Alright, so a while back I got this Triumph America, right? A decent bike, nothing too fancy. But, you know, after a while, it just felt… plain. I wanted something with a bit more personality, something that screamed “me”. So, I decided to roll up my sleeves and do a bit of a customization job.
First thing I did was think about what I really wanted. Did I want a full-blown chopper? A sleek cafe racer? Nah, I wanted something in between, a cool cruiser with a bit of an edge. I spent a good few days just browsing pictures online, checking out what other folks had done with their Triumphs. You wouldn’t believe the crazy stuff people come up with!
Once I had a rough idea, I started with the smaller stuff. Swapped out the stock handlebars for some slightly lower, wider ones. Made a huge difference in the riding position, felt way more comfortable cruising around. Then I changed the mirrors, got these smaller, round ones that looked way cooler than the bulky stock ones. Also slapped on some new grips while I was at it.
- Handlebars: Lower, wider bars for a more comfortable ride.
- Mirrors: Smaller, round mirrors for a sleeker look.
- Grips: New grips to match the new bars.
Next up, the seat. The original one was okay, but not great for longer rides. I found a custom seat maker online, sent him some measurements and my ideas, and boom, a few weeks later I had this awesome, hand-stitched leather seat. It’s like sitting on a cloud, seriously. And it looks killer, too.
Now for the fun part – the exhaust. I wanted something that sounded mean, but not obnoxious. After a lot of research, I went with a set of aftermarket pipes from a reputable brand. Man, installing those was a bit of a pain, had to remove a bunch of other parts to get to them. But, totally worth it. The bike sounds so much better now, a nice deep rumble that’s music to my ears.
The last major thing I did was the paint job. I’m not a painter, not even close. But I found this local guy who does custom paint jobs on bikes, showed him some pictures of what I liked, and he did an amazing job. It’s a dark metallic blue with some subtle pinstriping, looks absolutely stunning in the sunlight.
Of course, there were a bunch of smaller things I did along the way, like changing the indicators, adding a small windshield, and a few other bits and bobs. It wasn’t a quick process, took me a few months working on it here and there in my spare time. But honestly, it was a blast.
What I Realized
Taking my plain old Triumph America and turning it into something special was an awesome experience. It’s not just a bike anymore, it’s a reflection of my style and personality. And the best part? I did it all myself (well, most of it anyway). If you’re thinking about customizing your bike, I say go for it. It’s a ton of fun, and you end up with something truly unique.