Wrotham Rocket

This article appeared in Motor Cycle News on 25/7/2007 and is reproduced with thanks.

BY Michael Neeves Pictures from Bob Farnham and MCN

If you grew up with the sticky stench of two-stroke premix in your hair and clothes you’ll know the name Bob Farnham. In the mid 80s and early 90s he was one of the country’s best known two-stroke tuners. More recently he’s been working his magic on supersport and superstock bikes.
But today, alongside his tuning and dyno work, Bob builds hot Triumphs.
Beginning life as a standard Thruxton, this bike is a rolling showcase of what Farnham can do for your Triumph.
 

 The bike hasn’t got a name, although he reckons it could be dubbed the ‘Techno Retro’ or ‘The Wrotham Rocket’ (his workshop is based there, down the road from Brands). The Thruxton’s parallel twin-cylinder motor is bored out from 865cc to 904cc and fitted with Wiseco pistons and liners, while the cylinder head is gas-flowed and fitted with higher lift cams.

Pipes are Farnham’s own Megatone silencers bolted onto standard headers while twin 35mm Keihin CR carbs take care of shovelling fuel into the cylinders. The result is a power hike from 52bhp to 85bhp at the rear wheel. Even more impressive is how much grunt this engine now has, with 66ftlb of torque compared to the standard 42ftlb. If you want Farnham to do something similar to your Triumph you’re looking at around £1500.

All of which has turned the Thruxton from a cute retro into a snarling beast. Better yet it now handles and stops like a modern bike, too. The forks, yokes and brakes are from the Daytona 650 and finished off with a Dymag carbon fibre wheel and a Brembo master cylinder. The rear wheel is also a carbon Dymag. Analogue clocks have been dumped for a Vapor digital display.
This is the ideal Sunday morning feel-good machine. It has the power, soundtrack, handling and looks to keep you interested, but it’s not over-the-top-quick like the current crop of sports bikes.

Cost: £9000 estimated
Power measured 85bhp
Weight measured: 205kg
Torque measured: 66ftlb

Fuel: 16.6-litres,

Engine: Air-cooled, 865cc ]90x 68mm], dohc, parallel twin.

Twin 35mm Keihin CR carburetors.

43mm USD forks, adj. for comp, rebound and preload.

Twin rear shock adjustable for preload.

Brakes:2x308mm front discs with four-piston radialy mounted calipers.

255mm rear disc with twin-piston caliper

Tyres: 120x70 front, 160/60xl7rear.

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