Triumph

There is no more famous motorcycle than the Triumph Bonneville, the Bonnie, "the best motorcycle in the world," and the Meriden factory producing this icon was a personal Mecca to fans of the marque. Film stars such as Steve McQueen visited Meriden for their Triumphs. But on the brink of what should have been its biggest ever sales season, the BSA parent company dramatically collapsed. The Conservative government reacted, and Norton-Villiers-Triumph was created. The new owners decided to close down Meriden ... so the workers locked them out. There followed protracted political negotiations, affected all the while by national government changes, minister's attitudes, national and international economic conditions and, throughout all this, the world's continuing desire for the Triumph. As much, a study of changing sociopolitical attitudes as of an economically traumatic time for both Triumph and the country, socialist John Rosamond's unique position within the worker's co-operative makes this work a fascinating account of a story never before told from the inside. The reversal of his role from worker to chairman brought with it new responsibilities, bringing home to him the passion that employees, customers and dealers had for Triumph, and how that could keep Meriden from closing and the Bonneville in production. During all these desperate struggles, the Triumph Bonneville became the best-selling motorcycle of its class, winning the coveted Motor Cycle News Motorcycle of The Year award at the end of the seventies. Yet within just a few years of this, Meriden and the Bonnie were finally gone. All the rescue attempts, the lifesaving international orders, and the negotiations for a reprieve with the new Thatcher government are covered here in unique detail, as is the introduction of new models that Meriden hoped would attract a 'white knight'. Lavishly illustrated with never-before-seen photographs from the personal collections of the factory's workers, this inside-story of Triumph's last years at Meriden is the definitive history of the most famous of the Tony Benn worker's co-operatives.

Take an authoritative, thorough, and heavily illustrated look at Triumph motorcycles, from beloved classics to popular new models! What do Marlon Brando, James Dean, Steve McQueen, Bob Dylan, and Arthur Fonzerelli all have in common? All of these men define the very essence of cool, and all have owned Triumph motorcycles. Originally formed as a bicycle company in 1885, in 1902 Triumph produced its first motorcycle, which was simply a bicycle fitted with a Belgian Minerva engine. From there, the company, in various iterations, went on to build some of the most iconic motorcycles of all time. For the first time ever, The Complete Book of Classic and Modern Triumph Motorcycles 1937-Today collects all of the motorcycles from this iconic brand in a single volume. Written by respected Triumph expert Ian Falloon, all of the major and minor models are covered, with an emphasis on the most exemplary, era-defining motorcycles such as the Thunderbird, Tiger, Trophy, Bonneville, and new machines such as the Speed Triple, Thruxton, and Daytona 675. The Complete Book of Classic and Modern Triumph Motorcycles 1937-Today will also feature important non-production models and non-factory racing and speed-record-setting motorcycles that have become integral parts of Triumph's stellar reputation. This is a book no Triumph fan will want to be without!

A definitive history of Triumph's famous Trophy and (unit construction) Tiger twin-cylinder motorcycles from 1943 until the end of production in 1983. This is the 'Bible' for those seeking information about the Trophy & Tiger covers Triumph TR5, TR6, TR5A/C, T100S/C, T100C, TR7 & TR5T. Coverage includes individual model specifications, color schemes, engine & frame numbers, build totals, model type identification and much more.

Practical, straightforward guide to buying a secondhand Triumph Bonneville, from the very first 1959 T120 pre-unit 650, to the very last T140 unit 750 machines built by L F Harris.

When Triumph were reborn in a stunning manner in 1961, most expected that the top-of-the-range sports machine would be labelled as a Bonneville - but no - top sports honours were awarded to motorcycles carrying the world ‘Daytona’ in their title. Daytona notoriety appeared in the form of the Daytona 1200, a machine of truly awesome performance. With the T595 Daytona, however, Triumph built the first of their truly market sector-leading sports bikes using entirely new engine and cycle parts.This portfolio of articles traces the progress and successes of Triumph’s Daytona models over their 15 years of production. Included are model introductions and ‘first rides’, road, comparison and ‘used bike’ tests plus full specifications and performance data. Advice is also offered on acquiring a good pre-owned Triumph Daytona.

This portfolio of international articles reports on the liquid cooled in-line 4-cylinder sports bikes which were first introduced in 2003. Triumph began development of a three-cylinder 675cc supersports machine in 2000, alongside the 955i Daytona triple. The first 675 engine was tested on the dyno in 2003 and the first pre-production prototype took to the streets in 2004. The new triple boasted a 10bhp power boost over the 650 with no weight penalty - Triumph had finally found the right formula for their world class middleweight. When the 675 was launched in 2006, demand outstripped supply. The 675 has been hailed as the best British sportsbike ever and, possibly, one of the greatest sportsbikes of all time. Articles include ‘first rides’, new model introductions, road and comparison tests, technical report, full specifications and performance data, plus a comprehensive buying guide which offers advice on acquiring a good pre-owned Daytona.

The Triumph 350cc and 500cc unit-construction twins were called the 'C' Series, and were made between 1957 and 1974. The range started with the 350cc 'Twenty-one' - a sedate touring bike with full enclosure in the form of the famous Triumph 'Bathtub' - went through such famous names as the Speed Twin, Tiger 100 and Trophy, and ended with the rip-roaring Daytona and the off-road Adventurer. This book deals with the whole range, giving the history of all the models, and also describes the restoration of a 1969 Trophy T100C.

This is a complete guide to the history of Triumph, one of the most famous motorcycle manufacturers in the world, recounted by Ivor Davies, who worked for 30 years as Triumph's Publicity Manager.