the Triumph brand has a long history in the motorcycle industry. The company was founded in 1902 in Coventry, England, by Siegfried Bettmann, a German immigrant. In its early days, Triumph manufactured bicycles, but in 1905 it began producing motorcycles.
in the early years, Triumph grew rapidly and began to compete in motorcycle races, winning numerous prizes. During the First World War, Triumph supplied motorcycles to the British Army, helping to strengthen its reputation as a manufacturer of reliable, robust motorcycles.
in the 1920s and 1930s, Triumph continued to produce popular motorcycles, notably the Speed Twin, which was launched in 1937. This motorcycle was equipped with a 500 cc in-line twin-cylinder engine and became an iconic model for the brand.
during the Second World War, Triumph again supplied motorcycles to the British Army. After the war, the company continued to produce popular motorcycles, including the Bonneville, which was launched in 1959. This bike was powered by a 650 cc engine and became an icon of motorcycle culture.
in the 1960s, Triumph was also involved in motorcycle racing, winning Grand Prix and endurance races.
despite this, the company ran into financial difficulties in the 1970s and was bought out by a group of investors in 1983. Since then, the Triumph brand has continued to produce popular motorcycles, with models such as the Street Triple, Bonneville, Daytona and Tiger. Triumph is considered one of the world's most iconic motorcycle brands.
Triumph's milestones:
1902: The very first Triumph motorcycle is produced. Powered by a Minerva 2.2 hp engine, known as the N° 1.
1907: A new 450cc, 3.5 hp engine is introduced. As annual production reaches 1,000 motorcycles, the factory moves to a larger site on Coventry's Priory Street.
1915: Triumph is selected to supply the army with the Type H "Trusty". Of the 57,000 produced, 30,000 of these air-cooled, 499cc, single-cylinder motorcycles will see active service.
1927: The Coventry factory, now employing 3,000 people and covering almost 50,000 square meters, produces 30,000 motorcycles a year.
1936: Triumph's motorcycle and car divisions are separated. Edward Turner is appointed head of design.
1937: Turner unveils the 498cc Speed Twin (T100) engine with a top speed of almost 150 km/h. This motorcycle is the quintessential English motorcycle, and sets the course for Triumph motorcycles for the next 40 years.
1940 - 1945: Over 50,000 motorcycles are sold to the military, as motorcycle production is directed exclusively to the war effort. The factory is demolished by the Blitz bombing of Conventry on November 14, 1940. A temporary production facility was set up in Warwick, pending the opening of a brand-new factory in Meriden in 1942.
1946: After the war, Triumph concentrated on three models: the Tiger 100 (ridden by Eric Lyons, who won the 1946 Manx Grand Prix), the Speed Twin and the 349cc 3T. All models feature telescopic forks.
1954: Marlon Brando rides a 650cc Thunderbird 6T in "L'équipée sauvage".
1955: Johnny Allen reached 310.54 km/h on the Bonneville Salt Flats, on a streamliner powered by a 650cc Thunderbird engine, marking the start of a formidable era of performance domination. Triumph held the motorcycle speed record for more than 15 consecutive years, except for a brief period of 33 days.
1959: Triumph's iconic Bonneville T120 650 is introduced. Its name is a tribute to the place where Triumph achieved an impressive number of speed records. Destined to become one of the finest motorcycles ever produced, the Bonneville is the best-selling two-cylinder British motorcycle of all time
1963: A Trophy TR6 650cc is ridden by Bud Ekins in the most famous motorcycle jump in movie history, The Great Escape with Steve McQueen.
1966: Buddy Elmore wins the Daytona 200 miles on a factory-prepared Tiger 500cc. While the Gyronaut X-1, a streamliner powered by two 650cc Triumph engines, reached 395.17 km/h on the Bonneville salt lake.
1967: Gary Nixon proves that his previous Daytona 200 victory was no fluke by winning the 1967 race with a Tiger 100. Another great success, John Hartle wins the Tourist Trophy. 28,700 Triumphs are sold in the USA.
1968: The 750cc three-cylinder is finally unveiled. It powers the Triumph Trident and the BSA Rocket 3. Evel Knieval attempts to jump over the gigantic fountain at Caesar's Palace casino in Las Vegas on a Bonneville.
1969: Malcolm Uphill wins the Tourist Trophy on a Bonneville. During the race, he became the first person to set a lap at over 160km/h on a production motorcycle, and the Meriden factory set a production record with 46,800 bikes.
1970: Malcolm Uphill wins the Tourist Trophy again on a three-cylinder, destined for great fame as Slippery Sam.
1975: Bonneville production continues after a cooperative is set up to keep the Meriden factory running. Slippery Sam wins the Tourist Trophy for the fifth time.
1983: The Meriden factory closes for good. John Bloor buys the Triumph name and the Meriden site. He authorizes the continued manufacture of a small number of Bonnevilles by the Harris family in Devon.
1987: Triumph's first 'new' engine, a 1200cc four-cylinder, runs on a test bench for the first time.
1990: Triumph's resurrection! Six new models are presented at the Cologne show: the Trident 750 and 900, Trophy 900 and Daytona 750 with a 3-cylinder engine, and the Trophy 1200 and Daytona 1000 with a four-cylinder engine.
1994: The introduction of the Speed Triple changes the game and sees Triumph return to competition with the launch of the 'Speed Triple Challenge'. Planning permission is granted for the construction of a new factory in Hinckley, on a site of over 16 hectares. Triumph also confirms its return to the USA with the creation of its subsidiary Triumph Motorcycles America.
1995: The "Triple Connection" clothing and accessories range is launched, with production at around 12,000 units a year. The 30,000th Triumph "Hinckley" motorcycle, a Thunderbird, is produced and shipped to Australia.
1996: The T595 is unveiled. Its style and design are so appealing that a long waiting list is created. It becomes the 50,000th motorcycle built in Hinckley, 12 months later.
2000: 10 years after Triumph's comeback, the Bonneville returns to the Triumph motorcycle range. The bike is not only for riders who remember the old Bonneville, but also for those who want a modern motorcycle with good handling and legitimate classic styling.
2002: A gigantic fire destroys plant N°1, the main production facility. The factory was rebuilt and upgraded with the best production tools available in less than 6 months after the fire. The Daytona 600 supersports is unveiled. It wins the 2003 Tourist Trophy with Australian rider Bruce Anstey.
2004: Another historic motorcycle is unveiled: the Triumph Rocket III. The characteristics of its three-cylinder engine are just incredible. 2,294cc and 20.3 m/kg of torque at 2,500 rpm. At its launch and to this day, it remains the largest-displacement engine on a production motorcycle.
2006: The all-new Daytona 675cc three-cylinder is introduced, and the Daytona 675 goes on to win the "Supertest King of Supersports" comparison four years running, something it has never done before. With the opening of factory N°4 in Thailand, the number of motorcycles produced reaches 41,974.
2007: The Street Triple, a mix of the style and sensations of the Speed Triple and the power and handling of the Daytona 675, arrives on the market and instantly creates a rare enthusiasm in this market segment.
2009: Triumph produces its first 'R' motorcycles with the launch of the Street Triple R. High-spec braking and suspension elements raise the bar even higher for our leading motorcycle.
2010: Triumph produces its first belt-driven motorcycle, the Thunderbird with a 1600cc parallel-twin engine. The Thunderbird sets new standards in the Cruiser category, to the extent that US Cycle Word magazine names it 'Cruiser of the Year'.
2011: Triumph presents the Tiger 800 & 800 XC, Speed Triple, Daytona R, America, Speedmaster and Thunderbird Storm. The most new models in one year that Triumph has ever launched.
2012: The brand celebrates its 110th anniversary with the launch of all-new models. The Tiger Explorer, a 1215cc three-cylinder trail bike with cardan drive, enters a growing segment, and is also used to power the new Triumph Trophy. To round off an incredibly busy 2012, Triumph presents the new Street Triple and Daytona 675. Sales reach 50,000 bikes. A new subsidiary opens in Brazil.
2013: Triumph's global market share of motorcycles over 500cc reaches 6.2%, brand development continues with the launch of Triumph in India.
2016: An all-new 1200 twin-cylinder block gives new impetus to the Classic range. It powers the Bonneville T120, Thruxton and Thruxton R.
2017: Euro4 standards make all cruisers disappear from the range. A big change for one of the manufacturer's stars. The Street Triple goes up to 800 (765 cc) and is offered in 3 versions, S, R and RS.
Credits : Triumph