Originally Published In The June-July 2020 Issue Of Cycle Source Magazine
We came across this little blue beauty on Dennis Kirk’s Garagebuild.com. I love that one of the industry leaders is giving the average joe an opportunity to show off their ride. Dennis Kirk understands that men and women put hours of sweat and hard work into their motorbikes and have provided a platform to showcase them. They only of Perry Brink was born in Sweden fifty-eight years ago. However, he grew up on a farm in South Africa in the ‘70s, where he had some of the most amazing countryside to ride dirt bikes. Perry, his brother, and their friends would hop on their bikes and ride for hours without seeing another person.
At age 15, the brothers got 50cc bikes, which was suitable for a while, but then they pooled their money together and bought a used, early ‘70s Suzuki PE400, it was awesome! Over the years, the Brink boys bought, sold, and traded numerous bikes, his favorite being a Husqvarna 430. Perry moved to the US in the early ’80s and opted to focus on his career and gave up bikes for quite a few years. Those years he was not riding two wheels he spent riding the waves surfing. Brink was fortunate enough to all over the world during that time. About 15 years ago, Perry started restoring classic muscle cars, including ’66 Malibu, ’69 Corvette, ’70 Trans Am, and a ’66 GTO convertible. Then one day, the bike bug bit again when he came across a ‘70s Triumph OIF with a weldon David Bird hardtail. Immediately he saw the potential and bought it on the spot. Just a few short months later, he picked up a ’79 Bonneville in Lancaster, PA. Somehow he worked out a sweet deal with the seller, which included tearing down the bike so he could fit it in the trunk and backseat of his rental car. The disassembly happened in the dead of winter with a pair of vice grips, pliers, and some old sockets in an outdoor barn, freezing their asses off.
Over the years, this hobby has taken him on to build 22 motorcycles, including 16 Triumphs, 3 BMW Airheads, 2 Harleys, and Honda. All the while keeping himself mentally engaged and the wife happy that it keeps Perry home and busy. Brink bought this Triumph on eBay because it had a completely rebuilt motor. Essentially, all he ended up keeping from the original bike was the front frame, motor, and gas tank. He already had a 7” stretched hardtail from a previous purchase that he had been holding on to for just the right project. Curt over at “Anything Goes” had been building custom oil tanks for Perry for a couple of years. Perry’s inspiration for the seat came from a bike that he saw at a show, and Christie at ButtSkinz made his precisely what he was looking for.
Over and above the gloss black frame, blue tank, and fender and chrome, Perry wanted some brass accents which proved to be a little challenging as nobody really does brass and if they do, maintaining to polished shiny look takes a lot of continual maintenance. After quite a bit of research, he finally found a powder coating option that is a two-stage process – powder coat in a silver chrome followed by golden brass, which was definitely worth the time because I think it adds the perfect finishing touches to the bike. There are some beautiful show bikes out there, but Perry believes that you should ride what you have and says freely that these old Triumphs are a blast to ride! Word of caution, though, this is not a beginner’s bike. Kick start, spool wheel, right side shifting, and a rear drum brake takes some experience. This is the old school philosophy of “Ride, Wrench, Repeat.”
BONNIE TECH SHEET
Owner: Perry Brink
City/State: Encinitas, CA
Builder: Perry Brink
Year: 1968
Model: Triumph Bonneville
Value: $9000
Time: A Lot
ENGINE
Year: 1968
Model: Triumph Bonneville
Builder: Stock
Ignition: Boyer Brandsen
Displacement: 650cc
Pistons: TWO
Heads: One
Carbs: Keihin PWK
Cam: Stock
Air Cleaner: Velocity Short Stack
Exhaust: L F Harris (UK)
Primary: Stock
TRANSMISSION
Year: 1968
Make: Triumph
Shifting: 4 Speed, Right Side Shift
FRAME
Year: 1968
Model: Triumph Bonneville
Rake: Stock
Stretch: 7” Stretch With 2” Drop
Forks: Shaved 79 Triumph Bonneville
Builder: Perry Brink
Type: Stock
Triple Trees: 1979 Triumph Bonneville
Extension: Stock
WHEELS
Front Wheel: Moto Iron from TC Bros
Size: 21”
Tire: Avon Speedmaster MkII
Front Brake: Spool Wheel
Rear Wheel: Triumph Hub Lace To Harley Rim
Size: 16”
Tire: Avon Speedmaster MkII
Rear Brake: Triumph Drum
PAINT
Painter: ‘Paint By Blake’
Color: Kandy Blue
Type: PPG
Graphics: Gold Logo
Chroming: Gorilla Chrome
Powder Coating: Olympic Coatings
ACCESSORIES
Bars: Drag Bars
Risers: Triumph
Hand Controls: Biltwell Grips/EMGO Lever
Foot Controls: Stock Triumph
Gas Tank(s): Stock Triumph
Oil Tank: Anything Goes Custom Cycles
Front fender: N/A
Rear Fender: Lowbrow Customs
Seat: Buttskinz
Headlight:
Tail light:
Speedo: None
Photographer: Perry Brink
