

It took Triumph a while to update their modern classics, but by all accounts it was worth the wait. We’ve yet to read a bad review of Hinckley’s new retro twins—and the new Thruxton R in particular has everyone gushing.

Out of the box it’s a mix of high-end components, solid performance and sophisticated styling. Our own Matt Neundorf rode it and loved it, summing it up as: “the cafe racer I’ve been trying to build at home—only with a professional’s fit and finish.”



So how do you customize a motorcycle that’s near flawless? According to Bangkok-based K-Speed, subtly.

K-Speed’s owner—’Eak’—likes the look of the stock Thruxton R. So he focused on tweaks and tasty upgrades, rather than an outright overhaul.



The work started at the rear: the frame’s been cut and looped and has shed its fender. There’s a new ribbed seat up top, and an LED rear light (with built-in turn signals) lurking underneath.

From there, K-Speed set about dropping the Thruxton R two inches, for a meaner stance. The Showa big piston forks have been lowered, and the Öhlins rear shocks swapped out for shorter units from the Swedish company.



The OEM Brembo calipers have been traded for more powerful Brembo M50 monoblocs—original equipment on the Ducati 1199 Panigale. There are new tires to match: Pirelli’s highly rated Diablo Supercorsa SP, with a bump from 160 to 180 size at the rear.

The shorter front fender is custom-made, and K-Speed has installed more discreet LED turn signals.



There are also lower clip-ons up front, for a more purposeful riding position. They’re adorned with CNC controls and new bar-end mirrors.

To finish off the Thruxton R—and earn it the moniker ‘Darkster’—K-Speed ‘hyper black’ powder coated everything from the fuel tank to the gauge cluster. (The mufflers were sent off for high-heat ceramic coating.)



We’ll admit, the Darkster isn’t as ‘custom’ as the builds we usually feature. But K-Speed have somehow taken a near-perfect bike and made it even more irresistible—and for that, we salute them.

K-Speed website | Images by OverRide Photo