White Collar Bike Black Orchid
By Ross Sharp - 25 Jun 15
Category_Bikes
As someone who can't walk passed a broken thing without trying to fix it, or able to look at something without wanting to modify it in some way I sympathise with Ram from White Collar Bike. The Indonesian based workshop has produced some truly fantastic customs, all with a hardcore engineering edge. His buddy Rudi Soegono owned a perfectly good 2015 Triumph Scrambler but decided that it needed the White Collar treatment. Rudi had got a bit carried away on the LSL website and ordered a big box of parts and presented them for the build. This didn't align all that well with Ram's need to make things that don't need making and certainly wouldn't keep the CNC machine lubricated, so a few snazzy parts made their way onto the project, Black Orchid. The guys and gals at Triumph make a pretty darn good motorcycle but are constrained by a couple of factors, cost and regulations. Rudi had a budget slightly larger than the cost of a stock bike, but nothing crazy so Ram set to work on fitting more decadent parts and improving performance. Time however was the limiting factor, reducing the ability to prototype and machine super-trick parts. First up was a sexy pair of Swedish suspenders, front and rear. Öhlins are fantastic in terms of function but against the matt black finish of this bike, look the business too. Forks are the LSL set-up with matching yokes and the rear are the piggy back TTX, both fully adjustable and plush. For a more squat stance, and a bit of extra rubber on the road a pair of wheels by Canyon Motorcycles were fitted, 19 x 2.5" up front and 17 x 5.5" in the rear. Metzler's Karoo 3 is a tried and tested dual sport tyre designed for big lardy adventure bikes, so grip will be plentiful on most surfaces. To keep all this hard work the right way up a Brembo caliber and Galfer disc are pumped by levers on LSL bars and matching reservoirs. Switchgear is stock but the clocks are no longer, replaced by the Motogadget Motoscope Tiny. But anyone whose tinkered with one of these Triumphs will concur that the wiring is a pain to hide, there's loads of it required to keep the EFi system happy. But the result is worth it as the front end looks so much cleaner. Initially an LSL headlight was carbon wrapped to save time, but Ram was unhappy with the result. We think he was pining after the CNC equipment in the workshop and couldn't help himself. Either way a billet of T7 aluminium was machined to house the OEM headlight unit. If you haven't seen Ram's previous builds, he's the sort of chap that given time would take on the task of making the actual light too. To give a more off-road look 3mm sheet was trimmed and welded to the headlamp to create a protective grill. LSL make a range of really well engineered components but Ram wanted synergy of materials so wrapped the rear fender in carbon and moulded the front one from scratch. The seat is also LSL, pillion friendly and a decent thickness, not too thick, or thin. This freed up valuable time to set about making a bespoke carbon tank using Ram's tried and tested multi composite layering technique of combining different weaves and colours of kevlar and carbon. Sadly Ram's dad was rushed into hospital and the project ground to a halt for over a week. With the clock ticking on the build Ram decided to wrap the tank with a blend of red and black kevlar. Unfortunately something reacted and the job was ruined, having to be completely redone using a blue weave. Another lump of T7 was machined for the cap, with a patriotic red and white logo inset. One of the defining features of the Scrambler over the Bonneville is the off-beat exhaust note from the engine's 270 degree firing order. A meaty rasp straight from the factory but when fully unleashed by an aftermarket pipe the resulting bellow is intoxicating. Unfortunately the Zard system fitted burnt Ram's leg so he set about moulding a full carbon fibre shroud, stretching the full length of the muffler. Riding in Indonesia's sweltering heat doesn't exactly lend itself to full leathers and a potential pillion is unlikely to be sporting long trousers. To add more pep and a dash of intake roar the stock airbox was binned in favour of cone filters, with carbon side covers of course. It's pretty hard these days to make a new Scrambler or Bonnie stand out from the crowd, but in a very short time Ram has achieved just that. Watch this space as we'll be featuring another creation from the White Collar Bike workshops. In the meantime keep and eye on their Facebook page, and if you fancy yourself riding this one away, send Ram an email, it's for sale. Photos by Ferry Kana.