Since the very beginning of Lowbrow, there's always been a special place in our hearts for Triumphs. When Bj Emerson hit us up on the ol' social media channels about his latest build and shared with us the crazy amount of Lowbrow parts he had used to complete it. We were ecstatic by the result and wanted to share with all of you BJ's story on this really nice 1972 Triumph T100R custom chopper build.
1972 Triumph T100R Custom Chopper.
THE BUILD
This 500cc T100R bobber is my third British bike build and assembly began during the pandemic in 2020 and took four years. It did not begin as a complete bike or even a basket-case, just a ground-up garage build. I had an idea of the style I wanted and took the time to hunt for just the right parts. Learning from past mistakes, I tried to focus on one major component at a time.
Roller status with Lowbrow Customs Bolt-on Hardtail
Once I had the front frame loop of a 1972 unit 500 from an online auction (more on this later,) I purchased the Triumph Unit 500cc Bolt-on Hardtail from Lowbrow and my bobber project had its bones. I really like the stance provided by the 4” stretch and 2” drop married to the classic style of the Triumph motor and wheels. Most of the parts arrived in the mail one piece at a time over the next couple of years. Throughout the build my research led me to many of the helpful videos from Tyler and Todd on their youtube channel which prevented an untold number of headaches.
It's like that Johnny Cash song, "one piece at a time"
The front end, wheels, and tank came next followed by the motor. My first full motor assembly started with just the cases but came together quickly toward the end when I purchased another T100R motor that became the donor for the gearbox innards. That motor will be part of the next build.
MotoSaddle Solo seat with Lowbrow perches and barrel springs. Lowbrow Triumph dimpled oil tank and rubber mounting bracket kit.
For the components requiring special fabrication, I would often sketch out ideas and solve problems on paper before heading out to the garage. I dropped the battery box a little lower in the rear frame with a custom tray mounted just in front of the back wheel. The front and rear fender stays are custom. The rear brake pedal mount took several design iterations to get right. I initially welded my oil tank brackets too low and the chain would often meet the tank until I added a chain tensioner.
Custom battery mounting tray.
Hard to believe this was painted in a backyard hanging off some trees. The most frustrating part of previous projects was getting the carbs right. It has to start and run reliably after all. For this bike, I opted for the single concentric Amal 626 to keep it simple. After much research and more videos I was pleased to finally have the motor come alive.
One upgrade I highly recommend is the Amal Fuel / Air and Throttle Stop Extended Screws which allow for easy adjustment even while riding. I marked lines on the screws to get me back to what works best for cold starts. Together with plenty of fuel, the bike starts on the first kick.
I may one day make the jump to the dual carbs intended for this motor. The Extended Tickler Conversion Kit is also on my wish list.
Amal 626 Carb.
EARLY RIDES
Early rides consisted of short trips around the area and returning to see what leaked, broke, or went missing. Repairs and improvements followed and now I ride longer distances with greater confidence. At one point I tried to go without venting my oil tank and the increased pressure caused the oil feed hose to separate and leave me on the side of the road. A few zip ties later and I made it back home. After some consultation with Todd at Lowbrow, I now run a vent tube down from the oil cap.
The bike is a blast to ride but is a little surreal cruising down the road on something that was delivered and assembled one piece at a time.
Clean, simple and classy.
The next T100R will be similar although I’d like to do a springer front-end with a fatter tire to better match the rear end. I’ll be trying the bolt-on oil tank and upgrading the tach/speedo. I love the quality of the Kustom Tech controls and beefy Stingray rear fender and look forward to many more years of building and riding.
4" Stretch 2" drop on that hardtail.
IN THE STUDIO
It only seemed right after selling a motorcycle in 2013 to purchase equipment for my photography and video production company that some of my team and I took the T100R into the studio for a professional shoot.
BJ & his team at Buzzadelic.
1972 TRIUMPH T100R CUSTOM CHOPPER TECH SHEET
B-side of the 1972 Triumph T100r
GENERAL
Owner: BJ Emerson
Year/Make/Model: 1972 Triumph T100R Custom Chopper
Fabrication: BJ Emerson
Build Time: ~4 Years
Built by BJ Emerson.
ENGINE
Year/Type/Size: 1968 Triumph Daytona T100R 500cc
Carburetor: Single Amal Concentric 626
Exhaust: Triumph Tiger 500 exhaust headers
Air Cleaner: Bird blocker screen
500cc Triumph T100RFRAME
Year/Type: 1972 Triumph T100R
Rake/Stretch: 4” Stretch, 2” Drop Lowbrow Triumph Unit 500 c.c. Bolt-On Hardtail
Lowbrow Customs Bolt-on hardtail frame.
FRONT END
Type / Brand: Triumph T120 Front end with 8” drum in Conical hub
T120 Front end with 19" front wheel and 8" Drum brake.
WHEELS
Front Size: 19” Front wheel
Rear Size: WM3-18 Rear wheel with quick detach hub
Rear wheel is an 18" with quick detach hub.
FINISH / PAINT
Paint by: BJ Emerson mostly rattle can, hung from a tree in the backyard.
Plating/Polishing: By hand.
Powdercoating: None, maybe next time.
Close up of that rattle canned painted gas tank.
ACCESSORIES
Front Fender: Harddrive ribbed front fender
Rear Fender: Stingray Ribbed Steel Fender 4-3/4 inch Width
Gas Tank: Triumph T100
Handlebars: Biltwell 1” Tracker
Grips: Lowbrow Single Cable Cast Whiskey Throttle, Biltwell Recoil grips
Mirrors: Lowbrow Round Perch Mount Mirrors
Hand Controls:Clutch and Brake Lowbrow Kustom Tech 1” Seventies polished aluminum
Foot Controls: Stock
Headlight: Vintage Ducati Hella Headlight with Ceriani brackets
Taillight: Replica Model A Ford
Turn Signals: LED with Motogadget mo.relay+ unit.
License Mount: N/A
Seat: MotoSaddle leather solo seat
Other: Bolt-on Dogbone Chain Tensioner
Oil Tank: Dimpled Steel Oil Tank and Rubber Mount Bracket Kit for Lowbrow Customs Oil Tanks
1972 Triumph.
Other Lowbrow Customs Parts:
Battery Switch
Battery
Battery Box
Podtronics Regulator/Rectifier
Chain
Boyer electronic ignition
Dual Coil
Extended Screw Carb adjusters
Glenn's Triumph Two Cylinder Repair & Tune-Up Guide - Triumph Motorcycle Shop Manual
T100R CHOPPER PHOTOS & DETAIL SHOTS
Front end.
Clean.
Good look at the seat, oil tank, exhaust, battery box, carb, and motor.
Lights on!
The silver paint really absorbs whatever light is around, really cool!
Bj Emerson and his 1972 Triumph T100R.
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