While photos of this one-off ’62 Triumph custom more or less speak for themselves, the story behind this build is a rather interesting one. After going to school to receive his fine art degree, Karl Ardo – the person who built this Triumph- spent a number of years turning out hot rods of the four wheeled variety before changing his focus to motorcycles. He has stated that he sees his projects as sculptures that happen to be motorcycles so the aesthetic value is a key focal point of Ardo’s. For this project he wanted to create a machine that harks back to the drag or salt-flat racers of the early 1960’s, in both appearance and performance.
The appearance of this bike is a result of an extremely conscious and meticulous effort. Because keeping weight down was one of the build goals, a lot of aluminum was used, most of which is brushed/sanded in a single direction instead of being painted. Other components such as the engine cases/covers, seat, and side covers sport small holes that have been drilled which give the build a more uniform feel. In addition to that, every inch of this motorcycle has been polished resulting in a beautiful all around fit and finish. The duplex frame – that was available in 1961-62 – was a natural choice for this bike for obvious reasons when trying to create a bike that pays homage to drag or salt flat racers.
A period-correct 30mm Ceriani front end was utilized that required some modifying to marry it to the neck of the duplex frame. Finding a brake hub that would fit the front end was apparently a challenge, but a Montessa Impala double levered hub happened to pop up on eBay which was a perfect fit once he shaved 1/8″ off each side. The rear hub is a complete aluminum brake/sprocket kit that shaves an additional 3lbs off compared to the normal steel unit. Excel high-shouldered aluminum rims were also utilized with stainless steel spokes.
Ardo designed the fuel and oil tanks by cutting out pieces of cardboard which he then brought to OC Cars in Lake Forest, CA where they were shaped out of aluminum. The oil tank was drilled with various holes to allow for better cooling while at the same time not straying from the visual theme. Aluminum handlebars also help to keep weight down. The seat was given a high-heat resistant powder coat to keep it from getting uncomfortably hot. A ’64 650 crank was balanced and lightened to 17lbs, making the ’62 engine a bit lighter while supposedly boosting performance. The case was then matched with heads from a 1970 Bonneville, while E-3134 cams were dialed in by “an old flat-track guy.” Both the engine and frame case are from 1962 but the numbers aren’t matching.
I think the main reason I’m drawn to this Triumph is because of its hotrod flavor. While growing up my father was always passionate about hotrods and despite him only ever owning BMW 2002’s, he nonetheless subscribed to the belief that vehicles – whether two wheeled or four – should be more than a means of getting from A to B. They should elicit excitement and be unique with their own character, and most importantly; be loved by their builder/owner. While Ardo’s endgame is to sell the machines he creates, he still builds bikes he himself wants to ride. When he finishes one bike, he then rides it until his next project is finished at which point he sells the first bike and then starts riding his newest build while simultaneously starting another project and then repeating the whole process over.
It would appear I’m not alone in my appreciation for Ardo’s latest work as Blacktop Magazine is currently featuring this high-end 1962 Triumph street/dragbike as their “featured bike” in recent web article and video interview. You can find this custom 1962 Triumph “dragster” for sale here on Craigslist in Los Angeles, California with a price of $19,500, though the ad does mention that Ardo would consider trading this example for a hotrod roadster.