Titan performance
Titan cafe racer builders.
The time has come to refurbish my old T500M.
I fully appreciate the fabulous work some members have done restoring bikes to better than new condition, but that's not for me. I want my bike to look how I would have wanted it to look back in the day. I have had this bike since 1977, but haven't really used it since the mid 80's. I refurbed it back in 85, and painted it that nasty blue, before touring through nine countries, ending in Italy, in 1986. The trip took me across the Swiss Alps, and consequently the bike has been affectionately known as the Alpina ever since.
Sadly, after the trip, the bike was unused, and spent far too long in a damp garage, where it became furry, and somewhat corroded.
For the last three years, it has been used as a mule for trial fitting parts in our workshop, but now it's time has come.
For me, the identity of the T500 is the distinctive tank, and the Maui blue colour, so I shall be keeping that. I will be fitting one of our cafe seat units, also painted to match the tank, and I will be incorporating T500 ALPINA in the graphics on the seat. The side panels are gone, and I shall be using an alloy keg style oil tank across the frame. It will have the finished version of the prototype pipes it is wearing in the picture below, and rather than a full cafe look, I'm going to use flat, Vincent bars mounted to one of our custom top yokes. Titan rearsets naturally, though changed a little as there will be no pipe on the left to worry about. Instruments will be the mini polished stainless style, and I have ordered a full set of grey cables from Paul Miller.
I fully appreciate the fabulous work some members have done restoring bikes to better than new condition, but that's not for me. I want my bike to look how I would have wanted it to look back in the day. I have had this bike since 1977, but haven't really used it since the mid 80's. I refurbed it back in 85, and painted it that nasty blue, before touring through nine countries, ending in Italy, in 1986. The trip took me across the Swiss Alps, and consequently the bike has been affectionately known as the Alpina ever since.
Sadly, after the trip, the bike was unused, and spent far too long in a damp garage, where it became furry, and somewhat corroded.
For the last three years, it has been used as a mule for trial fitting parts in our workshop, but now it's time has come.
For me, the identity of the T500 is the distinctive tank, and the Maui blue colour, so I shall be keeping that. I will be fitting one of our cafe seat units, also painted to match the tank, and I will be incorporating T500 ALPINA in the graphics on the seat. The side panels are gone, and I shall be using an alloy keg style oil tank across the frame. It will have the finished version of the prototype pipes it is wearing in the picture below, and rather than a full cafe look, I'm going to use flat, Vincent bars mounted to one of our custom top yokes. Titan rearsets naturally, though changed a little as there will be no pipe on the left to worry about. Instruments will be the mini polished stainless style, and I have ordered a full set of grey cables from Paul Miller.
