As long as I have been blogging, I have seen super cool and stylishly taken photos of guys and girls in far-off places riding surfboard carrying motorcycles. But motorcycling and surfing, are two things that as far as I am aware don’t often come together here in the UK (then if it doesn’t have an engine I’m not intersted). VW camper vans and surfing, now thats a different story. Drive along the coast roads of Devon, Cornwall, East Anglia and the North East of England and you are sure to find the coast-roads and carparks littered with wetsuit clad surfers and VW vans.
But it would appear that motorcycle and surfing do come together even here in the UK…. and why shouldn’t they. My ignorance is clearly down to the fact that I don’t surf, or do I have any interest in the activity, but then in-between blogging, riding and working there is very little time to ‘catch some waves‘ at Boscombe Surf Reef. 
Unlike myself, this passion for motorcycles and surfing is very strong in others around the globe, with events such as the Southsiders Wheels and Waves happening the world over. With this coming together of these two passions, inevitably a solution was found to carry a board on a motorcycle. One such surf rack is by Northcore and as every bike rack needs a bike, what better than a modified Triumph Bonneville to put it on… Matt Strathern continues…..
The Northcore “Beach Bonny” Bonneville
Surfing and motorcycles are two great passions of the brand Northcore so it was inevitable that a Northcore solution to carrying surfboards on a motorbike would emerge at some stage. Northcore began producing the “Lowrider” surfboard carry rack a few years ago originally designed for smaller cc motos for local trips to the beach, however the surfboard rack presented the ideal opportunity to look into fitting to larger capacity bikes, so what better bike than a Bonneville!
A 2001 Hinckley Bonneville was purchased in 2014. Inspired by Bonnefication and amazing bike builds out there I began to modify the bike in my shed with the goal of creating a beach/street tracker feel. The build was a first for me so there was nothing too technical or mechanical involved but I’m pleased with the results. It’s been a really rewarding project and it’s great fun to blast down to the surf on!
Modifications to the Northcore “Beach Bonnie”
Replaced rear mudguard/light with a PJ custom tail tidy with LED brake light
Replaced indicators with cats eye indicators. Rears were relocated to shocks
Fitted Avon Distanzia Enduro tyres 150/70 rear and 110/80 front
Fitted lighter, matt black MAS chain guard
TEC 2-1 exhaust fitted, with slight baffle modification
Biltwell tracker handlebars
Biltwell Kung Fu Grips
Fitted Black Hagon adjustable rear shocks
Added universal fit 6.5” matt black head light
Vinyl wrapped side panels
Re-sprayed tank in satin finish Atzec bronze
Custom brown vinyl seat- narrower and lower
Modified removable Northcore Surfboard rack
