THE X FACTOR

Nige is a consummate Triumph man. I couldn’t tell you how many he’s owned and built over the last forty years or even how many he has right now. There always seems to be another one on the go. Mostly they are of some sort of custom variety, Nige having been a continuous member of the National Chopper Club since its inception in 1973, but don’t let that put you off. His projects these days tend to be more rideable than radical. Indeed, as the wheel turns full circle, the Triumph factory themselves now build bikes which look like the ones me and Nige have been building all our lives.

So this is far from being a standard, stock, original Triumph (and if it was, I’d have very little interest in reporting on it). But it is a RealClassic, taking as it does two iconic motorcycling elements, the unit 750 motor and the legendary Métisse frame. So how did it come about then?

‘Well,’ says Nige, ‘for one thing, I always remember ourbe like to own a decent one. And you get to a stage when you think that if I don’t do this now, then when am I ever going to do it? And then I ordered a frame.’