Triumph’s current crop of modern classics shows real divergence from model to model. From differences in engine size and tuning, to model-specific geometry and variations in parts that go beyond basic trim, each bike is built for a purpose. But that wasn’t always the case.
Back in the air-cooled era, the Bonneville, Thruxton, and Scrambler were separated more by styling cues and ergonomics than substance. This approach to platform sharing was the inspiration behind this Triumph Bonneville café racer. It’s the work of our good friends Marcelo Obarrio and Germán Karp, who operate as STG Tracker out of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
STG Tracker’s mission was to turn the 2011-model Triumph Bonneville T100 into a café racer; a riff on the traditional Thruxton formula, dialed to eleven. The brief included a full fairing and a traditional café racer seat, with low-slung bars and rear-set pegs to match.
Marcelo and Germán started by fine-tuning the Bonneville’s stance. The 19” front wheel was swapped for a 17” hoop, and the rear end was propped up on a new set of adjustable piggyback shocks. The tires are a 120-wide Michelin Power One (front) and a 160-wide Mitas Sportforce (rear), and the brakes use the OEM Nissin calipers with new floating discs.
STG also kept the stock fuel tank and side covers, retaining some of the Bonneville’s DNA. Further back, the guys shaped a fiberglass tailpiece that takes cues from the air-cooled Thruxton seat, but is more compact and stylish. Details include indents that echo the shape of the tank, and tidy Alcantara and leather upholstery.
A tidy blank-off plate sits underneath the tail, integrated seamlessly with the abbreviated subframe. Tiny LEDs are mounted to the upper rear shock mounts via custom brackets, doing double duty as taillights.
Most of the work went into crafting the Bonneville’s generous fairing. “We wanted to make it out of fiberglass in just one piece, so it would look clean with no seams,” says Marcelo. “Yes, it was a bit tricky to mount—we had to lift the front fork and take off the front wheel to slide it into place.”
Despite how much real estate it occupies, the fairing cuts an elegant silhouette. It’s attached to a custom mounting system, with mesh-lined vents lower down to help keep the exhaust headers cool. An LED headlight sits out front, but the rectifier, which is normally situated below the light, has been relocated.
The Triumph’s original speedo and tacho live behind the fairing’s tinted windscreen, flanked by clip-ons. The bars wear new grips, bar-end mirrors, and a smartphone mount from SP Connect. The ignition’s been moved to the left-hand side of the bike, tucked away between the fairing and the frame.
Slim LED turn signals are secured to the sides of the fairing, while a stubby fender hovers over the front wheel, held in place by a unique diamond-shaped bracket. Triumph Thruxton rear-sets, retrofitted to the T100, complete the control package.
When it comes to picking a livery, STG never misses. This Bonneville café racer wears an intoxicating blend of gloss and matte black finishes, complemented by goldleaf striping and logos, all laid down by Dibu Hernandez. Most of the Bonneville’s hard parts are done in black—including its 865 cc parallel-twin engine.
If you’re familiar with this generation of Triumphs, you’ll know how peachy this particular powerplant is. So STG skipped the performance mods, opting to simply upgrade the air filter to a DNA unit and remapping the engine. Modified SC-Project cans, originally intended for the Triumph Thruxton, create an appropriate level of raucousness.
STG Tracker’s Triumph Bonneville café racer proves that you don’t need to go overboard to make a statement. With sharp styling and clever mods, it delicately balances form and function—without losing its soul.
STG Tracker | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Darío Rodriguez
