In 1902 the Triumph Engineering company manufactured their first motorcycle. It was a 2hp engine from a 3rd party Saloon-car manufacturer strapped to one of their own bicycles. They sold 500 in their first year.
In the subsequent years, Triumph added automobiles to its lineup and continued to manufacture under this diverse line of products until the company's demise in the early 1980s.
Throughout its run it made a number of iconic bikes and motorcycles. James Bond's car in Dr. No & Diamonds Are Forever was a Triumph, Steve McQueen jumped a Triumph over a fence while escaping Nazis in "The Great Escape", a newer Triumph was used to wrangle velocoraptors in the new Jurassic Park, and even Fonzie wrote a Triumph in Happy Days.
My bike is not that, but it is my bike, and it comes from a great heritage.
This was made in Hinckley, United Kingdom 100 years after the first Triumph was rolled off the production floor. Those first 500 entered Edwardian England where they undoubtedly caused gentlemen to pop their monocles off, and pasty ladies to swoon at its very sight.
My bike follows in the great Triumph motorcycle tradition by being a motorcycle made by Triumph.
It is an air-cooled 800cc straight-twin engine jamming out 60 HP and weighs roughly 6000 pounds. It is big and comfortable and very heavy compared to the Yamaha Virago I used to own and the Honda Rebel I learned to ride on. Its a great ride, a lot of fun, and while its not going to win me any races, it'll get me where I want to go.
Her name is Jessica, a name given to her by my girl when she sat on her for the first time, and only let me down once after riding back from Mexico. I was about 150 miles away from home after a 1000 mile ride when her rear tire decided to strand me at a truck stop. I can't blame her though as the tire was on my list to be fixed, I'd just not gotten to it yet.
I bought this because the 1200cc Harley Sportster project I have sitting at my home hasn't magically come together like those walking brooms in Disney's Fantasia, and I want to ride sooner rather than later. I knew I wanted a Triumph and I knew I wanted one assembled in England. I also knew I wanted a carborated one because I'd have an easier time maintaining it myself. I lucked out in finding exactly what I wanted at the right time.
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