All parents love to surprise their offspring with presents. But how often do those gifts take the form of a bespoke motorcycle?
Thierry and his son Nelson like to ride together around their home country of Switzerland. And then Thierry decided it was time to surprise his son with a new ride, so he rang up BAAK Motocyclettes of Lyon, just over the border in France.
“Thierry is an enthusiast,” the BAAK crew tell us. “He owns several bikes, and he’s particularly attracted to motorcycles that remind him of his youth. He also likes riding fast, and owning reliable motorcycles—to avoid having to stop because of mechanical problems!”
The brief called for something both classic and contemporary, so choosing a 2016 Triumph Scrambler as a donor was a no-brainer. And settling on the style turned out to be painless, too.
Thierry’s a fan of the Bultaco trial bikes of the 60s and 70s, and still owns one. As it turns out, BAAK shop boss, Rémi, also owns a Bultaco—a 1974 Sherpa 350 Kit Campeón that he still rides and races. The two hit it off immediately, and decided to add a little Bultaco flavor to the Scrambler, by sampling the Spanish marque’s classic red paint color.
But this Scrambler is more than just a slick paint job—BAAK also set out to amplify its dynamic qualities as much as possible, turning it into a real ‘sleeper’ custom. It started with a full suspension package from Öhlins, with new shocks out back and a set of upside-down forks in front.
“You simply have to ride this motorcycle and hit a speed bump at full throttle,” the team tells us, “and you’ll understand why they are called the Rolls-Royce of shock absorption.”
Next they laced up a set of aluminum Excel rims—to improve durability and shed a little weight. They’re wrapped in Continental TKC80s, striking a compromise between asphalt and dirt riding.
The brakes have had a boost too, with a full braking kit from Beringer. “It’s the perfect balance between power, feeling and classic looks,” say the guys. “As the motorcycle is now way lighter than the original Scrambler, the ride feel is really special.”
All the quintessential scrambler touches are present—like the high-riding twin exhaust system. Stainless steel headers run into a pair of machined aluminum mufflers, and the system’s topped off with a custom heat shield to keep the rider’s leg cool.
Up top is a hand-stitched, double tanned leather saddle, with BAAK’s own ‘tail tidy’ kit finishing things off. (It includes a frame loop, stubby fender, tail light and plate mount.)
The crew also fabbed up a pair of aluminun side covers to replace the dinky plastic ones, and added their own short and high front fender.
A lot of what you see here is actually available in BAAK’s rapidly growing catalog of bolt-on parts. So you could, in theory, build a similar bike yourself (and then give it to your son).
They’ve installed their sump guard, ignition relocation kit, and a neat headlight plate that attaches via leather straps (it sits behind a 5¾” Bates-style headlight). The rectifier has been relocated, and there’s a single mirror hanging from the bars.
The Scrambler’s also sporting new machined yokes to hold the burly forks, new handlebar risers and a new set of bars.
There’s a Motogadget speedo, and Motogadget turn signals at both ends, mounted discreetly on custom brackets. A set of one-off aluminum fork guards, and a full set of off-road pegs for rider and passenger, round out the package.
BAAK’s well-judged set of changes have turned an already attractive motorcycle into something truly memorable. They’ve covered all the bases—from lazy cruises with a passenger to fun off-road sessions.
Looks like Thierry and Nelson have some serious qualité time lying ahead of them, doesn’t it?
