Our buddy Diz was sick of his Truimph looking the same as everyone elses. But more than that, he wanted something that was going to work better than the stock bike and be comfortable both on and off the road. And this is how the Dizzy Triumph began.
Diz is an Englishman who now calls the southern California coast his home. A stuntman by trade, Diz's perfect escape from his regular 9-5 of "lights, camera, smash em" is a quick blast down the coast or exploring the back routes of western states and sometimes going beyond where the road ends.
Diz has been an avid motorcyclist for years but had never owned a street bike, or in fact, had his M1 endorsement. It wasn't until a group of his friends from the UK organized a ride leaving from LA down through Joshua Tree, up through Yosemite, over to Big Sur and back down again. Diz's buddy Gorman lent him his Triumph Scrambler for the journey and, after several hundred miles together, Diz was sold.
Triumph essentially invented the Scrambler category in 1949 with the TR5 Trophy. By the Sixties, Scrambling was all but synonyms with the British brand thanks to the likes of Steve McQueen and Bud Ekins who rode for the Triumph sponsored 1964 American ISDT team and dominated desert racing and enduro events globally. It was even a Scrambler prepped Triumph that famously sailed up and over the barbwire fence in The Great Escape (with Bud Ekins stunt-doubling for McQueen). Back then, motorcycle categories weren't as niche and vast as they are today. If you wanted a motorcycle capable of tackling the foreboding terrain of the western desert, you had to start with a street roving motorcycle, remove all the unnecessary parts, raise the ground clearance, and reinforce the easily bashable bits.
When it came to Diz's build, a lot of the inspiration and execution were derived from the same spirit sparked in the McQueen era. Take a 2015 Triumph Scrambler, remove all of the unnecessary parts, beef up the parts that need beefn' and throw some So. Cal soul at it.
The front fender was raised using a British Customs high front fender mount kit to allow more travel and make room for the bitey off-road aggressive Continental TKC80's. The rider cockpit was cleaned up and minimalized using the Joker Machine ignition relocator and Moto Gadget digitalgauge. Pro Taper handlebars and ASV levers give the controls a more off-road look and performance feel. The stock Triumph suspension was upgraded using Progressive Suspension 900 series fully adjustable shocks. The RSD vertical shock mount tag brackets holds the license plate on and lets people behind know you're on the brakes with a bright LED tail light. The flat, wide stock Triumph seat was replaced with the slim, ergonomic RSD Enzo 2-up seat which sits atop a custom fabricated RSD rear frame grab handle. A Scrambler can hardly be considered a Scrambler if it isn't sporting a high pipe, so for Diz a fully custom RSD "Track" 2-into-1 slip on muffler was fitted and paired with K&N airlifters and eliminated the stock airbox to shave some weight and let the beast breath. Galfer wave rotors were added front and rear to maximize stopping power and Kellerman Atto turn signals aided to the minimalist aesthetic while keeping it legal.
The calling card for any custom motorcycle is the paint. Diz wanted something unmistakably not stock that captured the Sixties' freewheeling feeling. Diz took inspiration in everything from the California coastal sunset to ski parkas and retro helmets. In the end, Lossa Engineering (Jay LaRossa) delivered a paint scheme that subtlety reflects everything inspired in an unforgettable head-turning, essential style which is unmistakably Diz.
Complete Parts List:
RSD Enzo 2-up seat
RSD Vertical shock-mount Tag Bracket
RSD custom “Track” high pipe
RSD custom rear frame grab handle
RSD 4-bolt Nostalgia Bar Mounts 1” (bored to 1-1/8”)
Pro Taper handlebars (Indina FTR1200 Stock take-off)
ASV brake and clutch levers
Galfer wave rotors
K&N air filters
The Speed Merchant engine covers
Progressive Suspension 990 series fully adjustable shocks
Indian FTR2100 Headlight with Motodemic mounts
Moto Gadget gauge
Iron Cobra battery tray
Paint by Lossa Engineering (Jay LaRossa)
LSL Footpegs
Performance Machine Mirror
Joker Machine Ignition relcoator
Joker Machine throttlebody caps
Joker Machine stem nut
Joker Machine ignition switch relocator
Joker Machine gas cap
British Customs direct front brake reservoir mount
British Customs high front fender mount kit
British Custom clutch arm finisher
Kellerman Atto turn signals
Antigravity Lithium Battery (AG801)
Continental TCK80 tires