SNOW TIGER

Hookie’s impulse buy proves you should trust your gut

Words: Maximilian Funk Photos: David Ohl/Hookie Co

NICO DID WHAT every one of us has done at least once – dived into a passion-driven quick buy. The story begins back in November 2018, with a link to a purple Triumph on eBay shared on the Sideburn website. Sideburn didn’t vouch for the bike, just put it out there as something interesting. Nico, of Dresden-based moto design company Hookie, got on the case and four weeks later the bike arrived at the shop in Germany.

It looked good, but wasn’t running. Nico immediately started to strip the bike down. What he found was not what he’d hoped for. It was in bad condition. Really bad. The overhaul began as spontaneously as the deal itself. During the Hookie Christmas dinner a couple of drunk guys took the engine apart, which resulted in one of the best evenings ever at the shop.

The engine was handed over to Carsten from South Division in Munich, a man with over 40 years’ experience. He was given a short and efficient brief: ‘I need a flat track engine for European tracks’. Two months later, Nico drove down to Munich and did the final assembly with the engine guru. As a bonus, he got an intense, four-hour blast of knowledge on this particular motor. Upgrades include: primary lubrication running with the main oil system, highcompression pistons and polished intake ports. The brake pedal and gear shifter are now both sitting on the right of the engine. Electronic ignition is fired by dual coils powered only by a battery (4Ah = 60 minutes of fun). Wassell carbs have replaced the Amals and breathe through bigger K&N pod filters via 3D-printed adapters. Whoever invented the 3D printer – thank you!

(clockwise from top left) Hookie Co mix old and new tech. Bates seat came with the bike but the tank is wrapped, not painted; Reworked BSA forks; Triumph ’bars; TT Bonnie-style pipes; Nico at Krowdrace on the bike in a previous guise; Honda CB/ Brembo match-up Since the frame was an unknown quantity and not a Trackmaster gem, Nico started modifying. The bottom section was replaced, with new engine mounts and extra bracing, plus the steering head rake was steepened. An aluminium oil tank sneaked in, and an aluminium rear fender too. The existing Bates seat and p-pad worked just fine with the vintage look. The fuel tank aluminium with a fibreglass cover by Mike Hill of UK-based Survivor Customs, since the original was leaking. Up front are shortened and overhauled BSA forks, while wheels are 19in BMW snowflakes running on Duro HF308 tyres. The rear brake is made up of a Honda CB rotor with Brembo caliper paired with a BMW master cylinder. Originally, the bike ran in the brakeless class in the US from the ’70s till the late ’90s, always with the number 53. Unfortunately, no more background information is available. It took Nico four months to rebuild the complete bike and the first proper race outing was Krowdrace in Diedenbergen, Germany. After some small carb tweaks, it performed really well. Oh, apart from a flat rear tyre. The original tube from 1977 blew, which was totally unexpected…

1967 Triumph T100R Snow Tiger

Engine 1967 T100R. Primary lubrication runs with main oil system; high compression; polished intake ports; dual-coil electronic ignition running on 4aH battery Frame Unknown with new bottom rails with extra bracing by Hookie Co; New engine mounts Carbs Wassell with K&N pods on 3D-printed adapters Forks BSA (overhauled and shortened) Wheels 19in BMW snowflake with Duro HF308 tyres Rear brake Honda CB rotor, Brembo caliper, BMW master cylinder

Oil and fuel tanks

Aluminium with fibreglass fuel tank cover by Survivor Customs Other Aluminum rear fender; Triumph handlbar; Venhill throttle with cable splitter; Renthal Ultra Tacky grips