IDE I THE SHADE

bought the bike, a 1960 Triumph Tiger 100, the single carb 500cc model, that'd been hardtailed already, complete and running on 1st June last year, but only rode it once. Don't get me wrong, it rode just fine, well in fact, but it leaked oil everywhere... no, really, I mean everywhere. I guess that's kinda normal for an old Triumph (it is 60 years old after all!), but for me it was just leaking too much! I instantly named the bike Beetlejuice because it's shiny, smooth, black, and'd leave oil everywhere.

I instantly loved how it rode

- the hardtail rear end made it such a fun bike. I hadn't ridden that many bikes (I'm just 27), and was really only used to an XJR1200, which was much heavier, so I really liked being on an older, more nimble, bike with tons of character.

Anyway, I had loads of enthusiasm, and pulled the engine out for a rebuild but, once the engine was out, it turned into a full strip and rebuild. I didn't have a garage or a workshop to do it in either; it was built in a tiny silver tent, just big enough for the bike and me, behind the house, with no real power - just a 12v strip light connected to a car battery at night. On nice days I'd pull it out of the tent and work on it under some nice big trees, so I guess you could say that this bike was made in the shade.

Shortly after I'd pulled the whole thing apart ready for powder-coat and more, I only bloody badly broke my collarbone falling off a motocross bike (only a month after buying it!), and that meant I had to go through the rest of the build, and put it all together, with one arm in a sling! I made the most of having six weeks off work sick, although I probably should've been resting more, and the bike was completed by the end of August.

The head, once the engine was pulled apart, was found to be toast, but Paul at PR Motorcycle Engineering, who pronounced it so far gone that it was, pretty much, beyond economic repair, and so sourced, and rebuilt, me a Daytona head. Yeah,

I know the Daytona, the performance version of the 500 Triumph, has a twincarb head, but he used a special intake manifold he does, and re-fitted my single original Amal, and set it up to run just perfectly. He also re-bored the barrels and fitted new pistons, and gave the rest of the motor a good check-over. He was a real help with info on this build, as he knows lots about old Triumphs (and quite a lot of other bikes, too) - invaluable as this is my first one. And he only lives two miles down the road from me as well!

While the engine was away, the frame was sent off to Colorcote in Hethel, just outside Wymondham, to be blasted and 'coated in plain and simple black powder. Everything else was checked over, and any worn parts replaced as a matter of course. Then, when the motor came back, I spent many long hours (well, they felt long!) in my little tent, with just the one arm, putting it all back together again. It all went back as it should, not without some swearing and scraped knuckles of course, and by the end of August it was all up and running again.

You'll notice I haven't really mentioned the paint, and that's because I didn't touch it - it was already in good order, and I was happy with just the plain and simple, under-stated black. Giving it a top-notch paint scheme would've detracted from the classic lines of the old bike - it looks just right in simple, straightforward black. Besides that, it's a bike built to be ridden, and I want to ride it and not worry too much about scratching or chipping it. It's not going to get ridden all-year round though, don't get me wrong - just on dry days when riding's fun.

I'm really happy with the outcome, and I can't wait to get more into the bike scene, and meet even more like-minded people. I love how simple and clean the bike is - it stands out without trying, and at the first place I rode it to - So Low Choppers' open day (where Nik saw it) - it got lots of attention, far more than I was expecting. I just want to get out and ride it more now!

ENGINE:

1960 Triumph Tiger 100 500, Triumph Daytona head, single carb manifold/Amal carb, aftermarket air-filter, modified exhausts

FRAME:

Modified 1960 Triumph Tiger 100, aftermarket bolt-on hardtail, Triumph controls 'pegs

STUFF:

Avon SM MK2 tyres, Triumph drum brake wheels (TLS front), stock forks (polished)/yokes/ controls, Triumph T120 Bonnie 'bars, Biltwell grips/solo seat, stock tank, custom rear 'guard/ alloy oil tank/battery box/sidemount 'plate/mudguard struts, headlight toggle switch on frame, internal wiring, minimal loom, bottom-mount 5.75" Bates, aftermarket tail light

FINISH:

Gloss black paint by builder, powder-coating by Colorcote (01953 607789 or www.colorcote. co.uk), polishing by owner

ENGINEERING:

Barrels re-bored/head rebuilt by PR Motorcycle Engineering (01508 471178 or www. prmotorcycleengineering.co.uk), bike stripped/rebuilt by owner

THANKS TO:

"Paul at PR Motorcycle Engineering; Colorcote..."