Custom Triumph Built by David Bird Takes Modified Retro Class in J&P Builder Show

You'd be hard-pressed to find a flaw on David Bird's Triumph

This year’s winner of the Modified Retro Class at the Long Beach, California staging of the IMS was a gleaming 1976 Triumph T140 built for Tom Day by David Bird. You would be hard-pressed to find a more creative and sanitary Triumph build anywhere.

Frame and Wheels:

The hand-built hardtail frame sits low, long, and minimalist. Up front, the clean springer front forks bolt to a tall, sparsely-laced spoked rim.

The classic Triumph twin engine is featured in a clean frame and retro-cool paint job

Bodywork and Controls:

The bodywork follows the lines of the frame perfectly. The Cole Foster tank and the custom-bent rear fender are both coated in a scintillating Joel Meyer paint job that features a one-of-a-kind lace, leaf, and flower motif.

The custom crafted leather seat sits above in a cool, chrome framework. The flat drag handlebars make for a stretched out, bobber seating position.

Engine and Drivetrain:

The classic lines of the 750cc Triumph twin engine are on full display in the minimalist frame. The perfectly polished power plant breathes through twin, screened velocity stacks and exhaust duties are handled by symmetrically bent twin straight pipes.

'Less is more' in the skeletal frame and simple bodywork of the Mod Retro winner

Take a minute to study the photos that accompany this article and you will grow to appreciate how well the theme and lines of this Triumph work. Every detail was carefully thought out and crafted.

K&N is proud to sponsor a competition that highlights builds like this fantastic custom.