The search for Triumph’s most original custom build of 2025 is now underway, as the entries and judging panel for Triumph Originals 2025 is revealed.
Eight teams from around the world have created custom builds for Triumph Originals 2025, a global Modern Classic competition based on the current Triumph Bonneville range. Inspired by the brief ‘Icons of British Originality’, each country has collaborated with locally selected custom builders.
Teams from the USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, France, Italy, Thailand and the UK have revealed their unique interpretation of British cultural influence, using a Bonneville model of their choice as the foundation.
THE ENTRIES
The USA entry is a race-inspired build, celebrating the rich racing community in Indianapolis and Triumph’s British manufacturing heritage. Based on a Bonneville T120, the bright blue and yellow design with heritage logos and skyline motif was fabricated and designed by Bret Johnson from Triumph Indianapolis, with additional design by Victor Tulli.
Mexico’s entry by custom house Aftercycles is based on a Bonneville Bobber, and takes design cues from iconic British names, from the distinctive yellow stitching on the leather seat synonymous with British footwear brand Dr. MartensTM to the Harry Potter-inspired Platform 9 ¾ throttle body badge.
Brazil have entered with Gaijin, a dark and moody café racer based on a Speed Twin 1200, created by the impressive team at Shibuya in São Paulo. Hand crafted features include the subtle, sophisticated scallop design painted on the bodywork, the crease shaped into the tank and the reworked tail, designed to convey a feeling of speed and movement even when static.
Designed by FCR Original, France’s entry celebrates Triumph’s parallel twin engine, the production innovation which underpinned Triumph’s revolutionary 1937 Speed Twin. Starting with a Speed Twin 1200 RS, the team completely redesigned the rear, making the engine the focus of the build and created a one-off front wheel, creating a clean and aggressive silhouette. The paint scheme incorporates hand plated copper and gold leaf to highlight the beauty and power of the engine and features the name of the motorcycle, Hail to the Twin.
Canada’s in-house build from Motos Illimitées was designed by Pascal Lauzon in Quebec. A bespoke high-performance exhaust with hand-formed stainless headers and a polished finish delivers a deeper, sharper exhaust note. Building off the Speed Twin 1200 RS, the lowered handlebars and gold front forks are complemented by a deep graphite and gold custom paint scheme, accented by hand-laid pinstriping and the Triumph heritage logo on the tank.
The Italian build was created by Giuseppe Carucci, founder of South Garage Motor Co in Milan, inspired by the timeless elegance, discreet luxury and evocative charm of the original 1930s and 1940s Speed Twins. Building on the muscular essence of the Bonneville Bobber, Carucci redesigned the chassis and used precision engineering techniques to build head-turning custom parts including bespoke front forks.
Moo Yong from The Zeus Custom in Bangkok, Thailand, has created Art of Motorcycle, a custom Bonneville T100 in the legendary Zeus signature style. The handcrafted full system short exhaust features a laser etched Zeus motif, while the handcrafted leatherwork features a built-in wallet with an embroidered Zeus logo, blending style with real-world function.
The UK’s entry has been built by Stockwell Design at Triumph London, inspired by the 60’s British rock ‘n’ roll movement. Using the T100 platform, The Bonneville Sunraiser catches the eye with its polished aluminum, stainless steel and bright colour scheme, finished with a bespoke cursive Triumph logo.
EXPERT JUDGES
Four expert judges now begin assessing each entry, and a shortlist of five builds will be announced later this month, when the public will have a chance to vote for their favourite.
Recruited for their knowledge of motorcycle design and custom craftsmanship, each expert will assess how the builds meet their specific criteria – Iconic Style, British Originality, Craftsmanship and Creativity & Innovation.
The judges are: Quique Berna, Co-founder and Creative Director at Tamarit Motorcycles in Spain; Ricardo Pessoa, Founder and Creative Director of Coolnvintage in Portugal; Kengo Kimura, Founder of Heiwa Motorcycle in Japan; and Steve Sargent, Chief Product Officer for Triumph Motorcycles.
Quique Berna from Tamarit Motorcycles will be judging Iconic Style. Tamarit Motorcycles is one of the most internationally recognised brands in the world of custom motorcycles. Since its beginnings in 2011, Quique Berna has been a key figure in Tamarit’s growth, attracting clients in over 25 countries with a clear mission: to create unique motorcycles for unique people. Passionate about classic aesthetics, Quique leads the design team and personally oversees every detail of the builds, working exclusively with Triumph motorcycles.
His approach combines creativity and a deep admiration for the history of British motorcycling, which is reflected in unique and exclusive bikes that respect the essence of the Triumph brand while carrying the unmistakable Tamarit signature. Quique stands out not only for his talent as a designer but also for his business vision and his ability to offer tailored proposals that turn each motorcycle into a truly exclusive and emotional project. Quique Berna is the mastermind behind some of Tamarit’s most iconic motorcycles, such as the Black Dragon, the Gullwing and the Gullwing X.
Quique will be judging the aesthetics of the bike, and how it looks as an overall finished piece of design. He will determine which of the builds are the most iconic and stylish.
Ricardo Pessoa, the founder of Coolnvintage, will be judging British Originality. The Lisbon-based atelier is renowned for transforming classic Land Rovers into functional art pieces defined by craftsmanship and timeless design. Driven by a life-long passion for the Land Rover, Ricardo was first inspired by the simple, honest, utilitarian, timeless appeal of the Series III.
An entrepreneur and awarded photographer, Ricardo is celebrated for his distinctive approach to vintage car restoration and visual storytelling. Beyond the atelier, Ricardo’s work spans fashion campaigns, travel photography, and editorial projects. He is the co-author of the 365, 10 Years, and Portugal books, and served as creative director for the Hot Wheels x Mattel collaboration, further cementing his influence in both the automotive and design worlds.
Ricardo’s lifelong dedication to restoring, enhancing and celebrating the iconic, classic, British Land Rover, makes him the ideal judge for British Originality. He will decide whether each build reflects the theme ‘Icon of British Originality’ in a modern way, assessing each team’s interpretation of the design brief.
Kengo Kimura, who opened Heiwa Motorcycle in April 2005, will judge the builds for their Craftsmanship. A multi-award winner, Kimura-san was honoured with Best In Show at the Hot Rod Custom Show in 2016 and 2017 and scooped Best Motorcycle in Europe for his Triumph Three Arrows in 2021. He has been highly regarded around the world for the craftsmanship of his custom builds, which have included Bonneville inspired Trapee, Parrot Star, Chillmussel and Sevenstar7.
Highly sought by the global media for interviews and to attend events Kimura-san recently appeared as a model in the catalogue of Rimowa, a world-famous suitcase manufacturer, as one of Japan’s leading artists. And with the competitive spirit and good sensibility he developed as a super-sportsman during his student days, he is single-mindedly devoted to building motorcycles.
Kengu Kimura will be deciding whether each build meets Triumph’s reputation for exceptional build quality and craftsmanship, assessing the build quality and ‘fit and finish’.
Judging creativity and innovation, will be Steve Sargent, Triumph’s Chief Product Officer. With overall responsibility for the design, styling and development of Triumph’s motorcycle range, Steve Sargent has a deep understanding of how creativity and innovation can enhance the feel and desirability of a motorcycle. His passion for every style of motorcycle, enjoyment of every style of riding, and his conviction that every motorcycle deserves to be the best it can be, has helped shape and grow the range over the last three decades.
His career with Triumph Motorcycles has taken him to Asia, where he led the build of the first Triumph factory in Thailand, and India, where he pioneered Triumph’s entry into the 400cc segment in partnership with Bajaj. Travelling around the world to create Triumph Racing, Steve has been instrumental in the Moto2 partnership and Triumph’s entry into the motocross and enduro markets for the first time, all driven by an absolute dedication to innovation and pushing the boundaries of engineering and design.
Steve Sargent will be selecting the builds he believes are truly a ‘one-off’, showcasing original and innovative design and build techniques. His focus will be on assessing the technical creativity of the build and judging how each team has struck the balance between art and engineering.
VIEW THE ENTRIES
A dedicated hub on the Triumph website features details and photos of each custom build, so Bonneville and custom fans can begin choosing their favourite ahead of the public vote.
Checkout our dedicated Triumph Motorcycles News page Triumph Motorcycles News/
or head to the official Triumph Motorcycles website triumphmotorcycles.co.uk
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