TRIPLE-POWERED SCRAMBLER: MIGUEL ÁNGEL’S "LA TAIGUER"
From the motorcycle-crazed streets of Jerez de la Frontera to engineering a 19-liter dual-tank setup—how designer Miguel Ángel transformed a 2003 Triumph Tiger 955i into an agile, custom Scrambler built for long journeys and unpaved trails.
Growing up in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain—a city where motorcycle culture runs through the veins of every street—designer Miguel Ángel was born with a creative urge to disassemble, rebuild, and individualize. Seeking to blend the iconic aesthetic of Triumph’s classic scramblers with the raw power and touring versatility of a three-cylinder engine, Miguel Ángel bought a 2003 Triumph Tiger 955i as his canvas.
Miguel Ángels Triumph Tiger 955i
„I wanted it to remain a genuine Triumph and, at the same time, to be clearly my Triumph.“
Miguel Ángel
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Dubbed "La Taiguer" (a Spanish phonetic spin on Tiger), the custom build went far deeper than surface styling. Miguel Ángel redesigned the rear subframe, modified the air intake, and altered gearing for instant low-end torque. To preserve the classic Scrambler silhouette without sacrificing touring range, he fitted a primary tank from a Triumph Legend TT connected to a hidden secondary reservoir—yielding a 19-liter fuel capacity. Trimming the dry weight down to roughly 180 kg while utilizing OEM parts from various Triumph models, Miguel Ángel built a machine that is equal parts functional design piece and rugged adventure tool.
THE RIDER
Name: Miguel Ángel (FULLMOTO project founder)
Base: Jerez de la Frontera, Spain
Garage / Life: Designer, creator, motorcycle builder, and founder of FULLMOTO apparel.
THE MACHINE
Model: 2003 Triumph Tiger 955i ("La Taiguer" / Triumph Tiger Scrambler)
Spec & Mods: Custom rear subframe, dual-tank system (Triumph Legend TT main tank + auxiliary tank, ~19L total), tuned gearing & air intake, OEM Triumph component integration, and weight reduction down to ~180 kg dry weight.
IN CONVERSATION WITH MIGUEL ÁNGEL
RWN MOTOZINE: Who are you, where are you based, and what do you do when you’re not out riding or in the garage?
Miguel Ángel: My name is Miguel Ángel, and I am from Jerez de la Frontera, Spain, a city where motorcycling is lived intensely. I grew up surrounded by motorcycles, and from a very young age, taking them apart, working on them and putting them back together has been part of my life.
Professionally, I work in design. Above any other description, I consider myself a creative person. Whether designing a space or working on a motorcycle, I care about how it works, how it looks and the sensations it conveys when using it.
My journey through motorcycling has taken me through mopeds, sports bikes, track riding, café racers and, finally, scramblers. In the latter, I find many of the things I like most about the world of motorcycles brought together.
RWN MOTOZINE: What is the exact make, model, and year of the bike, and how did you get your hands on it?
Miguel Ángel: The basis of the project is a 2003 Triumph Tiger 955i. I bought it because it was in excellent condition and offered a good foundation for creating the motorcycle I had in mind. It was quite an impulsive purchase. I knew what attracted me to the Tiger, but I was not yet aware of all the challenges that transforming it would involve.
I call it the Triumph Tiger Scrambler. Among friends, we simply call it “La Taiguer”, a Spanish phonetic adaptation of the word Tiger.
My intention was to combine the character of Triumph’s classic scramblers with the power and touring capability of its three-cylinder engine. The Scrambler 1200 was an important reference, since I consider it a very complete motorcycle in every respect, but the result had to suit my riding style, my ergonomics and my tastes, without having to spend such an excessive amount and always creating something unique, something I have been obsessed with since childhood.
RWN MOTOZINE: What have you modified, restored, or tailored on the bike? Was there a specific challenge along the way?
Miguel Ángel: The transformation went far beyond changing its appearance. I redesigned the rear subframe, adapted the riding position and ergonomics, modified the intake and changed the gearing to achieve a more immediate response at low speeds.
One of the biggest challenges was the fuel system. The main tank comes from a Triumph Legend TT and operates connected to a second tank, with a total capacity of approximately 19 litres. Getting the tanks and intake to coexist within the available space required a great deal of adaptation work and posed an aesthetic challenge: preserving the essence of a Triumph scrambler in my motorcycle.
Whenever possible, I used original components from other Triumph models. Maintaining that connection with the brand was important to me: I wanted it to remain a genuine Triumph and, at the same time, to be clearly my Triumph.
The dry weight is around 180 kg. This is an approximate figure, not a certified measurement. Reducing weight was fundamental to achieving the handling I was looking for, while the engine remained almost entirely standard to preserve its reliability.
RWN MOTOZINE: Is there a specific memory, road trip, or moment with this bike that stands out to you?
Miguel Ángel: What leaves the greatest impression on me is riding something that began as an idea in my head and discovering that it works even much better than I expected.
Building it was enormously satisfying, but the real reward has come from using it. Long journeys and rides off the tarmac have given meaning to the decisions I made along the way in the garage.
I have a very strong bond with this motorcycle because I feel it is an extension of myself. Its story continues to grow through use, through the places it takes me and through the experiences we share together.
RWN MOTOZINE: What does motorcycle culture mean to you? Feel free to share anything else you’d like our readers to know.
Miguel Ángel: For me, motorcycle culture brings together creativity, friendship and the freedom to explore. My way of working on motorcycles has always had both a functional and an aesthetic side: I want to enjoy riding them, but also to recognise something of myself in them.
FULLMOTO, my clothing project inspired by motorcycling, was born from that same way of understanding this world. La Taiguer carries its logo because both the motorcycle and the clothing express the same personal creative drive.
I also greatly value the people who make these projects possible. My friends Guele and Sergio have shared and fuelled my passion, and my wife, Asmara, has supported me through so many hours of dedication and has lived with all those motorcycle parts that have gradually found their place around the house.
Ultimately, I built La Taiguer to enjoy riding it. I hope to keep adding kilometres, experiences and stories with it for many years to come.
RWN MOTOZINE: Miguel Ángel, thank you for the craft, the time, and for keeping the raw spirit of the culture alive.
Photos by Miguel Ángel - Story by Sascha Köhmstedt