X-Ray Spex – cutaway engine with internals visible. Typically the sliced faces are in red and a hidden motor drives the contraption so the workings can be seen in motion. Best way to see engineering at work!
January 27, 2018
Side by Side
Combination Lock – ready to drive around the Ring of Kerry with your partner by your side is this emerald patterned sidecar outfit a la Trident. Quite daring in its appearance but back in those days all this psychedelic were the rage.
“Oh, we ain’t got a barrel of money,
Maybe we’re ragged and funny
But we’ll travel along
Singing a song
Side by side.”
January 26, 2018
cycle guide
‘Zine Cover- sunny lemon backdrop and a profile portrait of a racing green Trident and coo’ing model in pure sixties vibe. Fifty years ago when the T150 was introduced.
January 18, 2018
Bike British
NVT – as the motorcycle industry’s last gasping breaths rattled across 70’s Britain the offerings from the combined Norton Villiers Triumph were what held the meager company together. Commando’s, Trident, & John Player Racer. Classic stuff. Powerstuff!
January 15, 2018
Zulu for Zed
Ascent – a motor needs a means to move. The Triumph Trident T160 is a pretty decent example of the whole is greater than the sum of parts. It reminds me of welsh actor Stanley Baker; a solid and memorable performance.
Lieutenant John Chard : Do you think the Welsh can’t do better than that, Owen?
Pte. Owen : Well, they’ve got a very good bass section, mind, but no top tenors, that’s for sure.
January 14, 2018
‘Gin Tree
Tres Leches – the cream of the crop that milked the british motorcycle industry’s technology to the limit of the day. The 750cc triple cylindered motor used in the BSA A75, & Triumph T-150 & T-160. Certainly looking the part with a bank of Amal carburetors;nicely finned barrels & Head; and a useful kickstarter.
January 13, 2018
The Best Thing since Sliced Bread
Use your Loaf – here is what I would call a “nippin’ clean” example of a Triumph Trident. Immaculate from head to toe with what I believe is a well proportioned look complete with the idiosyncratic “bread bin” tank.
Historical note: the first commercially produced sliced bread was July 7th 1928.
January 10, 2018
Trois Dents
Three Teeth – finding burly success in road racing during the early seventies these Triumph (& BSA) triples proved to be Stout hearted winners from the likes of Dick Mann, Gene Romero, Don Emde and Paul Smart among others. The Rob North framed machines were a turning point of pre-sixties GP racers and the post seventies two-stroke screamers of the Japanese bikes.
December 29, 2017
Field Studio
Drapery – Welly shod model looks a little uncomfortable posed like some Romantic artists muse reclined along the ‘chaise’ of a Triumph T160 Triple. Perhaps it’s from Tony Armstrong-Jones’s portfolio… (see yesterday’s post!)
December 26, 2017
fusée trois
ROCKET 3 – what a beaut this cafe racer build is! Eye-catching with a speed driven poise, and a homage to the BSA Daytona conquering triples of the early seventies ridden by Dick Mann and Don Emde (Gene Romero ran the triple engined Triumph). Builder is the extremely talented Frenchman Pepo Rosell of XTR Pepo using a 2000 Triumph Legend 900 as the starting point. Original 750/3 engine designer Doug Hele and frame guru Rob North would be proud.
December 20, 2017
Tree
The Original Speed Triple – before Hinckley Triumph rolled out their bruiser 900 naked Speed Triple it was being created by Meriden enthusiasts using the Trident lump at its heart. Here’s Jock Drysdale on his roadgoing machine during, what looks like, a speedy blast through the River Cherwell’s bucolic scenery. He’s dressed for suitably healthy velocities; I think there’s a broad grin under that lid.
December 19, 2017
Jock’s Bike
Banbury Road Racing Nutcase, Ken Drysdale on his Harris Framed 1976 Triumph T160 Trident. This is a serious piece of machinery whose sole purpose is to go quick. Some details gleaned off the interweb about it:
It was the first one Norman Hyde raced in the early 80’s. Geoff Johnson won on its maiden outing to Cadwell Park where it was running at about 1000cc at the time. Ken took possession in 1996. Neil Beadling built a new 930cc engine in 2015: Carrillo con rods; Neil own Nova big-bore barrels & pistons with 9.5-1 compression; Half race cam; head ported & flowed with bigger valves fitted; breathing with three 31mm Keihin smooth bore carburetors. Power transmitted to the rear wheel through a racing clutch with 40% stiffer diaphragm springs; and a Quaife 5 speed close ratio gearbox. Proceeding brought to a stop with AP racing brakes. Everything mounted to the Harris frame, Supporting Marzocchi forks and Maxton rear suspension. Racing Avons tires shod on race specific Astralite wheels…. It was advertised for sale in May… £16,000.00
(please email clivescarfe@hotmail.com for more information)
December 18, 2017
Trois sur Cinq
Five of Three – though only in production from 1968 until 1975 the deathbed gasp of Meriden based Triumph was a stout hearted machine that came a little lacking and a little late with the appearance of Honda’s CB750. But in those short 7 years while the company was self destructing the model adapted as it could to meet the demands of the riding public. The first part of its life as the T150 saw a 750cc three cylinder, dry-clutch, with drum brake giving way to disc, and imaginative detailing such as the now classic ray-gun silencers. It’s final iteration under the T160 designation saw an electric start fitted, gear shifting moved to the left, and the confine tilted forward to improve weight distribution. The tank colors aren’t bright primary or indeed complementary ones, but are quite sophisticated hues that are very much associated with the late sixties and early seventies.
December 17, 2017
Cyclone Cycle
X75 Variant- typically the orange and yellow blaze tanked three cylinder Hurricane sits under a Triumph badge. Developed by bodywork guru Craig Vetter they have become much sought after Motorcycles. Here’s something a little more different and in some ways even better looking. A BSA Rocket Three ‘gin shoehorned into a Norton Featherbed frame… NorBSA X75s is the sublime creation. One-Two pipes, alloy rimmed wheels and decent front stoppers say this bike means business.
December 16, 2017
A plan so cunning you could put a tail on it and call it a weasel.
Recuperation Plans – when you’re idle unable to get much done other than rest, read and recover; it’s a perfect time to devise schemes for future projects… this mostly complete ’74 Trident is sitting on Ed Zender’s showroom floor waiting for some unsuspecting soul who needs to tinker…
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