rubber_side_down
Triumph motorcycles are making an, um, triumphant return to Modesto.
Cycle Specialties, the local BMW motorcycle dealer, is adding the Triumph line, which includes a full range of bikes from cruisers to standards, tourers and sports bikes.
The most outrageous bike in the line is the Rocket III, a cruiser/tourer with a 2.3 liter engine larger than several cars I’ve owned:
My personal favorite is the retro look Bonneville, which just seems to me to be the way motorcycles are supposed to look:
The Triumph Tiger has a more contemporary sporty look:
This is a return of Triumph, because Modesto Honda/Kawasaki briefly carried them several years ago, before deciding that there wasn’t a big enough market here for the Brit bikes.
The current Triumph company, based in Hinckley, England, is a resurrection of the old Triumph firm, which died in the early 1980s. It was a victim of aged designs and unreliable machines, along with an onslaught of high-tech, well-built Japanese bikes.
An entrepreneur named John Bloor bought the Triumph name, and brought out a line of modern and reliable machines, starting in the late 1980s.
Triumph remains, to my knowledge, the only successful attempt to resurrect a defunct but legendary motorcycle marque. Several have tried, including repeated attempts to launch a modern Indian motorcycle; a failed try at a new Excelsior-Henderson; an admirable attempt to design a modern Norton; and an eccentric try at a new Vincent.
My opinion is that most of them failed because they insisted on building a v-twin cruiser, which made them seem like expensive imitations of a Harley-Davidson, without the dealer network.
The exception was the Norton resurrection, which was a gorgeous version of the sporting Norton Commando, updated to modern specifications. Like most of the others, it died for lack of money. There’s still a web site out there for it, so maybe there is still hope.
In the meantime, we have Triumph back in town. Maybe I should trade my ’76 R90/6 for a Bonneville…
- Rubber_Side_Down's blog
- Login or register to post comments
You are one of my favorites!
I want a poster of that first photo for my wall!!
Don't claim to know much about motorcycles. But, I love them! When everyone else hides because huge numbers of bikers are rumbling into our tiny hamlet in the hills, I'm out in the highway gawking like a kid at a circus. Metal, chrome, wheels, handle bars, ROOOOAAAAAAAAOOOOOR--Oh my goodness--I don't know where I got this - even the smell of the exhaust, oil...!
Scared to death to ride one! Isn't that dumb? Wish I could because there has got to be a feeling of freedom on a bike like no other. But for now I admire them from a not so far away distance.
When out and about I make these sudden stops and just freeze in awe staring at a big bike parked anywhere close. I'll be walking along with my hubby and - GASP! - let go of his arm and take off to stare at a bike or a whole world of bikes. Just stare in awe. Looks kinda funny. This dressed sorta Sunday go-ta-meetin' stlye gal drooling over Harleys. I know there are photos somewhere. 'Cause it's just weird. Especially because I don't even care that the scary lookin' beer driinkin' (sorry jh) bike owners are staring at me like some chipmunk they thought they runned over back yonder 'few miles back. They appear even more puzzled when I look up and finally notice that they are lookin' at me kinda puzzled like and then I go "Oh, I'm so sorry! Please excuse me! But... the bikes... there just so...I can't explain it...they...just..." Then I get nods. The facial expressions don't change but the eyes go from "where'd this critter come from?" to "Yeah. YOU get it." It's this intense look with a nod. Then, out of respect for the fact that they've tackled it and are living it, I go on about my business.
Yes, I know! Not all bikers drink beer and look scary! I mentioned those guys because they are stereo typed as being dangerous and maybe they are but they seem to respect people who connect with the bike. (Or they are just puzzled by the fact that road kill talks and it messes up their brains but I like to flatter myself by imagining the former!)
Whatever the case, I relish the rubber_side_down posts! Keep'em coming friend!
And I need to mention...
Rubber side down;
how do I make an appointment!
Something tells me I said something I shouldn't have...
regrets and appointments
Mountain Mom: It's never too late - I got back into motorcycling after a 12 year hiatus when I found myself widowed at the age of 51 with a lot of time on my hands and a lot to think about. I remarried two years ago, and my wife loves to ride on the back. And there's nothing wrong with just looking, i do a lot of that.
Malcolm - Cycle Specialties is at 307 Maze Boulevard (although they are planning a move to a new shop on Carpenter Road). If you have a license and gear, and sound like you are seriously considering a purchase, they might even let you take a test ride...
And as Mountain Mom notes, it's fun to just go and look at them... (And no, I don't get a commission, I just like motorcycles a lot.)