Ever had some parts lying around the shop that you’re aching to use? Australian Wenley Andrews did, so he put them to use on this most unusual Triumph Bonneville.
“We built the bike around the tank and seat,” says Wenley. “It’s a strange way perhaps, but they’d been lying around for a while.”
Wenley also wanted to put a springer front-end on a modern Triumph. And so ‘Rumour Monger’ was born, based on a 2010 ‘mag wheel’ Bonneville.
The first job was to fine-tune that incredible springer setup. The springer came from a local motorcycle shop, and Wenley knew he’d use it one day. He shortened it around five inches, and braced it for extra strength.
Work then continued up top, with a set of custom-bent bars and a faux mechanical brake setup. (The system is still hydraulic, but the master cylinder is cable actuated, and hidden under the fuel tank).
With the front end sorted, Wenley turned his attention to the rear. They’d already installed a 21-inch wheel up front, so they added a 19-inch rear to balance things out and give the bike a board tracker vibe.
Fitting the tank and seat meant lopping off and rebuilding the subframe. But to Wenley’s eye, the bike still wasn’t ‘sitting right.’ So he ordered custom length shocks from Ikon to raise the rear end.
The board tracker stance was now perfect, and screaming for a radical exhaust to cap things off. So the guys fabricated a burly stainless steel system that flows around the engine.
The right side ‘carb’ (AKA the fuel injector housing) ended up being in the way, so they removed the ‘float bowl’. And while they were at it, they positioned the starter button just above it.
The rear brake master cylinder had to be nudged out the way too; It now sits next to a new, chromed sprocket cover. Delightful touches abound elsewhere—like the beautifully milled mini-switches, vintage levers and velocity stacks.
For the headlight, Wenley sourced a Vespa unit and mounted it off to the left. Motogadget supplied the speedo (housed in the headlight bucket), CAN bus module and a keyless M-lock ignition—hidden under the seat, along with the battery.
Andrew at Beyond Trim handled the leatherwork, supplying an elegant seat pad with discreet, perfectly aligned stitching. The in-house retro paint scheme is delicious, with subtle stripes on the tank echoing the finned stator and primary covers below.
All the tweaking and fine-tuning has paid off: the Rumour Monger’s stance is flawless.
It makes you wonder what else Wenley has lying around the shop…
Wenley Moto Design Instagram | Images by Manny Tamayo
