English motorcyclesTriumph motorcycles
The history of Triumph motorcycles has been going on for more than a century. The company of the same name was founded in 1885 in Great Britain by Siegfried Bettman, who headed it until 1936.
The first motorcycle was produced in 1902, had a reinforced bicycle frame, a Belgian engine with a volume of 239 cubic centimeters and 2.25 horsepower and a belt drive. Over the years, motorcycles have improved, won races and gained popularity.
In 1936, production passed to Edward Turner, and in 1973 the Norton-Villiers-Triumph company was formed, producing motorcycles until 1990. In 1990, with the arrival of new owner John Bloor, the modern history of Triumph began.
Triumph company as a motorcycle manufacturer - history
By September 1991, the company had launched production of three pairs of new models - Trophy, Daytona and Trident, presented at the Cologne exhibition in 1990.
These were two Trident motorcycles, with engines of 750 and 900 cc and without fairings, Daytona sports motorcycles, with engines of 750 and 900 cc. and full fairings, Trophy touring motorcycles with fairings and engines of 900 and 1200 cc.
At this time, the company produced very few motorcycles - no more than eight per week.
By 1996, production increased to 15,000 motorcycles; enduro motorcycles Tiger 900, Sprint, retro model Thunderbird, Adventurer were launched into series.
The models being produced were gradually re-equipped; competition with well-known motorcycle companies, Honda and Ducati, forced Triumph designers to develop new motorcycles with technical characteristics that were ahead of their time.
As a result, in 1997, the T595 Daytona model, stunning in its appearance and technical characteristics, was released, which allowed the Triumph brand to once again become an elite motorcycle manufacturer.
The year two thousand was marked by the release of the ninety-thousandth English motorcycle of the Triumph brand . The year before, the company began construction of a new plant with a projected production of fifty thousand motorcycles per year.
Initially, Triumph motorcycles originated from Great Britain ; we can say that England is a country producing Triumph motorcycles. Today, Triumph has its divisions in the USA, Canada, France, Germany, Belgium, Austria and several others.
Currently, the Triumph motorcycle lineup includes a fairly large number of modifications with engines ranging from six hundred to two thousand three hundred cubic cm.
The company's calling card is a three-cylinder engine , also of various sizes with four-valve heads, an injection system and a liquid cooling system, which are equipped with most of the motorcycles produced.
Do you know what technical specifications the Yamaha R1 motorcycle has? We discuss this issue in detail in our article.
For comparison, it will be interesting to look at the technical characteristics of a domestic motorcycle from the most popular IZh family.
Falls and new successes of the Triumph brand - 1936-1990.
Due to the Great Depression of the 1930s, the company experienced many changes. This includes the departure of the founders and a decrease in business profitability. The situation partially improved with the outbreak of the war, when the company was reoriented towards the military-industrial complex. At this time the following models appeared:
- Triumph Speed (1937). It received a 500 cm3 engine and a maximum speed of up to 150 km/h.
- Tiger 100 (1939). Became an improved version of the Triumph Speed with an increased top speed (189.93 km/h).
- 3TW Military (1940). The model was developed for military couriers and became the world's first motorcycle with an alternator.
Triumph Rocet III Family
The model range is headed by the company's flagship megacruiser Triumph Rocet III (Triumph Rocket 3). This motorcycle is equipped with an obscenely large 2294 cc engine. , installed longitudinally and developing power up to 140 hp.
The torque of this monster is 200 Nm, which is the envy of many cars. Acceleration to 100 km/h is less than three seconds. The motorcycle's dry weight is 320 kilograms and its length is two and a half meters.
For comparison, the dry weight of the Honda Valkyrie super cruiser is 340 kilograms, with an engine capacity of 1832 cc.
As one of the eyewitnesses said about the motorcycle: “Before each ride, this motorcycle needs to check the speed limiter and brakes so that it does not press on the cars that get in its way.”
In 2006, a modification of the Triumph Rocet III Classic was released with a slightly different riding position.
Important question
Triumph
If you think about motorcycles in a similar way and agree with the above, then you will surely pick one of these machines to suit your requirements. The only question is which one?
The youngest in the team is the Speedmaster. Footrests extended far forward; The wide, swept-back handlebar and split bench with a small passenger seat are the most important features of the British vision of a cruiser, which is undoubtedly the Speedmaster.
Thick, spherical levers and massive adjustable door handles are a bit reminiscent of Milwaukee cars, and the stylish optional waxed cotton bags add to the impression. On the 273kg Speedmaster you sit low at 700mm, which is the lowest of the three.
The wide, curved rear steering wheel, reminiscent of a wheelbarrow handle, is a manifestation of the cruise style. The tank holds 12 liters of fuel. The Speedmaster pegs are set 22cm further than the Bobber pegs and 36cm further than the black T120 pegs.
After a short search, your feet will find their place. Measuring from the reference point I took as the crankshaft pivot point, the footpegs are offset forward by 11 cm. For comparison, this is 10 cm in the Bobber and 25 cm in the T120. These centimeters affect your completely different driving positions!
I start the engine. If Speedmaster could talk, he would probably say that his motto is "Relax instead of spinning." Press – first gear is engaged. I feel that even from idling the big twin is suddenly rushing forward. Another press - second gear. Another third. And so on, until about 70 km/h, when I caught the “six”. Most often I drive between 2000 and 3000 rpm. I am accompanied by a pleasant, low rumble.
After adjusting for weight and fat tires (it is a cruiser after all), I have no reason to complain about the ride. The car takes turns willingly and handles them easily. Of course, to the best of your cruising capabilities. Component clearances are typically extremely tight on this type of bike, so when going fast through tight corners, that massive footrest comes into contact with the tarmac. To avoid overdoing it, I use the front brake to slow down the pace a little.
Triple models
This largest family of bikes traces its lineage back to the first motorcycles with their debut in 1990 in Cologne.
The Triumph Street Triple streetfighter differs from its counterparts in its spatial frame, consisting of an intricacy of light-alloy pipes. The gearbox has six steps.
The engine is equipped with a slip-reverse clutch. The motorcycle suspension is fully adjustable, the front suspension is inverted.
The Triumph Sprint ST sports touring motorcycle is equipped with a 1050 cc three-cylinder engine on a diagonal frame covered with a fairing. Another distinctive feature is the cantilever mounting of the drive wheel .
Touring enduro Triumph Tiger. The motorcycle has unified a series of many elements with the two above models. It has a similar new generation engine developing 115 hp, which is mounted on a diagonal aluminum alloy frame.
Both suspensions are fully adjustable. The equipment is equipped with additional options in the form of a choice of several sizes of saddles, luggage cases, heated steering grips, high glass and others.
Sparks of delight in the eyes
The Speedmaster and Bobber engines share the same design, resulting in a strong bottom-to-mid range punch, up to over 5,000 rpm, that dampens the joy of screwing into a corner. In practice it doesn't matter because it's good enough.
Who is Bobber for? I think for all those who look at him with sparks of admiration. For those for whom style is more important than utility value. In the car we tested, this style is emphasized by the optional small leather handbag on the left.
The saddle, as if hanging in the air, is a distinctive feature of the Bobber. Comfort is ok, but forget to change the position.
Cruise control button. Its operation is intuitive. Bobber and Speedmaster have it on the left end of the steering wheel.
Triumph Boneville Bobber Black
The position on the Bobber is somewhere between full weight and a small dose of activity. The arms are extended, the elbows are in a straight line, pointing outward, and the knees are bent at an angle greater than that of the Speedmaster. However, it is impossible to raise the footpegs and makes it almost impossible for the rider to move. Fortunately, a slightly tilted spine can offset the impact of the suspension to some extent.
Triumph
T120 remains. He is the only “normal” bike on this team. It has a fuel tank large enough for you to drive it for over 300 km, making it easy to get behind the wheel. In addition, the passenger has no reason to complain, because there is enough space on the sofa and, just as important, its presence does not interfere with driving on winding roads.
Twin family
This family is associated with the appearance of the Triumph Bonneville motorcycle model, which continued the traditions of the Triumph company of the 50-60s of the last century. The motorcycle has the classic appearance of that time: vertically positioned cylinders, double steel frame, classic shock absorber suspension. Even the engine crankcase is stylized to resemble the shapes of bygone years.
The Triumph America motorcycle is a reproduction of American tuning: this is exactly how Americans remade English motorcycles in the middle of the last century. The engine capacity is 865 cc.
The intake strokes of the power supply system are shifted by 270 degrees, making the engine sound reminiscent of the sound of a six-cylinder engine. Newly designed mufflers and cast wheels instead of spoked ones give the motorcycle a modern twist.
The company also produces a sports version of this model - the Triumph Speedmaster, which has a powerful double-disc brake on the front wheel.
Another model with a two-cylinder engine is the Triumph Thruxton 900, made in caferacer style. Thruxton is named after the English race track of the same name.
And the whole appearance of the motorcycle is reminiscent of racing motorcycles of the last century - low handlebars, tail fairing and unusual shape of mufflers.
The series of retro motorcycles also includes another model based on the Triumph Bonneville - the Triumph Scrambler, also a very unique model from the middle of the last century.
The company is constantly developing, thanks to which it is still an elite manufacturer of motorcycles with millions of fans around the world.
The range of motorcycles is constantly expanding and in 2013, at the EICMA motorcycle show, Triumph presented a number of new and modernized models:
- Triumph Speed Triple;
- Triumph Street Triple;
- Triumph Bonneville T100;
- Triumph Scrambler;
- Triumph Thruxton;
- Triumph America LT;
- Triumph Tiger 800XC Special Edition;
- Triumph Speedmaster;
- Triumph Thunderbird Commander.
Choosing a motorcycle is a very serious and responsible undertaking. When choosing a motorcycle, you need to decide where and how you will use it. It's unlikely that you plan to become a racer, and even if so, then a powerful sports bike is not for beginners.
Chopper is a motorcycle to impress. If this aspect is very important to you, then your choice could be Triumph America or Triumph America LT - a stylish motorcycle that even people who are far from motorcycles pay attention to.
Motorcycles from the Triumph Speedmaster and Triumph Thunderbird series look very good. Classic motorcycles from the Triumph Bonneville series remain very close to this style.
For lovers of off-road riding, the Triumph Speed Triple or Triumph Street Triple series motorcycles are suitable. They are also not bad when driving around the city - they are sort of universal cars.
When choosing a motorcycle, you need to realistically evaluate your physical characteristics with the characteristics of the motorcycle. If you weigh 60 kilograms, the Triumph Rocet III, which weighs 320 kilograms, is unlikely to suit you.
You need to look for exactly your model, in terms of power, weight, and ease of fit. We will try to answer specific questions about each motorcycle model on our website.
The attentive reader will probably be interested in the similarity of the Suzuki Bandit 1200 with motorcycles from the Triumph lineup.
Who doesn't love a vehicle labeled 4x4? Read about ATVs and all-terrain vehicles from domestic manufacturers in our article.
Speedmaster rides vertically
When cornering, the car, especially when driving in tandem with the Bobber, but also alone, demonstrates a distinct straightening moment. This is surprising because the Bobber is very similar in design. And if you do not take into account the diameter of the lag fork, the suspension parameters of both motorcycles are almost identical, in addition, both bikes have the same wheels and tires. The Bobber brake is admittedly a bit more "dumb" but still performs just as well as the Speedmaster. It occurred to me that the culprit was the front Speedmaster tire, which had been damaged by 5500 km. Another explanation could be different body weight distributions resulting from different driving positions.
The right switches are identical on all three machines. Using the middle button, ignition modes are selected (Rain / Road).
This massive structure is a bracket for the forward-extended footpegs. Unfortunately, in deeper slopes it catches contact with the asphalt. Fortunately, this ailment is not enough to ruin the pleasure of cruising. Another suggestion, however, might be a passenger that you can take, but only for a short tour. There's not a lot of room in the back, and the rear handle rests against the butt. So the Speedmaster is a bike for old-school cruisers who don't want to look at cars from the USA.
Triumph motorcycles photo gallery
Motorcycles from this manufacturer are distinguished by a special style, which is visible in each model. Well, the Triumph Rocket 3 model is simply a super monster. A crowd of curious eyes will definitely gather next to such a motorcycle. You can see only some of the models in the photographs below.
