When you ride a motorcycle, are you more of a highway or freeway rider, or are you an off-road rider? Or, maybe you have two or more bikes so you can switch back and forth? How about one that can do double duty like this 1969 Triumph T100C Trophy 500 Scrambler? The seller has this one listed here on eBay in Temecula, California and the current bid price is $4,050.
I’m sure that a lot of you who are motorcycle enthusiasts own more than one bike, and in some cases more than one type. Sometimes, more than one of each type (cough)… I’ve mentioned in the past that I’m not a fan of riding motorcycles on the streets and especially on freeways. Drivers today, in general, are just not paying attention to their surroundings, and in a lot of cases, they don’t care what’s going on around them. We’ve all seen emergency vehicles have to go around morons who don’t notice the flashing lights and hear the sirens because they aren’t paying attention or just don’t care. Imagine being on a motorcycle around those drivers.
I hate to turn this into a “Life is full of risks!…” type of thing, but I prefer off-road riding or riding on the back streets. Speaking of back, back to this Triumph, and here’s the back of it. Triumph made a similar motorcycle, the T100R road bike with low mufflers and dual carbs, but give me a high-pipe scrambler T100C every time.
This example isn’t perfect as you can see, but the seller says that it’s mostly all original and stock, other than having installed a new factory center stand and new top muffler (a new lower muffler is included). The Scrambler didn’t have a tach which is a little strange, but this bike’s forte wasn’t about speed.
The engine is Triumph’s 490-cc four-stroke twin, which would have had 40 horsepower when new. The seller says that it starts in two or three kicks when cold and this sure looks like a great example. Have any of you owned one? More importantly: are you a street rider or an off-road rider (or, both)?
never owned or road one of these but I did have a sl350 honda when i guess I was 16 or 17, it had upswept pipes, what they called trials tires back in the day and high fenders…..I’m thinking, great I can ride around, find a logging road and go dirt biking……after two consecutives whoops at 40mph found out real quick….NOT A DIRTBIKE…….
Good heavens, another motorcycle death thread, oh the humanity,,ahem,,,a guy I knew since I was 21, we were just the best of chums. Did a lot of motorcycling, off road, MX mostly. Current (psycho)political views ended that friendship. I had my ’73 TS 400, and he had a Trophy Trail 500. It was very similar to this bike, and the TS was a fast bike, but the TT kept right up, and passed me on several outings. I don’t think either bike was competitive, but for off road 101, we had a blast. I never remember the TT breaking either. This is another great find, however, that left brake/right shift won’t sit well with many today. More than once, unfamiliar riders went for the back brake and downshifted instead, with dismal results, I might add. I’ve found, inexperience is the harbinger of bad news on a bike. For a spell, like 10 years ago, when I “settled” for GoldWing, all Limeys were 5 figures, and the GW was $1500. Now, it seems, the steam has fizzled on Limeys, and I could find one yet. Don’t forget to “tickle” the carb,,
like most things in life, inexperience can certainly lead to poor outcomes. coming off a tm100 Suzuki and onto the Honda, didn’t take long to figure out weight, speed, and lack of suspension travel not a good combo….after that first “rodeo ride” I kept it to moderate speeds and terrain and the bike performed as it was originally intended…..no broken bones, just a few bruises, and a notch on the belt of experience…..
nothin’ a girl likes better than tickled smelly fingers!
Nice find.I had a 70 Daytona for 20 yrs. That was the dual carb,low pipe model.Great bike never let me down.Cornered like it was on a rail. Electronic ignition made it start on the first or second kick.
Fun bike. Light, enough power, cornered just like you said!
I had a T-100 Tiger 500cc Triumph and a BSA Thunderbolt 650. These bikes need electronic ignition retrofit so that they start on the first kick and not the third.
Nice reliable bikes if one converts to electronic ignition.
Bob
I had a 659 Bonneville when I was 19, when I returned from Veit Nam I bought a new 450 Honda Scrambler. I wish I would have bought this instead. I love Triumph’s, however at my age now ,it would probably be garage art.
The most dangerous part of any motorcycle is the big nut that connects the handlebars to the seat.
I restored a 66” T100c. Also green, Siamese pipe to single high muffler. Started first or second kick and was a blast to ride. Never had problems with it. Desperate for cash due to the divorce I had to sell it. I would love to have it again but due to the traffic insanity of Sacramento I would have to keep it as garage art and that would just be too painful.
Bought one new in 69. They had a promo on them for $950. Great bike ifI wasn’t so old I would be bidding on it. Riding new Harley Trike now.like all the bells and whistles at this age.
I had a 72 T100R Datona that I bought new, it was a great bike that I drove for over 30 years. Wish I didn’t sell it.
I have one from 67 that I’m tidying up. Lovely bikes to ride on back country gravel roads and super engaging. Suspension can be upgraded so they are about as good as an early 70s Japanese trail bike. Were marketed in the States as Desert Sleds.
Friend restored his old Triumph until it shone like a new penny. Would he ride it 80 miles to a bike show to show it off? No. “too much of the likelihood of something falling off alone the way. I’d need my wife in our car following, with my tool kit and spares”!
I owned a 1967 125 twin Honda scrambler that was a blast on or off road. I loved it more on trails(not much suspencion travel) .
Also had a 1973 Honda 350 twin SL/CB ? Modified for Dirt but still was able to street, plenty of suspension for the seasoned Rider.
I’d give my IT465 for either one back. Thanks Scooby.
These are the kind of bikes that made you ride on the spur of the moment. Just wrestle the thing out of the garage, kick a few times and go! And you’d ride just for the sake of riding, not because you had any place you wanted to go. My old Yamaha XS650 was like that. That Triumph’s blood was in my XS.
I had a 70 T100R with a small rake and a springer front end. I was only 15 and it was my first street bike.I loved that bike until I got on a 650 Bonneville then upgraded!!