Back to the Days: Triumph Scrambler 865
Roy Welton’s Custom Triumph Scrambler…
In 2006, Triumph introduced the 865 Scrambler, which took inspiration from the machines of the 1960s ISDT (International Six Days Trial) — a time when competitors like Steve McQueen rode Triumph parallel-twin off-roaders in the historic event.
The Scrambler’s 865cc air-cooled parallel-twin was based largely on the Bonneville’s, albeit with one substantial difference:
The 270-degree crank gives a more syncopated exhaust note, and the engine was tuned for better torque and midrange power, with peak output of 58 hp and 50 lb-ft of torque. Interestingly, Triumph would shift all of their Bonneville-based models to a 270-crank with the introduction of their liquid-cooled engines in 2016. According to Chief Engineer Stuart Wood:
Enter our friend Roy Welton, who built his highly popular 1977 Kawasaki Z1000 restomod out of his small garage in Mallorca, Spain — a bike that would make our list of the Top 10 Restomods of 2022.
Roy’s love of motorcycles dates back to his boyhood, and one bike in particular:
Roy at his first trials on his Triumph Cub!
The Villiers-engined Cub was in poor condition when he bought it, and Roy’s father helped him get it running, teaching him about mechanics and engines at the same time. At his first competition, Roy was up against the more modern trials bikes of the day — Bultaco, Fantic, and the Yamaha TY series.
Even better, Roy was riding his own bike — one he and his father had readied themselves. Fast forward to present day, and Roy had been planning a scrambler build for at least six years:
His donor would be a late-plated 2016 (registered 2017) Triumph Scrambler 865 EFI — one of the last of the air-cooled Triumph twins, but with the perks of modern fuel injection. Roy admits he invested “a small fortune” in the build, but it was money well spent. The result is one of the classiest, most gorgeous Triumph Scramblers we’ve seen.
Working out of his small garage in Mallorca and enlisting the help of some of the top specialists in the UK, Roy has built a machine that would give the best professional workshops a run for their money. The frame was powder-coated with a chrome effect by Agbrigg Chrome Platers, while one of the best in the business, Arnie Pro Kustom, handled the paint.
The suspension was upgraded with polished ’06 fork bottoms and an Andreani Misano Evo fork cartridge kit up front and YSS Pro shocks in the rear. Joe Brown at Staffordshire Wheel Works laced up a new set of Morad alloy rims with stainless spokes, which Roy wrapped in Continental TKC 80 rubber. Brakes were upgraded with Discacciatti four-piston calipers (front and rear) and HEL hoses.
The engine got a Triumph Twin Power Stage 5 tune, airbox baffle removal, high-flow DNA performance filters, Barnett clutch springs, and an exhaust from our friends at FCR Original, complete with a custom baffle.
With these mods, the Stage 5 tune is dyno-tested for an increase of 10-12% horsepower and 17% torque at the rear wheel, along with sharper throttle response and other advantages.
Roy revamped the cockpit with LSL bars and risers, Motone switchgear with Axel Joost D-Box, and a Motogadget speedometer and breakout box. The seat is a stock unit modified to fit the shortened rear frame rails, and the mudguards also come from LSL.
Roy’s Scrambler is quite the stunner, and he says the ride is amazing given the style of the bike.
All in all, this is one lovely time machine “back to the days” of Roy’s first bike, which started a lifelong love affair with two wheels. Below, we get the full details and build sheet from the man himself. Photo credit goes to Phoenix Media of Mallorca.
The Triumph Scrambler 865 EFI started out as a 2017 model stock bike. I had been planning to build a scrambler for the last six years and finally decided to do it. The bike has had a small fortune spent on it, approximately twice the purchase value.
My vision and inspiration was to make an old school-looking scrambler going back to the days when I started out in the late 70s with my first trials bike, which was a Triumph Tiger Cub frame with a Villiers 197 engine. When I bought this bike, it was in a poor condition and not running; my father helped me and taught me about engines and mechanics and we got the bike running. I did all the cosmetics and entered it into my first trials competition, where I was up against modern bikes of that time, which were Fantics and TY Yamahas, Bultacos, etc. So I did not do so well, but at least I did not come last in the competition, which pleased me.
The scrambler rides and handles really well considering the tyres, which I am amazed at how they stick to the road, and the suspension set up is perfect and also the brake upgrade.
I carried all the work in my small garage in Mallorca, Spain; I am very happy with the end result.
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Roy Welton’s Custom Triumph Scrambler…
In 2006, Triumph introduced the 865 Scrambler, which took inspiration from the machines of the 1960s ISDT (International Six Days Trial) — a time when competitors like Steve McQueen rode Triumph parallel-twin off-roaders in the historic event.
The Scrambler’s 865cc air-cooled parallel-twin was based largely on the Bonneville’s, albeit with one substantial difference:
The 270-degree crank gives a more syncopated exhaust note, and the engine was tuned for better torque and midrange power, with peak output of 58 hp and 50 lb-ft of torque. Interestingly, Triumph would shift all of their Bonneville-based models to a 270-crank with the introduction of their liquid-cooled engines in 2016. According to Chief Engineer Stuart Wood:
Enter our friend Roy Welton, who built his highly popular 1977 Kawasaki Z1000 restomod out of his small garage in Mallorca, Spain — a bike that would make our list of the Top 10 Restomods of 2022.
Roy’s love of motorcycles dates back to his boyhood, and one bike in particular:
Roy at his first trials on his Triumph Cub!
The Villiers-engined Cub was in poor condition when he bought it, and Roy’s father helped him get it running, teaching him about mechanics and engines at the same time. At his first competition, Roy was up against the more modern trials bikes of the day — Bultaco, Fantic, and the Yamaha TY series.
Even better, Roy was riding his own bike — one he and his father had readied themselves. Fast forward to present day, and Roy had been planning a scrambler build for at least six years:
His donor would be a late-plated 2016 (registered 2017) Triumph Scrambler 865 EFI — one of the last of the air-cooled Triumph twins, but with the perks of modern fuel injection. Roy admits he invested “a small fortune” in the build, but it was money well spent. The result is one of the classiest, most gorgeous Triumph Scramblers we’ve seen.
Working out of his small garage in Mallorca and enlisting the help of some of the top specialists in the UK, Roy has built a machine that would give the best professional workshops a run for their money. The frame was powder-coated with a chrome effect by Agbrigg Chrome Platers, while one of the best in the business, Arnie Pro Kustom, handled the paint.
The suspension was upgraded with polished ’06 fork bottoms and an Andreani Misano Evo fork cartridge kit up front and YSS Pro shocks in the rear. Joe Brown at Staffordshire Wheel Works laced up a new set of Morad alloy rims with stainless spokes, which Roy wrapped in Continental TKC 80 rubber. Brakes were upgraded with Discacciatti four-piston calipers (front and rear) and HEL hoses.
The engine got a Triumph Twin Power Stage 5 tune, airbox baffle removal, high-flow DNA performance filters, Barnett clutch springs, and an exhaust from our friends at FCR Original, complete with a custom baffle.
With these mods, the Stage 5 tune is dyno-tested for an increase of 10-12% horsepower and 17% torque at the rear wheel, along with sharper throttle response and other advantages.
Roy revamped the cockpit with LSL bars and risers, Motone switchgear with Axel Joost D-Box, and a Motogadget speedometer and breakout box. The seat is a stock unit modified to fit the shortened rear frame rails, and the mudguards also come from LSL.
Roy’s Scrambler is quite the stunner, and he says the ride is amazing given the style of the bike.
All in all, this is one lovely time machine “back to the days” of Roy’s first bike, which started a lifelong love affair with two wheels. Below, we get the full details and build sheet from the man himself. Photo credit goes to Phoenix Media of Mallorca.
Triumph Scrambler 865: In the Builder’s Words
The Triumph Scrambler 865 EFI started out as a 2017 model stock bike. I had been planning to build a scrambler for the last six years and finally decided to do it. The bike has had a small fortune spent on it, approximately twice the purchase value.
My vision and inspiration was to make an old school-looking scrambler going back to the days when I started out in the late 70s with my first trials bike, which was a Triumph Tiger Cub frame with a Villiers 197 engine. When I bought this bike, it was in a poor condition and not running; my father helped me and taught me about engines and mechanics and we got the bike running. I did all the cosmetics and entered it into my first trials competition, where I was up against modern bikes of that time, which were Fantics and TY Yamahas, Bultacos, etc. So I did not do so well, but at least I did not come last in the competition, which pleased me.
The scrambler rides and handles really well considering the tyres, which I am amazed at how they stick to the road, and the suspension set up is perfect and also the brake upgrade.
I carried all the work in my small garage in Mallorca, Spain; I am very happy with the end result.
Build Sheet
- Paint: By Arnie Pro Kustom, UK, I chose colour scheme
- Frame: Rear tubes reduced in length, stand lugs removed
- Frame paint: Sand-blasted and chrome powder-coat effect by Senn Longbottom at Agbrigg Chrome Platers, UK
- Wheels: New Morad alloy rims and stainless steel spokes fitted by Joe Brown, Staffordshire Wheel Works, UK
- Tyres: Continental TKC 80
- Brake discs: R-flo floating front disc, TRW rear disc
- Brake calipers: Discacciatti 4 piston front and rear
- Brake hoses: HEL
- Number plate light: LED
- Chain Guard: FCR
- Chain: R.K. 520 ZXW XW-Ring chain upgrade
- Casings and rocker cover: Polished
- Ignition and rectifier: Relocated with Motone brackets
- Foot rests: Front Norman Hyde with mods and custom rear foot rests
- Rear Shocks: YSS Pro
- Front suspension: Andreani Misano Evo fork cartridge kit
- Fork tube bottoms: 2006 model with lugs and polished
- Switchgear: Motone Handlebar micro switches
- Motogadget M.Tri breakout box to replace the speedo and tacho with Motogadget Tiny speedo
- D-Box by Axel Joost for the operation of the Motone handlebar micro switches
- Wiring info and advice from Richard Prowse, Motorcycle Wiring Specialists, UK
- Speedo: Motogadget Tiny
- Tec oil filler cap
- Barnett clutch springs upgrade
- UTP Safe start mod
- UTP DNA air filter
- UTP DNA Breathe air filter bell mouth
- Triumph Twin Power stage 5 tune
- Airbox baffle removal
- Seat: leather custom modified
- Exhaust: FCR with a custom baffle
- Front and rear indicators: FCR
- Bar risers: LSL
- Mudguards: LSL
- Taper head stock bearings
- Handlebars: LSL Scrambler
- Grips: Custom
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