Hinckley Bonneville Cafe Racer by Sparks

Hinckley have been producing Bonnevilles for 12 years so you can now find some well priced, secondhand examples out there. As a result of this we’re starting to see more and more workshops using modern Triumphs as donor bikes for their custom projects. This Hinckley Bonneville 900 is the first custom to roll out of the Belgium based workshop Sparks Motorcycles and she’s a real beauty.

The transformation of the 900cc Bonneville started with modifications to simplify and clean up the bikes frame. The rear loop was trimmed back to shorten the bikes profile and a custom wasp tail seat designed to replace the bulky stock saddle. A pair of shortened fenders were designed to reduce bulk and a pill shaped battery box does away with the need for side covers and helps to open up the frame.

The Triumphs classically styled, hand formed aluminium tank is low and long to expose the engine without sacrificing fuel capacity and is topped off with a Monza style cap. To get more out of the motor the Bonnies carbs have been fitted with velocity stacks and tuned to manage the increase in airflow and a custom exhaust made to free up its breathing. Finally anything on the bike that wasn’t bare or polished alloy was given a liberal coat of satin black.

When I first saw this bike I instantly compared it to Kim Boyle’s ‘Ed Norton’ Cafe Racer which was a big mistake. While the two bikes have similar aesthetic styles the similarities end there. When it comes to building a modern Cafe Racer using Hinckley’s design as a base, the Sparks team built one of the best I have seen. With a first build this good I’m sure we can expect great things from the Sparks team in the future.