It takes a measure of blood, sweat and tears to build a good custom motorcycle. And then there are the tricky projects that call for an even higher level of perseverance. Like this vintage Triumph bobber?which took four years to complete and included a massive scavenger hunt for parts.
?I’d always wanted to build a custom bobber using a pre-unit Triumph motor,? owner Marnitz Venter tells us. ?But finding old and close-to-vintage parts is almost impossible.?

Marnitz lives in Johannesburg, South Africa, where he runs the parts and apparel site Old Skool Trading. He trades in old bikes on the side, builds the occasional custom, and hosts the local leg of the Distinguished Gentlemen’s Ride. And in the middle of this build he got married, moved house, and then renovated the place. So it’s little wonder that his vintage bobber project took so long to come to fruition.

Marnitz had help too; a small army of friends that pitched in on everything from machining and welding, to advice and straight-up heckling. But finding time wasn’t the only struggle?getting all the ingredients together proved to be a huge mission.
Marnitz first found an old set of engine casings, and then eventually a BSA M20 transmission, a Japanese front drum brake hub, and bits and pieces of a BSA rear wheel. But the most important parts eluded him: a vintage Triumph hardtail frame and a girder front end.

?I learned that collectors do not like to part with vintage parts,? he quips...