Triumph’s new Thruxton is about to hit the showrooms, but the outgoing model has still got plenty left in the tank. Especially when it’s been reworked by a master metalworker—like Onehandmade of Taiwan.
Meet ‘Super Ten,’ a 2014 Thruxton 900 wheeled into the Taipei workshop with a vague brief from the client: “Build me a tracker.”
Onehandmade—known as Chun to his friends—didn’t need much more encouragement. He’s transformed this Thruxton with an intoxicating mix of hand-shaped metalwork and carefully selected off-the-shelf parts.
The bulk of the project involved getting the bodywork just right. From the headlight assembly to the tank and tail section, Chun has shaped everything in aluminum with a critical eye.
“I didn’t want it to be a ‘normal’ flat tracker,” he says. “I needed the gas tank to be perfect—so I built it three times.”
Since the 2014-model Thruxton 900 is fuel injected, the fuel pump had to be accommodated inside the tank. The result is even more impressive when you consider that Chun only has one good hand: A bike accident left him with limited use of his right hand, hence his choice of nickname.
The lines of this Thruxton are spot on, and Chun has sorted the stance out too. There’s a set of Öhlins shocks out back, and the wheels have been upgraded to a pair of forged billet aluminum ‘Flurry’ wheels from Arlen Ness.
The hubs are custom, and the tires are flat-track specific Maxxis DTR1s.
The rest of the parts list is equally enviable. Motogadget supplied the speedo, the bar-end turn signals and the m-Tri signal adapter.
The risers, bars, grips, foot pegs and gas cap are from Chun’s friend and collaborator Winston Yeh of Rough Crafts. And there’s a full Beringer braking system—including a matching clutch lever and incorporated switchgear.
Chun’s also fitted a neater set of side covers, and relocated the ignition and rectifier. And if you think the engine’s looking a little more burly than normal, well spotted. That’s down to a set of covers and a sprocket guard from The Speed Merchant.
Matching the svelte new bodywork is a stunning paint job by the local artisans at Air Runner Custom Paint—who are also in the Rough Crafts Rolodex. The graphics are a subdued but perfectly executed twist on the iconic Martini livery.
A bespoke, right-side-only exhaust system provides a final flat-track hit.
It might be an ‘old’ Thruxton, but it’s proof there’s plenty of life left in the old dog.
Onehandmade Facebook | Instagram | Images by JL Photography
