Triumph Motorcycles, Meriden Documentary 1983

 

Just watched this on Youtube. Quite sort of depressing actually, but very interesting none-the-less. Ive read about about Norton and its coming to an end, but hadn't read much further into the demise of Triumph. I was very interested in that it became a workers cooperative, but this doco shows up, superficially, some of the flaws in that. There's also an interesting bit near the end at the new factory where one old chap talks about not wanting to get work done, or parts made, elsewhere. It's a really good illustration of that old (post war) attitude towards foreign production. It was rife here in NZ as well. I was reading an old issue of 'Twin Eagle' from the mid 1990s a couple of weeks back and there was a guy writing, very proudly, about how nothing in his house was 'made in Japan'. Funny how something so specific to a particular point in time can have hung around so long. It reminded me a bit of Sid's posters for the Born Too Late chopper show, how they have 'No Jap shit' on them. But it's not like it used to be. It's a pastiche these days, because the strength and relevance of that original sentiment has faded away. Which brings me around to the new Triumphs from the Hinckley factory, with their Mikuni carbs and whatever else. It's strange, I think, that some people deny these as being 'genuine' or authentic or whatever. Again that's a nostalgic sentiment from another world that's been passed down to us from our grandfathers. It's not real anymore, and no one cares. It's just xenophobia and racism these days I think? It's what lead to Triumphs' demise in the first place.

Old Triumph logo

Funnily enough just after posting the Triumph logos here yesterday I looked over at Pipeburn here and saw this bike which actually uses the gold one with the lion. This is a pretty amazing build, using a Hinkely Bonneville engine. Built and designed by Pangea Speed here. This was the best picture of the tank with the logo on it... thing is this had made me think maybe a Triumph logo isn't the best idea. I mean Triumph didn't build this bike. Just the engine. I think the tank should ref the builder maybe? Not that I'm doing a rebuild!? Wishing I was the more I think about it. Strip the entire thing and start with the frame and stance of the thing. That would be great... you can see how things spiral out of control and people don't have bikes to ride anymore.

Hinckley tracker

Have been looking a lot at other examples of Hinckley Triumphs that have been chopped up. This is from FrankenStrange here.

Malcolm's Triumph and Jonty's GB400

This is Malcolm and Jonty... and Sid (dog). Stayed with Malcolm up in Auckland last weekend and got to use his Bonnie as my main transport on Saturday! Malcolm got hit by a car on this a few months ago and it's taken a while getting it back on the road. It's got new Thunderbike mufflers which sound great, and Malcolm has just removed all the lights off the back. He has a repro Lucas tail light, but hadn't fitted the indicators yet. Looking a lot better though. What were Triumph thinking with those awful fucking lights?

Jonty's GB400 is looking pretty sweet these days too. He got this pretty cheap, but it was kinda rough and had this weird kinda red/pink tank. He's got the single seat now, new paint, and has chromed the front and rear mudgaurds. He also has this great little muffler that came off Malcolm's old GB. It sounds pretty great, like a racing single, loud and poppy.