This one’s a runner: some carefully selected upgrades to ensure this single runs with reliability. An oil cooler is strapped to the down tube, wide cowhorn bars, blinkers (indicators). Though a toolroll is also strapped to the grabrail, gotta be ready for the unknown!
The metallic battleship gray is a period touch too. I reckon California unmapped roads and back lanes is where this pony is reined.
Triumph had the big papa Tiger T110 650cc desert king, the scooter Tigress, and the wee Cub. The fifties sure had a lit of fun on two wheels.
An older poster for dealerships to advertise the qualities of the wee Cub. As it says “light, lively, better to handle”.
Times were simpler back then…
Somebody was feeling quite optimistic. A 200cc Triumph Cub with fairing, rack and fresh tires. Large tank with a long legged range will take you along the back roads to the Cote d’Azur.
Big boots with thick socks and tucked in trousers. This rider is serious to cajole his Cub over some moorland path, mown to a close nap by a flock of sheep no doubt. With winter clutches upon us in the Midwest today (windchills minus 20 Fahrenheit today) this images gives me a taste of a future day out as the weather improves in spring.
Earlier Cub in technically clean appearance. Plunger rear end, nacelle headlight. The overall lines are balanced with a just-so form.
Sixties Canadian TV show with biker gang member toting around on a Triumph Cub…. Must be an initiation thing!
Good simple action shots of a Triumph Cub and its rider tackling a dirt incline.
A whiff of drilling and smattering of grinding I managed to fit the splined KTM kick start with the wider swing arm to the cub. Basically drilling a through hole to fit a cotter pin. Broke three bits to get through the hardened steel. And my Dremel died when fine tuning the fitting. But it works well and looks capable whilst folding neatly against the engine.
We just drove along one end of Rt66 today: Lake Shore Drive here in Chicago.
Over 60 years ago on October 5th one Mr Turner and a couple of colleagues took factory Triumph Terriers on a jaunt from Lands End to John O’Groats. Retold in the book “Traveling with Mr Turner”.
Of course Edward Turner was the father of The Speed Twin, the Thunderbird and their smaller brethren: the aforementioned Terrier and doughty Tiger Cub.
A current offering on the online bidding site EBay is a ’65 Triumph Cub. The main photo shows a complete bike looking quite sharp. Big letters state the bike ‘needs some work’ and ‘ran when last in one piece’ also ‘mostly there…’ Well, for $1,750 starting price I would at least want a box of spanners and a workshop manual thrown in! It’s not as adventurous as my project with parts being scoured from all corners of The globe. Here’s another… $699.. More reasonable…
As well as tweaking the rear axle alignment and brake arm swing I dropped the tank on to give an even more complete appearance. Lookin’ Good!
There are several variations for setting up a trials rear wheel. It includes the axle adjustment, brake arm pivot, brake rod or cable, chain tensioning, wheel alignment, chain guarding. Snail cams seem like the way to go for easy adjustability, a thin aluminum guard plate to keep the oily chain off the soft wide knobbly tire, and an underside roller/block pushing up with spring action to eliminate slack.
Dropped the small Cub engine into the frame. Glad its only a 50lb lump. Three easy bolts slotted home and it sits comfortably as it should. There is a few alignment issues to address: chain line, rear brake pedal cable and stop, wheel spacing, fork swing. Its a matter of assemble, disassemble… Repeat…..x12…
Truly taking shape now!
Finally got the wheels put on today. Dean holds the cubbie up here with its new boots shod. Starting to look like a motorcycle.
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