TJ Motos 883
By Ian Heartfield - 03 Jun 14
Raw. Vintage. Mechanical. These are the three words Tushar Jaitly uses to describe his 883 Harley. We'd like to add two more - unique and awesome.
After completing three years of automotive design in Turin, Italy, 23 year old Tushar returned home to New Delhi last year and started up his own custom bike shop, TJ-MOTO. This is the first bike he built, and as it was his own he had complete freedom to do exactly what he wanted. Tushar believes that the motorcycle in itself is an art form, and as such he doesn't believe that parts should be hidden, or that a bike needs a pimped up paint job to look nice. In fact, the word 'nice' should never be said within earshot of this bike, as it looks like it would turn and lamp you.
Everything on this 883 is hand built. The chassis has been cut to give it a bone crushing rigid rear, the front uses stock iron suspension. Clearly one of the main things that really earns this bike the 'unique' tag, is the way the top frame tube runs above the tank, giving the illusion that the tank itself is floating. On first viewing we weren't convinced, but then all new ideas take a little getting used to. Now we love it.
The tank (and the oil tank) were hand fabricated and painted in British Racing Green with cream and gold pin striping. Not an obvious choice for a Harley bobber designed and built in India, but Tushar doesn't believe in obvious. The free flowing exhaust system was also made in house and set up with a K&N air filter.
16" wheels are graced with the obligatory Firestone 500-16 tires. The other striking feature, the seat, has a linkage mechanism instead of the usual spring set up, and each link has been CNC cut and made to measure. You can really see the blood, sweat and tears in those linkages. The leather used on the seat and the belts is pure suede.
TJ's 883 just looks like trouble, pure mechanical menace with shed loads of attitude. If it had been at Tobacco Dock last weekend, then it would definitely have been in the Bad Boys Lounge. If you're about to commission a bike from Tushar, please give him as much freedom as he gave himself. The world needs more bad ass bikes like this. And when you do, send some pics our way.