Workhorse Speed Shop Modernizes 2009 Triumph Speed Triple 1050

Bringing the triple back up to speed.

By: Dustin Wheelen

Apr 22, 2021 at 11:56am ET

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Some motorcyclists will do whatever it takes to get their dream bike. Whether that’s making minor improvements to perfection or a ground-up rebuild, technological and budgetary restrictions mean very little to the determined. Such was the case with Belgium’s Workhorse Speed Shop and a 2009 Triumph Speed Triple.

Founder Brice Hennebert took on the Hinckley hypernaked back in 2014 when he ran the custom shop Kruz Company. After Hennebert started building under the Workhorse banner, the 2009 Triumph client came calling. Fortunately, the Belgian builder already molded the bodywork seven years prior, and the carbon fiber form still held up.

Gallery: Workhorse Speed Shop: 2009 Triumph Speed Triple

With the one-piece unit ready to roll, Hennebert added a custom Chromoly subframe for support and hid a 13-liter aluminum gas tank under the carbon fiber shell. A MotoGadget control box and Highsider taillight tuck nicely into the tail unit while a custom upholstered seat delivers a level of refinement without stealing the show.

New cartridges and a Nitron rear shock update the suspension setup, but the wheels and Brembo calipers are OE. In the cockpit, the new clip-ons feature mini-switches and a new master cylinder and clutch. Hennebert also integrated the MotoGadget speedo into the yoke. The front fender completes the bodywork but a Zard exhaust stands out for its titanium finish.

Hennebert reports that the build trimmed 77 pounds off the Speed Triple 1050, making its 130 horsepower even more potent. With the seven-year project finally complete, Hennebert plans to offer a based on the build, but he plans to add a belly pan and front fairing to the package.

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“The target is to keep the basic version of the kit under €12,000 ($14,411 USD),” he says, “including the donor bike. It’s a good, powerful and popular bike that you can find for around €4,000 ($4,813) across the world, with a hell of an engine that’s really fun to ride in all conditions.”

Yes, when Hennebert releases the kit, the full set may cost three times the value of the motorcycle itself. However, we all know that some motorcyclists do whatever it takes to get that dream bike.