The Six Fifty Stile: Triton Cafe Racer?

Customized motorcycles spawned from diverse heritages abound. While some designs should never have seen the light of day, others – like the Triton cafe racer – are a union that’s simply meant to be. Here’s an attempt at rephrasing: “The iconic Sixties motorcycle, a Norton Featherbed frame, was paired with a high-performance engine – the Triumph T120 parallel twin – creating a harmonious union that produced breathtaking results.”

Securing a featherbed frame and pairing it with a Bonneville T120 engine to build a Triton-inspired cafe racer has become an increasingly challenging and costly endeavor lately. Unfortunately, this suggests that I rarely get to utilize all of them as intended? As I often thought about, I was initially thrilled to discover such breathtaking beauty.

The distinctive black, gold, and silver paint scheme immediately identified this as a Triton. Indeed, the masterful craftsmanship of Stile Italiano consistently delivers impressive results. For this ambitious endeavour, Gianluca, Loris, and Cristian spared no effort in crafting what has become my favourite exemplar of Stile Italiano architecture thus far.

At its heart lies a meticulously restored Sixties Triumph T120 pre-unit engine, the very foundation upon which the CR650’s cafe racer persona is built. Prior to integration, Stile Italiano thoroughly revamped the parallel twin engine, incorporating subtle enhancements to boost performance and efficiency with a dash of stylish flair. The fuel delivery system is governed by a solitary Mikuni TM Flat Slide Carburetor, situated atop a bespoke 2-into-1 intake manifold. Beneath the carburetor lies a custom-built oil reservoir, discreetly accessed via a recessed Monza cap nestled within the Triton’s saddle. Engine oil circulates throughout the system via a combination of carefully crafted copper tubing and flexible rubber hoses, flowing in both forward and reverse directions. Sitting atop the combustion cycle’s conclusion is an extraordinary duo: high-mount headers and mufflers, truly one-of-a-kind in their design. Crafted exclusively for the Triton by renowned Italian exhaust experts, Virex. To restore the 650 Triumph to its former glory, every component has been meticulously refinished in high-gloss piano black, while all fasteners and plugs have been replaced with premium stainless steel or machined alloy hardware.

In 1964, a particularly distinctive item was added to the lineup of unique merchandise. The iconic Norton Featherbed is a legendary model in motorcycle history. Norton engineers designed and developed the body of their racing bikes to optimize performance and handling. The design was revolutionary, earning the nickname “featherbed” for its remarkable lightweight handling capabilities. With their thirst for speed, road racers rapidly mated iconic Featherbed frames to the most potent engines of their time – think Triumph’s Bonneville T120, capable of exceeding 100mph. This convergence gave rise to the legendary Triton. After the body was cleaned up, it received a supply of fuel to the engine. This is achieved by securing it in place using a suite of custom-designed alloy brackets that attach to specific mounting points. The rubber sleeves sit atop the higher body rails, serving as a protective barrier for the underlying bodywork, while carefully crafted alloy caps seal any openings, ensuring a seamless and secure design. The gear adjustments and rear braking are expertly controlled by Tarozzi rear units, further enhanced through the strategic utilization of custom-made alloy hardware.

Upon initial inspection, I thought this bike would be an identical replica of the Avon model cowl we featured on our Mongrel Bonneville T120 cafe racer, but how wrong I was! The sleek, aerodynamic bodywork on display, crafted with meticulous care from precision-cut aluminum sheets, embodies the essence of Italy’s revered automotive tradition. The entire bodywork, encompassing the entrance fairing and rear cowl, has been skillfully integrated into a single monocoque structure through precise welding, with each joint meticulously refined to achieve a flawless finish. With the “glass impact” paint scheme complete, attention turned to installing the 7-inch headlight, along with the perspex nostril cone and windscreen, and finally, the frenched brake lever and suede saddle were carefully fitted into place.