I have never been a person just accept things the way they are. Almost everything can be enhanced or improved. Most mass produced products have been subject to budget, production or raw material limitations and that usually means compromises have been made between the original design and the end product.
Being that I am a man of form over function I am always seeking ways to improve on the designs of my projects while still retaining the spirit and essence of the original.
The Triumph is no exception and there was a sleek and progressive form just beneath the surface waiting to be freed. The stock tank on the 650cc TR6 was just too wide for the bike I envisioned. So chop chop let's get cutting.
It takes a courage and confidence to make that first cut knowing things will never be the same again. I've grown to find this very cathartic and empowering. You have no choice but to move forward, there is no point looking back or regretting the decision just move forward and make it amazing. Like they say "you have to break a few eggs to make an omelet". You can't let your fear get in the way of creation.
Steel like most things in our lives, is very forgiving. It can be cut, hammered, pushed, pulled and bent into shape. At first I found steel extremely intimidating but in the right hands with the right tools and knowledge it becomes fluid and shapeable. Your perspective can completely change the construct from permanent, solid and immovable to that of a medium of creation where you are in complete control of the form it takes.
I have found that it usually takes more effort to make something look the way it should have when it left the factory. Understated, subtle changes can have a dramatic overall effect, but are less noticeable to the untrained eye. Anything worth doing is worth doing right, regardless the time or effort it requires.
Let's all do some cutting this year and make our lives what we imagine and not just accept what's in front of us right now. Here's to no compromises!
