Is there any motorcycle genre more evocative than the ‘desert sled’? The very name conjures up images of blasting across the sandy shrublands of Baja. ‘Dual sport’ or ‘enduro’ just doesn’t cut it.
For Brit bike fans, the heyday of the desert sled was from the mid 50s to the early 70s. Triumph twins ruled the proverbial roost, taking over from stripped down Harleys and Indians—before Huskies and Yamahas became the weapons of choice for the high plains and dunes of the western United States.
This Triumph TR6 captures the vibes of those good times just perfectly. It’s mostly period correct, but a few well-judged mods elevate its performance beyond the norm for the air-cooled twin.
The builder is Paul Hartman, an art director for a skateboard manufacturer.…