Triumph Motorcycles

About Triumph

Triumph Motorcycles Ltd is the largest UK motorcycle manufacturer. It was established in 1984 by John Bloor after the original company Triumph Engineering went into receivership. The new company (initially Bonneville Coventry Ltd) continued Triumph's record of motorcycle production since 1902.

In 1884 Siegfried Bettmann starts an import-export company. He imports German sewing machines and also sells bicycles badged with the name “Bettmann.” In 1887 Bettmann changes the name of his company to New Triumph Co. Ltd. (Later it will be changed again to Triumph Cycle Co. Ltd.)

First Triumph is produced in 1902 – known as No. 1. This is basically one of the company’s bicycles, fitted with a 2-hp Minerva engine made in Belgium. In 1905 Triumph produces its first motorcycle completely in-house. It’s powered by a 3-hp engine and has a top speed of 45 mph. Triumph makes a big advance in 1910 with the ‘free engine’ device (basically, the first practical clutch), which allows the user to start the engine with the bike on its stand and ride away from a standing start. There are two models in the lineup, and sales hit 3,000 units!

In 1920 Triumph produces the 550cc Type SD, the company’s first bike to feature a chain-driven rear wheel. SD stands for Spring Drive – it’s an early version of a cush drive. Bicycle-style rim brakes are replaced by drum brakes. The new bikes in 1921 need better brakes, as they now make a lot more power – especially the prototype 20-hp Model R, with four-valve head. It is known as the “Riccy” after one of its designers, Frank Ricardo. The 350cc Model LS (from 1923) is the first Triumph with an oil pump driven by the motor. (Until then, the rider had to pump oil by hand.)

In 1932 the noted engine designer Val Page joins the firm. Page quickly creates several new motors, including a 150cc two-stroke and 250, 350 and 500cc four-strokes. In 1935 a foot-change gearshift is available as an option on 650 Twins.

In 1936 Jack Sangster, who had owned Ariel, buys the motorcycle business and immediately hires Edward Turner (who had previously created the Ariel Square Four) as chief designer. Sangster reinstitutes Bettmann as the company chairman. In 1937 Turner unveils the 498cc Speed Twin (T100) that has a top speed of over 90 mph. It is the definitive British motorcycle and establishes a pattern for Triumph bikes that will last more than 40 years.

With the return of peace in 1945, the company focuses on three models, the Tiger 100, the Speed Twin and the smaller touring 349cc 3T. All models feature a telescopic front fork. In 1946 Ernie Lyons wins the Manx Grand Prix on a redesigned Tiger 100, using a lightweight all-alloy motor that Triumph designed for use on aircraft during the war. (The motor powered a radio generator.) In 1947 a rear “sprung hub” is optional. In 1949 the off-road 500cc TR5 “Trophy” and big-bore 649cc Thunderbird are released.

In 1951 Jack Sangster sells Triumph to BSA for £2.5 million. The 149cc OHV Terrier is released in 1953. The Tiger 110 is released in 1954, which is basically a tuned (40+hp) version of the Thunderbird, with a rear swingarm. The exquisitely styled 350cc “Twenty one” of 1957 may be an aesthetic success, but it proves a commercial failure.

The very popular T120 Bonneville 650 is introduced in 1959. It’s an evolution of the Tiger, fitted with twin carbs – something American dealers have long been asking for. It will remain in production until 1983. Bert Hopwood moves from AMC to Triumph in 1961, where he conceives a three-cylinder motor. The T120C “TT” (starting 1963) will become one of the most sought-after Triumphs of the period.

The 750cc Triple finally makes an appearance in 1968, powering both the Triumph Trident and the BSA Rocket 3.

The BSA group, which includes Triumph, posts a huge financial loss in 1973. The decision is made to shut down BSA and focus resources and energy on Triumph. Craig Vetter’s freelance “American hotrod” design for the Triple, which was to be a BSA model, is produced as the Triumph X75 Hurricane. By the end of the year, Triumph merges with Norton.

When Triumph Engineering went into receivership in 1983, John Bloor bought the name and manufacturing rights from the Official Receiver. The new company's manufacturing plant and its designs were not able to compete against the Japanese, so Bloor decided against relaunching Triumph immediately. Initially, production of the old Bonneville was continued under licence by Les Harris of Racing Spares, in Newton Abbot, Devon, to bridge the gap between the end of the old company and the start of the new company. For five years from 1983, about 14 were built a week in peak production. In the USA, owing to problems with liability insurance, the Harris Bonnevilles were never imported.

Bloor set to work assembling the new Triumph, hiring several of the group's former designers to begin work on new models. The team visited Japan on a tour of its competitors' facilities and became determined to adopt Japanese manufacturing techniques and especially new-generation computer-controlled machinery. In 1985, Triumph purchased a first set of equipment to begin working, in secret, on its new prototype models. By 1987, the company had completed its first engine. In 1988, Bloor funded the building of a new factory at a 10-acre (40,000 m²) site in Hinckley, Leicestershire. Bloor put between £70 million and £100 million into the company between purchasing the brand and breaking even in 2000.

Bloor has previously created two subsidiary companies, Triumph Deutschland GmbH and Triumph France SA. In 1994 Bloor created Triumph Motorcycles America Ltd.

A range of new 750 cc and 900 cc triple-cylinder bikes and 1000 cc and 1200 cc four-cylinder bikes were launched at the September 1990 Cologne Motorcycle Show. The motorcycles used famous model names from the glory days of Meriden Triumph and were first made available to the public between March (Trophy 1200 being the first) and September 1991. All used a modular liquid cooled DOHC engine design in a common large diameter steel backbone frame. The modular design was to ensure that a variety of models could be offered whilst keeping production costs under control.

The first models, known generically as the 'T300's, all used a common piston diameter (76mm) in a common wet cylinder liner. Basic engine variations were achieved through the use of two specifications of piston stroke: 65mm to create individual cylinder capacity of 300cc, and 55mm to create a 250cc individual cylinder. Two 750cc models were released - and the Daytona and Trident 750 triples (3 x 250cc). There was one 1000cc model - the Daytona 1000 four (4 x 250cc). Two 900 cc models were the Trophy 900 and Trident 900 triples (3 x 300cc). The Trophy 1200 four was the largest model (4 x 300cc). All were remarkably smooth running. The three cylinder models were equipped with a contra-rotating balance shaft mounted at the front of the engine. The four cylinder models benefitted from twin balance shafts - unique at the time - mounted beneath the crank shaft. Contemporary road tests noted the solidity and smoothness of performance as positives but the weight of the machines as negatives.

Revisions to crankcases for the three-cylinder models in 1993, together with a move to high pressure casting, reduced engine weight considerably. All painting and plating operations were brought in house in 1993, as the Hinckley factory benefitted from further investment after the initial success of the range. The result was improved quality and durability of finish, added to the basic engineering integrity of the engine and chassis, made for a long-lasting and robust motorcycle.

The range was largely revised in 1997 with the release of the T500 range, followed by a light-weight four-cylinder 600 cc sports TT600. The Triumph Thunderbird 900 exploited the styling cues of the 'old' Triumph's legendary designer, Edward Turner whilst retaining the modern triple engine. The 790 and 865 cc versions of the Triumph Bonneville and Thruxton look and sound original but internally they have modern valves and counterbalance shafts.

The 2,294 cc (140.0 cu in) triple Rocket III cruiser was introduced in 2004. In 2009 1,600 cc (98 cu in) Thunderbird twin-cylinder cruiser was announced.

Triumph's best selling bike is the 675 cc Street Triple. In 2010 they launched the Triumph Tiger 800 and Tiger 800 XC, dual-sport motorcycles, which uses an 800 cc engine derived from the Street Triple, and is designed to compete directly with the market leading BMW F800GS. In 2012, the Tiger 800 was joined by the shaft-driven Triumph Tiger Explorer.

Moto blog

2021 MO Middleweight Naked Bike Shootout - Six Bikes!

Six motorcycles, one winner Credit: Photos by Evans Brasfield | Videos by Sean Matic We last performed this public service in 2017, when your Yamaha FZ-07 prevailed over the Kawasaki Z650, Suzuki SV650, the new Harley-Davidson Street Rod, and the new and indeterminate Benelli TnT 600, in that order. The FZ-07 has since morphed into the MT-07 amidst a host of well thought-out upgrades in 2018, and then again for 2021. The Z650 got a modern instrument pod in 2020 with a few other tasteful refinements, and the SV650 hasn’t changed a bit (God bless it).

Triumph TE-1: a breakthrough in the world of electric bikes or just another fairy tale?

According to Triumph engineers, the fully ready-to-use TE-1 electric bike will weigh 220 kg, while it will be equipped with a 174 hp electric motor, and a 15 kWh batt ery will provide a cruising range of about 200 km. But the most important thing is not even these figures, but the charging speed: from 0 to 80% in just 20 minutes! This can already make even the most inveterate petrolheads turn their attention to "electric fellows".

Triumph introduced a new model - Trekker GT

And it's not even a motorcycle. A two-wheeled novelty from Hinckley is an electric bicycle with a range of 145 km. The new two-wheeled Triumph is visually as close as possible to a classic road bike, all electrical equipment - a battery, an electric motor, wiring - is carefully hidden from strangers' eyes in an aluminum frame.

The new Triumph Daytona 765 sportbike is here

The sportbike is powered by a 765cc three-cylinder engine that first debuted on the naked Street Triple and then became the standard for the Moto2 racing class. The equipment will include an Öhlins NIX30 inverted fork and a rear TTX monoshock, Brembo Stylema braking system, TFT instrument panel, tilting ABS and a drive mode select system.

Triumph introduced a new urban hooligan

Naked Speed Triple got an update! The super-charismatic Speed Triple first appeared in 1994 and was essentially a Daytona 900 sportbike without a fairing. The new device is presented in the S and RS versions, carries the former 1050 index, but can do something more than its predecessor.

New addition to the cat family

Triumph has unveiled a new product called the Tiger Sport. The motorcycle received an inline 1050cc “triple”, installed on the latest generation of Speed Triple, an electronic “throttle”, a multi-level traction control, cruise control, ABS and a slipper clutch. There is no full specification yet, but it is known that the motorcycle will be produced in two color options: silver and black.

Triumph Tiger got itself in the Red Book

Triumph has released a stuffed limited-edition Tiger Explorer XC that will be tested by Globebusters in England. 50 units of equipment will go on free sale. The motorcycle will be painted in matte black or red, it will also receive a high windshield, protection of optics, radiators, crankcase and protective arcs.

Triumph is recalling motorcycles due to problems with electronics

America, Bonneville, Bonneville T100, Rocket III Roadster, Rocket III Touring, Scrambler, Speedmaster, Thruxton, Thunderbird, Thunderbird Storm, Tiger 800 and Tiger 800XC will be recalled by the British company. According to the manufacturer, the engine control unit of some motorcycles may malfunction, due to which one of the fuel injectors will inject additional fuel into the engine cylinder. As a result, the engine will either not start or stall during operation due to excessive re-enrichment of the combustible mixture.

Triumph Reveals Thruxton Ace Café Special Edition for US Market – Video

This past weekend at the Barber Vintage Festival, Triumph took the wraps off a special edition Thruxton that was created with the famed Ace Café London. Harkening back to one of the lynchpins of the British café racer movement of the 1960s, the Thruxton Ace Café Special Edition molds the profile of the classic Triumph racer of the era to the thoroughly modern Thruxton. The Triumph Thruxton Ace Café Special Edition at the Barber Vintage Festival.

Major Updates Coming for 2015 Triumph Tiger 800

Triumph is set to reveal some new updates to its Tiger 800 including a number of different versions making it either more highway or more off-road oriented. The both the Tiger 800XC and the less adventure-worthy Tiger 800 will see two new variants, with the Tiger 800 likely being rebranded as the Tiger 800XR. A newly-published executive order from the California Air Resources Board reveals the names for four new Tiger 800 variants known as the XCA (likely standing for XC Adventure), XCX, XRT (or XR Touring) and XRX.