The Triumph Bonneville Speedmaster has always stood a little apart in the Bonneville family. It’s long, low, and calm — more cruiser than café racer. A bike you expect to see gliding along a country road, not stripped down in a custom workshop. Which is why this build feels different. For the first time, FCR Original turned their attention to the Speedmaster, and the result is something special.
The story began with a familiar face. The client already owned two Triumph Bobbers: a rare Bobber TFC straight from the factory, and a Bobber Classic crafted by FCR themselves.
Both were built for solo riding. This time he asked for something new. He wanted a bike to share. Not a tourer, not a softened cruiser, but a Bobber with room for two — a machine that could carry someone with him without losing its edge.
That’s where the Triumph Bonneville 1200 Speedmaster came in. It’s the only Bonneville designed from the start to carry a passenger, approved and ready for two-up riding straight out of Hinckley. For the client, it was the natural choice. For FCR Original, it was uncharted territory, and that made it exciting.
When the build was finished, the bike looked every bit as serious as the idea behind it. Black dominates the bodywork, giving it a dark and purposeful presence. Then come the details that hold your eye.
Gold DLC glints from the fork tubes. Brass accents warm up the palette. At the center sits a fuel tank painted in a deep burgundy tone, mixed in FCR’s own laboratory. It’s the kind of detail you don’t forget once you’ve seen it.
The body was reworked with care. A trimmed front fender in gloss black, a reshaped rear pulled from the 1200 Bobber’s lines, side covers deleted for a leaner profile. The seat was rebuilt for comfort, finished to match the bike’s character, with a custom backrest added so the passenger was part of the design, not an afterthought.
Even small details like the sump guard, chain guard, and radiator grille were redesigned in satin black to blend seamlessly with the bike’s stance.
The mechanical upgrades complete the look. The 17-inch spoked wheels are finished in gloss black and wrapped in Michelin Road 6 tires. Up front, FCR fitted a black anodized Thruxton USD fork. Out back, a pair of EMC Road 1 shocks were co-developed with the French suspension experts in Villeurbanne. Braking comes from a mix of Brembo and Moto Master components, giving the Speedmaster confident stopping power to match its stance.
The 1200cc twin engine now breathes through a K&N cone filter and exhales through a black FCR Original street exhaust. It’s not about chasing maximum horsepower. Twist the throttle and the exhaust note is deeper, more alive, while the bike keeps the reliability and usability Triumph is known for.
Electronics were treated with the same eye for detail. Motone switchgear sits neatly on the bars. Motogadget Blaze indicators handle the signals up front, while integrated Mini-Bates units cover the rear lights. Even the speedometer was refinished with a satin black bracket, tying the cockpit back into the bike’s darker identity.
From start to finish, this build was an in-house effort. The design was sketched digitally before fabrication began, letting the team refine every line. Aluminium parts, the custom seat, the exhaust, and the paint were all made under FCR’s own roof. Nothing was outsourced, and it shows in the way the bike feels complete from every angle.
This was the first time FCR Original worked on a Triumph Bonneville Speedmaster. They treated it like a challenge and came away with a bike that still feels like a Triumph but carries their style in every detail. For the client, it’s the Bobber he needed — one he can ride alone or with someone else, without losing what he loves about the model. And for anyone who looks at it, it shows what happens when a familiar motorcycle is rethought with fresh eyes.
Credits
Builder: FCR Original, Chauvigny, France
Concept & Design: FCR Original Team
Fabrication: Seat, aluminium parts, exhaust, rear fender
Paintwork & Finishes: FCR Original in-house paint lab
Suspension Collaboration: EMC Suspensions, Villeurbanne, France
Photography: © FCR Original (press kit use authorized)
Client: Private owner
