the frame? It’s really Tamarit’s own built-in oil cooler—and it’s the coolest cooling system we’ve ever seen on a Triumph.
Custom fenders at the front, mounted on copper plated brackets. Custom forks are mounted on top, machined from aluminum with space for a tiny digital Motogadget tachometer. The clamp bars are Tamarit’s own design and are equipped with a Kustom Tech shifter, Motogadget buttons, turn signals at the end of the bar and mirrors.
The bike is wrapped around the Motogadget control box, hidden under the fuel tank, and starts via keyless entry. The battery and all other electrical components have been miniaturized and hidden under the back of the monocoque body. Looking around the rear of the rear bumper, you’ll see integrated LED taillights and turn signals.
Tamarit also equipped one of their beautiful monoshock conversions for Thruxton, with a drilled subframe welded just above it. Combined with the 6-inch long swingarm and Hagon shock absorber, the whole arrangement fits well with this cafe racer style.
Victory’s classic cog wheel is wound around Thruxton’s original 18F/17R belt. The rear wheel also has a lenticular case with gold trim, made specifically for the project.
The sun god in Greek mythology, Helios, inspired not only the name of this Triumph but also its color scheme. Team Tamarit is so focused on color, that they painted the car several times before switching to this beautiful burnt metallic orange.
No less outstanding than the body, the entire frame and rear grips are chrome plated and polished like a mirror. Flamboyant with gold Tamarit badges, we bet this dazzling Thruxton will look amazing in the setting sun.
Tamarit once again combines classic cafe racer style with modern technology, making Helios one of their best builds to date. From the bodywork, to the engine and exhaust, there are countless details that need to be thoroughly studied.
Helios will fit right in at its new home in Miami.
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