Paradise Regained

The Iron Built section of IBW had some of the most exotic customs this country has to offer. We caught up with Adil Dumasia, founder of Transfigure Custom House, to take a closer look at his latest creations

Bike India (BI): Let’s start with the Firdaus. Could you tell me something more about the inspiration behind the bike?

Adil Dumasia (AD): Basically, Firdaus means “paradise” in the Persian language. So, I wanted to depict my imagination of paradise in the art form on a motorcycle. No better chance than when I was invited to compete in the Middle East biker build-off. I don’t know if I would ever get a customer who wants this, so I wanted a chance to do something of my own and depict it on my own bike.

There are a few interesting details such as the Pegasus on the tank. Tell us some more.

The Pegasus, angel wings, the stars are some of the details. There is also a hand giving out divine light. There are different colours of flowers and feathers floating around. There is also a lot of gold leafing work done by me and I have actually used Swarovski crystals as stars and butterflies. I ordered it from Austria and I’ve actually done all the hand-work on the bike. There is also an infinity knot that runs all around the bike. Basically, if you look at the seat, it has got a wooden frame with engraved leather work on it.

Every aspect has been designed and built. This was the first time we built our own wheels. The rims, spokes, and hub were all made in house. A lot of work has gone into this bike and it took over three and a half months to build. If you take a close look at the caps, you will see that no gold is being exposed. There is a cover on the axle and the swing-arm. Every bit and piece has a lot of detail. You can also see a lot of brass work around the bike. The risers and the hand-grips are made of brass. The front suspension has also been designed in house with every brass bolt on it made in house. If you also take a look, there are brass bolts which bind the springer on the fork.

We have done a lot of the work ourselves and haven’t outsourced anything. That is the whole fun of making a custom build. The tank is also unique. It is a two-in-one tank. The left side has got fuel and the right side has engine oil. It is not bifurcated with a single plate. There is a hollow chamber and we have built a tank within a tank on the right side. There is air circulation around so that heat does not go to the surface of the tank. So, when a rider is riding, he should not feel the heat. A lot of thought went into the building of this bike.

BI: What is the bike that you created this build around?

The heart is a Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight, 1200-cc. I have not used much of the bike. Basically, I have used only the engine and brake calipers. Everything else has been built in house, including the chassis. I was competing against an Italian bike builder who had 28 years of building experience compared to my seven years. It was a huge deal for me to be invited. I took up the challenge and won with a good number of votes, so that was a proud feeling for me to represent India and win.

That’s great. Congratulations! Now, let’s talk about your second creation. Tell us about the bike and what it’s called.

The second bike is the Albrassco. I have named it because I have made it using aluminium, brass, stainless steel, and copper. So “Al” is aluminium, “bra” is brass, “ss” is stainless steel, and “co” is copper. This is the first-ever BSA bike to be made paintless. I have not used any ferrous material that can corrode or rust; so, it’s a completely rust-free bike. I can say it’s a non-corrosive bike. If you see, there is a lot of stainless-steel work on the chassis and the swing-arm. Made it look like a hard tail giving the essence of the bike as a vintage bike but done a lot of modern things.

I have designed my own girder fork which looks very modern. The rear swing-arm also. You will probably not see the suspension because it’s under the seat; it is a reverse suspension working in order. The seat has been fabricated in-house, not using MS springs but making everything in stainless steel. Everything of that sort is basically rust-free, every bolt in the engine has been removed and replaced with a brass or a stainless steel one. If you see the bike, it has its own colour and character because of the colour of the metal. No paint has been used anywhere. It’s a completely hand-built bike. We did for the AMD world championship at INTERMOT. This happens every alternate year. I was invited to compete in it and this bike ranked 25th amongst 106 in the world, which was a big achievement.

INTERMOT is one of the biggest expos out there, the one in Cologne, right?

Yes, this took place in Germany. I got a lot of recognition there for it since a lot of bike builders appreciated the hand-work done on it. So, yeah, that’s the Albrassco for you.

And what did you say it’s based on?

It is a BSA 31. It’s a 1953 model and it is a perfectly riding bike. One-kick start. When I bought it, it was running on only one gear. It was stuck on the third gear. We had to open up the bike and re-do it, which we did in 58 days, which was very good for us but it took a lot of build hours. We took almost 650 hours. The last seven days were really hectic but we just built it in time and shipped it out to Germany.

Any other unique facets about this bike?

I would, maybe, just like to add one more point. I have removed all the cable-work and converted everything into hydraulics. All clutch and brake cables are done away with. I have built my own hydraulic chamber.

‘I got a lot of recognition there [Germany] for it [the Albrassco] since a lot of bike builders appreciated the handwork done on it’