Triumph built some great motorcycles, but you don’t see many of their bikes here on American roads. This particular example was purchased by the seller back in 1978 while they were stationed in Scotland. It saw use in South Carolina, Colorado and then ended up in Illinois. It was parked in Steve’s garage for a while and then went into storage in his parent’s shed. He had plans to fix it up, but is currently restoring a ’57 Bel Air and he’s realized he won’t have time for it. So if you’ve been on the hunt for a Triumph motorcycle to fix up and ride, you can contact Steve via the form below!
While stationed with the US Navy at the Holy Loch in Argyllshire, Scotland, I bought the Triumph in 1978 and rode it many kilometers to and from work and into the surrounding countryside around the base. With a May 1979 transfer to Charleston, South Carolina, the Triumph was my transportation to and from the base there, and then had the motorcycle shipped to Colorado when my six year tour of duty was completed in 1982.
The Triumph was upgraded with paint work and an engine rebuild while in Windsor, Colorado in 1983; rode the 900 miles from northern Colorado across Nebraska into the rising sun to northern Illinois, arriving two-and-a-half days later late at night in the falling rain. Secured the motorcycle in my garage and then in my folks’ shed where it has been stored since I moved to Arizona in late 1985.
The mechanic in Fort Collins advised me that boring the cylinders in 1983 made the engine a 672 cc from its manufactured 650 status. The Triumph is complete but every aspect of its operation has to be worked through again for good operation. I have decided to sell this treasure for having no time to dedicate to the cause while in-depth restoring a ’57 Bel Air here in Arizona.
While this bike has seen over 15.5k kilometers, having already had a full rebuild the engine should have lots of life left in it. With the increased bore size, it should have a little more power than the 46 horsepower it left the factory with too. It looks like with some work and a good detailing, this could be a nice bike to zip around town on. Steve is asking $5,000 for it and it’s currently located in Winfield, Illinois. Our thanks to Steve for listing this motorcycle with us! If you have a classic motorcycle or car that needs a new home, please consider listing it here on Barn Finds!
Asking Price: $5,500
Location: Winfield, Illinois
Title Status: Clean
As long as it isn’t locked up, it would be an easy project. I don’t want a pickle, I just wanna ride my motorcyyyycle.
…and I don’t wanna die…
I just wanna ride my motor-cyyyy… kul.
Cool bike, I got a ton of Triumphs already (I am triumphant!) and oldest is a 48 speed twin and newest is a 79 T140D custom and everything in between. I used to run a shop doing resto’s, service and customs. Still dabble in it.
NO NO NO,, an over bore doesnt work that way! Math is brutal, 20 thou over? 10? get out yer calculator kids. somebody slipped a decimal point. But I can tell you what cams to run for a nice wake up call or go big bore with a Morgo 750cc kit. But even still at 650cc these are a fun bike to ride, parts are readily availible, tons of resources and many areas have a thriving vintage bike scene. We have the Oregon vintage MC(OVM) The Vintage MC enthusiasts (VME) The AMCA and others locally,. If you need parts, tech advice, factory workshop manuals, Factory parts book (Very important) and factory service bulletins contact me.
That bike has some non stock-wrong year parts on it for 67 but that was typical of a rider not a restoration. Wrong exhaust, tail light and other period mods. Be a easy and fun project. $5k is a little on the high side for condition,, especially this time of year, but price is not out of line. Properly restored they can range from $8,000 to $20,000 depending on a lot of variables but they only get more and more valuable.
So nice find and bike,,, ’bout time we got some classic bikes on here!
hi, looking for center stand 1970 tr6c,I know they don`t come with one,sure is easier for maintance,how about skid plate and mounting brackets.
I agree with Sluggo not correct and too much money you can do much better then this for the price.
When I had a Triumph, I used to see them all the time. The truth is that there were a lot more of them in the US than in the UK because all British manufacturers were pushed hard to export after WWII in order to pay back the Empire’s war debt. And around 1969-70, Triumph was the #1 brand in the US over 500cc. They won the AMA Grand National title in 1967, ’68 and ’70. The unit construction 650s are still very popular, so this seems like a good price, although this T120 was rebuilt to TR6R spec (parallel intake ports for a single carb), which makes the bike a little easier to live with for a small loss in top speed. They are pretty easy to work on, but to keep them at their best you have to do it a lot. The next model year had a better front brake and carb, but the ’67 is still a nice ride. I hope to get back on a 750 someday myself.
Cool old bike, unfortunately I remember when they were new :( I had a 78 Bonneville for 20 years and did a complete nut and bolt resto-mod with a mild race engine :) My nephew is it’s caretaker now. At $5000 this seems a bit pricy. Bringing it to showroom condition will put you under water, deep underwater IMHO based on my experience.
Reading the odometer, and assuming it rolled over, it would indicate 115545.x kilometers (approx 69K miles) rather than the 96K stated. Seems a little better.
When I was very young, before my first (of many) cars (and motorcycles and boats and aircraft), I saw a black and yellow Triumph Cub at the go-kart parts shop (where I got parts… for… you know,,, my go-kart). They had it on a little pedestal in the front window, and they wanted (I believe) $200. It may as well have been $2000. It was such a beautiful bike. Later, I ended up getting a badly abused 650 Bonneville (for a short time). But it didn’t have the magic of that British Bumble-Bee or my youthful dreams.
” I had a 78 Bonneville for 20 years and did a complete nut and bolt resto-mod with a mild race engine
My nephew is it’s caretaker now. At $5000 this seems a bit pricy. Bringing it to showroom condition will put you under water, deep underwater IMHO based on my experience.”
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The beauty of these bikes is they are very user friendly with just a few specialty tools (See Walridge motors in Canada for excellent deals on tools and good exchange rate that lowers prices 20% from already reasonable prices) But there is a wealth of info out there on how to build these bikes for a fun backwoods tourer to a screaming race track champion plus the parts to do it at a fraction of the price of many other bikes.
Post 1971 they went to OIF (Oil in Frame) and while better riders and some mechanical issues they are not as valuable or collectible. A 67 is a very desirable year. As I said these will increase in value so its a solid investment. I dont want to beat up the guys price here, not my point. But I will point out you will NOT be underwater by any means at all unless you do a checkbook rebuild and hand over the job to someone else.
The amount of people or shops willing to take in rebuilds and restos on vintage bikes is a shrinking list every month. It IS a rewarding and fun job but for a variety of reasons dealing with the public in a business like that is not so fun. (Been there-did that) But I encourage and mentor many people to learn how to do this themselves and its okay to farm out certain machine or paint work most dont have the resources to do themselves,
But I can walk anyone thru a tutorial that YES! You can restore this yourself in a very manageable way and unless you did something crazy, should be able to do it with a $2500 budget which would NOT put you underwater.
The Feb Las Vegas MC auction is a bad example for prices because every drooling idiot then assumes their bastardized rusty basket case is worth EXACTLY the same as that top shelf resto.,, But it certainly DOES set the worldwide standard for the top end of the market and drool worthy. YES,, you can look at past auctions and prices. You can ALSO do a completed item advanced search on FeeBay and see what sold in the last 30 days and get an idea of prices. (Taken witha grain of salt, flake buyers, shill bids– but after a while you get a good idea)
But these bikes are a blue chip investment, There are other bikes right now just as cool but are artificially cheap/depressed right now such as AJS-Matchless and most BSAs… outstanding deals abound right now for BSA A65 650s (64-73).
So, lastly,, a Motorcycle is WAY easier to take on as a project than a car. I can fit 4-5 bike stands in the same space a large American car takes up. Plus, one really should never have just 1 bike,, you should have your off road-enduro, your sunday classic, your cafe racer or sport bike and perhaps your late model tourer. or whatever variation floats your boat.
You, sir, deserve more than 1 ‘thumbs up’, from EVERYONE!
With this bike you could join the very elite list of stars that had Triumphs, The Fonz, of course, Marlon Brando, “Rebel without a cause”, James Dean, Steve McQueen, Bob Dylan ( the spot where he crashed his Triumph is designated with a marker in Woodstock, NY, where he lived) and many more. I’ve had dozens of bikes, and always wanted a Limey, but that time, for me, is over. I wanted a Trident for years, but never got one, now they are out of reach, nice one’s, anyway. Triumph’s aren’t about brute horsepower, get a Z-1 Kaw for that. Triumph’s, like most British bikes, are all about the ride. With modern sealants and electronic ignition, makes a British bike tolerable, and is unequaled in back road touring, 6 lane interstate touring, not so much. Great find, thanks for the bike, Josh.
Not one mention of the Late, Great, Gary Nixon. “COMM’NISTS!!” –LBJ.
A true mo’sikkle. You can see daylight on the other side of the bike by looking through the frame.
I’m glad that kids of today can witness the antique dirt trackers at numerous events nationwide.
Jimmy Rice, are you up on two wheels?
This bike really is kind of a toss up to me. If you’re looking for a base to do a restoration you’re close but still have a way to go. If you’re looking for a rider then it might be worthwhile depending on how much it needs to get back on the road. If it where me, a guy who loves turning wrenches and actually riding, you could find one for much less and do the rebuild yourself and know exactly what you have.
Interesting Bike, but WAY OVER Priced for the Condition. Sitting that long gives you no indication of the Engine if it never was turned over for that long. IF you do ALL Labor yourself you are looking at $3000-$4000 to restore. When the Price drops to $3000 in it current condition it might be worth looking at. And anyone that knows these bikes knows exactly what I am saying.
Pretty cool. Reminds me of the ’67 BSA 650 Lightning I bought new in ’67.
I had a machine shop make me up a couple of aluminum adapters machined for 0-rings and mounted Honda 450 carburetors on it, was an excellent modification
seems to be one carburetor short of a picnic, a bonnie had two carbs, so the head is not bonnie either as they had splayed ports to seperate the carbs, the seat has been cut down, rather like a police bike, to make room for the radio rack, over priced for a bitsa but a worthwhile project at the right price, do the numbers check out as a bonnie? or is it a TR6? and why would a UK bike be in KM? we use miles, strange………….
Don’t see many Triumph’s on American roads?
Really ? I’ve owned 6. We have a huge Brit club here in Minnesota. I’ve backed off on my ownership, but in the past I’ve had Trumpets, BSA’s and Norton’s. I do still have my ’74 Norton 850 Commando that I bought new. That one will go to my grave with me.
Triumph has had a great resurgance with the younger riders.
The scooter in this article is way over priced though. The Brit market has really dropped off. You can buy a very nice, pristen original,( 650/ 750 ) with a lot less miles in the 5 K bracket.
Interesting side note:
Lee Marvin and Keenan Wynn were both Triumph Factory Riders after their World War II service, competing in hill moto and flat track. They were definitely bad ass racers.
Shouldn’t this be right hand drive? 😜
Uncle Cliffy,, Just passed away last year and one hell of a legend. Real spelling was Cliff “The Sandy Bandit” Mahjor,, was a Triumph dealer initially with Bud Ekins in LA and then “Cycle Hub” on Sandy Blvd in Portland Oregon.
Hung around that McQueen feller everyone speaks of, James Garner, Lee Marvin, and many others.
This pix was when he rode with the Joey Chitwood stunt and daredevil show,If you look close the fork caps were loose and he liked to tell people “It Dont F’n matter, I dont use that wheel anyway”
I have owned/ridden many 50’s, 60″s and 70’s Triumps, BSA’s, Nortons, AJ’s, etc. over the last 60 years. Rebuilt a lot of them but don’t claim to be an expert. Easy to work on if machine work is not needed. A young persons’ alternative could be a 2000 to 2007 bonneville made in UK by new Triumph factory. Looks real close to a 1969 bonny, and has electric start, carbs, ignition, and rides great. Has just under 800cc, 5 speed, and can be found for under $2000. I had a 2001 and loved it. Had to move to a Polaris Slingshot due to age and store bought hip and knee. Happy trails, Dave.
The Triumph odometer has 15,548.3 km on it (not 155,483 km as listed) and has not yet rolled over. In miles that is 9,639 of which some 985 miles I added during the ride out from Colorado to Illinois in 1983. I estimate that I rode the Triumph about 1,200 miles while in South Carolina and some 650 miles while in Scotland from the summer of 1978 and spring 1979. The odometer must have read about 12,587 when I bought it. I have pictures from those days–will search for a pic of the gauges from then.
The kick starter will roll the engine over ok, although while in Illinois this spring I didn’t have the time to tune the engine. The pipes came with the motorcycle, and yes, are not the original design but are from 1975-77. The previous owner had the frame painted blue with a new seat of red and white alternating colors with the stripes running side-to-side. I later shortened the seat and recovered with the black fabric for a more distinctive, black leather jacket/street look.
The price I set is at a premium to convince me to finally part with the Triumph.
Once I part with the motorcycle, I will never find another one like it. Someone has to really want it to get it–you ALL know what I mean.
The motorcycle is a 650 Tiger TR6.
A T120 with a single carb head, I don’t think so, and if it’s ex UK why is the Speedo in Kmh , this is a trophy engine surely
The motorcycle is a Tiger TR6, not a T120. Original engine.
A dual carb head and single carb head is interchangeable on the Unit 650 as long as its a 9 bolt head, later unit twins went to a 10 bolt head on the 750s but you can still mix and match a TR7 with a T140 as well,
On unit 500s you merely swap intake manifolds to effect the change…
But a single carb is easier to tune and maintain as well as a significant torque benefit from off idle all the way up to past 4000 rpm so its common for knowledgeable owners to prefer the single carb.
I believe the seller came on though and ID’ed the bike as a TR6 tho,, but does not matter. This bike could easily be restored as its issues are easily addressed if this concerns anyone.
Here is a pix of Cliff with Lee Marvin,,, I tried posting last night and it blocked me,. He hung out with others as well, James Garner, That McQueen feller, and a lot more.
Steve, we always appreciate the Straight Scoop on a Car or a Bike, and I think now we have it. Your bike is fine as a rider that looks like ‘crap’ to some, or ‘great patina’ to others. Personally I like my items to look as close as the way they came from the factory as possible, minor custom features allowed.
I think your bike is a great candidate for a Pure Restoration, or Custom Rider that looks Cherry. But if your Pie in the Sky asking price is to find someone that really wants it, then you have an interesting way of motivating folks. Who knows, it just might work. But unless you find that special Buyer with lots of bucks (and those with the bucks usually buy the Cherry perfect bikes to begin with) I would recommend you start your “Fix this Bike Project” now. Good Luck and Ride Safe!!!!
Thanks Jerry! As a local locksmith, honesty and integrity have always been hallmarks of my dealings with others. The pre-plastic days of motorcycle and automotive manufacturing sure produced (in my opinion) more interesting mechanical riding and driving machines. We never see a 300 lb. front bumper of a mid-fifties car lying on the side of the road like we often see the fourteen lb. facia piece torn away from a Toyota or other modern car, now do we?
I am surprised how well the Triumph sat through the last thirty-four years in the garage and then shed. The 1957 Chevrolet Sport Coupe I am working on has El Paso dust everywhere within the body fenders and deep inside the chassis rails too. One of THE last unrestored mostly undamaged two-door five-sevens left in this country. Someone in the comments here has already mentioned the great difference between restoring a motorcycle and car–after a year of media blast cleaning the Bel Air (body off chassis), I am qualified to tell you that taking the Triumph apart would not be the enormous challenge of weight-lifting as is the sixty-one year old Chevy. Yeah, less space, less expense–who couldn’t do most of the work involved in bringing this Tiger roaring back to life for about $3000?
The Pie-in-the-Sky asking price ($5500) shakes out the scammers/takers and gets the attention of the more well-heeled among us. How many of us has said if only I still had that old car or bike from high school or our twenties? There are a few in my past that “got away” and a few I still intend to search for when I am finished with the ’57 next year. I am in no hurry to part with this Triumph for an easy $3500–and look forward to restoring the motorcycle myself if no one wants it at my sentimental premium asking price.
Don’t need to sell it but am interested in sifting through my old treasures after all these years so that others may enjoy them too. (I have enjoyed my old Schwinn Stingray since 1969, 1920s student instruments and 78 records from the Hot Jazz Era for years now–time to part with some of the total.)
Steve–Arizona
+Steve Feld – Until you mentioned that, I had forgotten my old Schwinn Stingray. My mother bought one each for my brother and me for Christmas (about 1966). Mine was gold with a gold and black tiger striped ‘banana’ seat, medium height sissy bar and a 3-speed twist grip shifter. Wow. That brings back memories. Thanks.
I bought my Schwinn in the spring of 1969 for $67.45 or so from paper route earnings in Springfield, Illinois. The Stingray is green and had a silver/white sparkle banana seat–coincidentally almost the colors I plan to paint the ’57 next year. Mine is a single speed with the big, mag-wheel style front sprocket. Put a lot of miles on that Schwinn, enjoying every one!
I too had a Schwinn like that, the Green one was known as the
“Pea picker” and every color had a name. Mine was metal flak green, White banana seat and the seat had posts down into shock bodys so had a suspension of sorts. Mine had the cool hurst style shifter (Nut buster) and was a 3 or 5 speed? Cant recall,, girder type forks and skinny front wheel, rear wheel was a big thick meaty slick and you could skid for days on it and never wore out. (it didnt for all the time I had it). They LOOKED cool and I thought I was, but man, was that thing heavy, at the time in the early 1970s the other kids were getting BMX bikes and while most were only a single speed, they were light years ahead of that old Schwinn chopper.
We had trails in the woods with jumps and the old Schwinn airborne was a sight to behold,, not like the BMX bikes. At one point a friend and his older brother took a 10 speed and combined it with his BMX bike and he had the prototype of what is known the modern Mountain bikes. I was jealous but by that point getting into things with motors and cars. My parents wouldnt let me get a dirt bike or a car at 12 or 13 so I bought one of each with berry picking and farm work money and kept them in a neighbors barn. Cooler heads prevailed and an older brother of the kid who had the barn turned me in and I was forced to sell the bike and car. Maybe I am compensating ever since with my obsessive collecting? Wish I still had that Schwinn.. Restored ones go for bank. $$$$$$$$$$$$$