Triumph Thunderbird, Trophy
& Tiger

The Essential Buyer's Guide

650cc & 750cc models

1950 - 1983

SOLD OUT!

So what's inside the book?

• The reality of living with a Triumph 350 or 500 twin
• Shows the market value of each model
• Detailed, step-by-step inspection guide
• Guidance on spares prices
• Problems that arise with lack of use
• Advice on buying at auction
• Restore, or pay more to start with?
• Production facts and figures
• Useful contacts, including clubs, parts suppliers, and restorers
• A no-nonsense, straightforward guide to buying a 350 or 500 twin

The 1937 500cc 5TA Triumph Speed Twin was a major landmark in the history of motorcycling. When Edward Turner launched the bike at the London Olympia Show in the November of that year, the world sat up and paid serious attention. It wasn't any one feature that made the bike so exciting. It was instead a combination of things such as the twin cylinders (as opposed to the more usual single cylinder of the day), the svelte styling, the poise, the Amaranth Red livery, the quality Triumph engineering, the promised performance, and of course the name.

Speed Twin.

It was the future.

In 1949 Triumph upped the ante by hiking the 500cc capacity to 650cc with the 6T Thunderbird. The motorcycle market (particularly the Americans) had wanted more power, more grunt, and more gusto, and Triumph was happy to deliver. The 650cc 6T Thunderbird was a shrewd move up. It led to the 650cc Trophy and the 750cc Tiger (not to be confused with the smaller, 500cc Tigers).

All these bikes carried Triumph's usual tried-and-tested design features; twin cylinders, a 360-degree crank, dry sump lubrication, twin camshafts, a wet clutch, and the familiar top-end tappet noise that Triumph men and women grow to love. A single carburettor was also a feature of these bikes, as opposed to the twin carbs of the similar, but arguably more sporting 650cc T120 Bonnevilles, or the later 750cc T140 Bonnies.

This book is intended to acquaint the newcomer to the manifold delights of the Thunderbird, Trophy and Tiger. Peter Henshaw is your guide. Veloce is the publisher. And because there are still thousands of examples of these wonderful motorcycles on offer, the future looks very promising for the shrewd buyer.

At Sump, we recommend 650cc and 750cc Meriden Triumph twins. Actually, we love the 500s too, but that's a story for a different day...

Buy this guide now, then start hunting. You're bound to bag something interesting and exciting if you armed with the right information.