You don’t collect trophies from the illustrious Yokohama Hot Rod Custom Show without being a master of your craft. But the full extent of Kengo Kimura’s talent goes far beyond just his skill with metal. The man behind Heiwa MC has a sharp eye and excellent taste—he builds elegant machines that defy convention without screaming for attention.
Kimura-san has wowed us in the past with his frame-up vintage Triumph customs, but his latest project is a touch more restrained—and more modern. It’s based on a 2003-model Triumph Bonneville T100, and it was built for a client that had two very specific requests. He wanted the bike to have a tail cowl in Heiwa’s signature style, and he wanted high-mounted exhausts.
In response, the Japanese customizer turned out a tidy bobber that only gets better the closer you examine it. And since high performance wasn’t on the agenda, he put most of his focus into getting the bike’s stance and silhouette right. As a result, much of the Bonneville T100’s running gear has been left alone—and the changes that Kengo has made are super subtle.
The front forks sit lower than before, but they’ve been shortened internally rather than just dropped through the yokes, while aftermarket shocks lower the rear. Kengo also kept the Bonneville’s OEM brakes and its 19” front wheel but re-laced the rear wheel with a 16” rim. Practicalistas will balk at the vintage-style Duro sawtooth tires, but they suit this Triumph perfectly.
Next, Kengo turned his hand to fabricating the Bonneville’s new bodywork. A handmade steel fuel tank sits up top, shaped in Heiwa’s hallmark style. As per the client’s request, an aluminum tail cowl does duty out back.
Not only do the two parts complement each other beautifully, but they’re loaded with thoughtful details that you’ll likely miss the first time around. Note how the front curve of the tank echoes the Triumph’s steering neck gusset, or the way the tail cowl ends in the subtlest of ducktails.
Even Kengo’s subframe mods are impossibly tidy. Instead of the usual cut-‘n’-shut job, he’s trimmed the rear frame rails right down—then welded on bungs to bolt the rear cowl too. A handsome leather saddle sits up top, with a pair of tiny LED turn signals flanking the tail.
There’s more of Kengo’s handiwork under the seat, where a handmade box houses the battery and electronics. It sits where the airbox normally would, so the Bonneville now breathes through a pair of pod filters.
The Triumph’s cockpit wears a mix of OEM and custom parts. It helps that the T100 comes with a handful of stylish bits from the factory—like the one-piece ‘dog bone’ handlebar clamp, which now grips a set of 1” Heiwa drag bars. Also in play are a set of chopper-style grips, a new throttle, vintage switches, and a single mirror.
The original clocks are gone, replaced by a single aftermarket speedo. Kengo also relocated the light switch and starter button to the left of the battery box, and the ignition to the right of the bike, just under the fuel tank.
A Bates-style headlight sits up front, mounted on a handmade bracket. And if you’re wondering where the front turn signals are, just look closer; they’re mounted just off the bike’s frame down tubes. Heiwa’s signature taillight design sits at the opposite end, attached to a license plate mount that sits on a pair of elegant struts.
Heiwa’s Bonneville T100 wears a livery worthy of its tasteful mods. Executed by N2AUTO, it features a candy icy blue coat, with extremely well-judged silver pin-striping. The rest of the bike’s parts bounce between black and chromed finishes.
And then there’s the cherry on the cake—the twin shotgun exhausts. Equipped with generous heat shields and removable baffles, they run as close to the bike as they can, flaring out once they’ve passed the rider’s legs.
Compact and clean, there’s no doubt that this custom Triumph Bonneville T100 is a Heiwa creation. Kengo may have built it for a client rather than a show, but that doesn’t make it any less desirable.
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