There must be something in the water (or the gasolina) on the Iberian Peninsula. The custom motorcycle scene in Spain is booming, and Portugal is not far behind. This is the latest build from Porto’s Ton-Up Garage; it’s a classy Triumph Bonneville T100 that could pass as a desirable limited edition from the Hinckley factory itself.
According to Ton-Up’s Pedro Oliveira, “Our goal was to build a classic urban motorcycle—with fine lines, an elegant shape and distinguished colors. Our client lives in Lisbon, and he wanted a bike to use daily in the city center.”
So Ton-Up started with a 2002-model T100, finished in green and silver, and with a full complement of chrome. The engine was repainted black, new air filters fitted and the carbs re-jetted to match. On went a pair of off-road exhaust pipes, similar in style to the originals but freer-flowing (and a little bit louder).
Ton-Up chopped the rear frame and built a completely new section designed to house the electrics and the ignition system, and to hide the battery. A new rear seat was also designed, upholstered in comfortable quilted brown leather.
The T100 fuel tank was painted in contrasting shades of pearl white, black and copper, and the handmade fenders are finished in white too. The front suspension has been lowered slightly and at the back, retuned Harley-Davidson Iron rear shocks have been fitted. (The rear wheel has also gone down a size from 17” to 16”, but rolls on slightly fatter rubber.)
Milwaukee also supplied the black handlebar, finished with vintage-style clear brown grips. A mini speedo, chrome taillight, and a headlight with a copper ring keep the ancillaries neat.
The finish is easily up to factory standards, but Ton-Up has given this Bonneville an extra shot of Lusophonic style. And unlike many customs, there’s no compromise on practicality. I can’t think of a better bike for zipping around western Europe’s oldest city.
Images by Joel Bessa. Head over to the Ton-Up Garage website to get their latest news, or check our coverage of two previous Ton-Up builds here.