Right out of the box, the Triumph Speed Triple is an impressive bike. The aggressive, naked look is a not-so-subtle hint at the kick you’ll get when you twist the throttle and the sound of the mill in action is enough to make any powersports aficionado drool. One commonality among motorcyclists the world over though is the desire to take something good and try to make it even better. Some even go so far as to create a work of art out of the machine, a pastime that yields results ranging from the breathtaking to the absurd.
Enter Vilner, a Bulgarian customization shop that typically deals in car interiors. They were asked by a Russian client to trick-out a Speed Triple and the results are, in my opinion, a fantastic blend of over-the-top luxuriousness with parity to the original Triumph model.
The leather work on the seat extends down the side fairings and there’s also a punch of leather at the top of the fuel tank. Custom OZ rims get a gold finish to match the gold forks, belly pan and trim around the taillights. Sideview mirrors were fitted underneath the handlebars and the standard Speed Triple dual-headlight was replaced by a large, single unit. Most of the rest of the bike is dressed in black, including the dual exhaust pipes and frame. The result is a bike that is at once classy and over-blown, one I would simultaneously want to ride everywhere and nowhere.
In spite of all the additional goodies the bike is still instantly recognizable as a Speed Triple. While often inarguably beautiful, some custom jobs are a bit off for the sheer fact that there seems no way to ride the thing without first becoming an expert in contortionism.
Vilner PR states that the aesthetic intention was to invoke the shape and presence of an English bulldog, hence the name. I’ll leave it to you to decide whether the builders from Bulg
