Tough times at Triumph

[Richard230]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofIHT4pOILo

[Daboo]

Interesting. I would've thought Triumph was a pretty solid company, both in product and in finances.

Triumph was targeting the kind of rider I am. I don't want a "motorcycle" that is a car engine on two wheels. And I don't want all the latest and greatest eye-candy displays and electronic doo-dads. I just want a fun motorcycle that'll get me around. It looks like Triumph forgot who its target market was, and got caught up in bigger is better, and you have to have gadgets or the bike won't sell.

It was interesting that Triumph built their early success on the Bonneville that was trading back to the old British motorcycle...while at the same time saying they had no connection to the original Triumph other than the name. And when they pulled out of Britain for the manufacturing...

And Royal Enfield figured it out.

Chris

[Richard230]

Did someone say that they wanted a car engine on two wheels?

[Daboo]

One of my first cars was a 66 VW Beetle. 1300ccs. I overhauled it at 100,000 miles and put 1600cc jugs on it. I think it put out 50 hp and took my new wife and I halfway across the USA to my first assignment with all our belongings in it. Let's see...the K1600 is the same size as the overhauled high performance version of my Beetle...and makes three to four times as much horsepower. Probably makes the same amount of heat too though.

My second car after our marriage was a 75 VW Rabbit. 1500ccs. When I got to England, I bought a 67 VW Squareback. 1500 or 1600ccs. And then an Austin Allegro. I think that was 1300 or 1500ccs. Maybe there's a trend there?

One of the criteria I've had for picking a motorcycle was that it had less than 1000ccs. The F800GT fits that criteria...and makes about twice the horsepower still than many of my early cars did...with a lot less weight.

Chris

[scf]

I think your M/C should also get better fuel mileage than your car.
The police in Brazil used to ride a huge bike called the Amazonas. It was made in Brazil & had a V/W engine.
Pee Wee Gleason turned in some incredible (for the time) 1/4 mile times on one with a built V/W engine.
Many years ago Von Dutch put a V/W engine in (I think) a /2.
Was this a thread about Triumphs?

[Daboo]

Sorry... Got sidetracked about having a motorcycle with a car engine...

Chris

[Peuglee]

I own a 1994 TriumphTrident 900 and a 2013 f800r, both fantastic bikes without the need for latest must have gadgets and they come with decent pillion seats.

I also think that Triumph taking manufacturing abroad has lost the made in England feel that the relaunched Triumph factory was built on and it's sad that the little sticker on the frame now says designed in the UK instead of made in the UK.

I really hope that motorcycle manufacturers follow Royal Enfield in buildings bikes that are just bikes that are well priced, look good and fun to ride and own.

[Peuglee]

By the way Chris, what part of the England did you come too?.

[Daboo]

RAF Mildenhall. I got there at the end of September 1977. Left in September 1982. It was a 3 year tour originally and I extended it twice to make it five years.

I rented a place in Bury St. Edmunds, then moved on base at RAF Lakenheath when a place opened up there. The last couple years in England, we bought our first home in Lakenheath Village. It brings back very fond memories.

Chris

[Peuglee]

Just looked up Lakenheath on the map and it's just under 200 hundred north east from where I live in Poole Dorset on the south coast.