History of Triumph

Triumph helped supply the British army with thousands of motorcycles, many of which were used as military couriers.

Triumph launched its iconic Model H motorcycle. Powered by an air-cooled 499cc single-cylinder engine, the bike had a top speed of around 50mph and could be ridden at speeds over 40mph for hundreds of miles a day – even on rough roads – making it ideal for use by British military forces in World War I. By 1918, 30,000 Model H’s were in service with Allied Forces on all fronts of the war.

Jack Sangster buys Triumph’s motorcycle business and hires Edward Turner as his chief designer.

The Meriden factory opened for business and production continued until the end of World War II. More than 50,000 Motorcycles were sold to the military during the war.

Marlon Brando rode a 1950 Triumph Thunderbird 6T in the outlaw biker film, The Wild One.

The year the film, The Great Escape was released, a 650 TR6 Trophy Competition was ridden, jumped, and crashed by Bud Ekins and Steve McQueen in the movie.

John Crosby began importing Triumph motorcycles into the US market; it was the first time Triumph bikes were available for purchase in the country.

This year brought 110 years of success for Triumph—the company celebrated by opening a new plant in Brazil and releasing the Tiger Explorer and Trophy as well as updates to the Street Triple and Daytona lines.

From its very beginning, the company has been known for innovation and high quality.

Triumph introduced the type H ‘Trusty’ motorcycle with an iconic design, a top speed of 50mph, and capable of speeds over 40mph for hundreds of miles a day.

Triumph Motor Company unveiled the 498cc Speed Twin, capable of speeds greater than 90mph. Many consider it to be the definitive British motorcycle, thanks to its engine design that would define the company's bikes for more than 40 years.

The TR6 Trophy launched with a 650cc engine – and this legendary model was to become one of the most popular off-road bikes of all time. It won numerous US desert races and set many long-distance records in the hands of Bud Ekins and his brother Dave Ekins.

The first-ever production 750cc triple debuts in the Triumph Trident and the BSA Rocket 3.

Triumph started designing a whole new set of engines. The first of these—a 1,200-cc four-cylinder—was running on the test bench at their new plant in Hinckley.

Triumph Motorcycles Ltd. made a big splash at the Cologne Show, with the unveiling of unfaired Trident 750cc and 900cc Triples, touring Trophy 905cc and 1200cc Four, and sporty Daytona 750cc and 1000cc Four.

Triumph Motorcycles formed Triumph Motorcycles America, and released two new adventure bikes, the Tiger 900 and the Speed Triple. Both competed in the Speed Triple Challenge race series at Donington Park.

Hinckley welcomes its 50,000th motorcycle — the Daytona T595, an intriguing model that drew long deposit lists because of its stunning styling.

Triumph re-introduced the Bonneville line, which lured in riders of all ages with its classic styling and functionality.

This year marked the centenary of the business; a major fire at the main factory was followed by the opening of Triumph's first facility in Thailand. The super sports model Daytona 600 was launched later that year.

The 675cc Daytona entered production with a Triple engine that would go on to win multiple awards.

The Triumph Street Triple was released, a bike bringing together all the performance and handling of the Daytona 675 with the styling and entertainment of the Speed Triple. Factory Five raced to open its doors in Thailand for the first time.

Triumph released the Street Triple R. Its new braking and suspension system upgrades make it more advanced than its previous models.

With an all-new Speed Triple, a Tiger Explorer, and the new breed of Bonnevilles— the 900cc Street Twin, the 1200cc Bonneville T120 and T120 Black, and 1200cc Thruxton and Thruxton R — Triumph Motorcycles brought its classic model names back to life.

Triumph unveiled an exciting new line of motorcycles—the Bonneville Bobber and the Street Cup, Street Scrambler, Bonneville T100, and T100 Black—that took its Modern Classics range to a whole new level.

Triumph launched the Street Triple, its most innovative and accomplished model ever. The new 765cc engine won several awards. The company also announced a new partnership with Dorna to supply race-tuned engines for the Moto2™ World Championship starting in 2019.

Two iconic Triumph motorcycles make a comeback. The new Triumph Speed Twin and Triumph Scrambler 1200 bring innovative new features and exciting capability to the category.

Triumph's Trident 660 was launched and rewrote the performance rules for middleweights. The triple-cylinder machine offered rider-focused technology and class-leading handling to its riders, making it the ideal bike for new riders entering the Triumph world.

The Triumph Classic line-up is a range of motorcycles with a level of sophistication and refinement that’s been honed to perfection. These are modern classics, designed and built to ride beautifully, featuring state-of-the-art technology, the highest quality components, and finishes, whilst retaining the character and style of their original namesake.

This line includes Triumph Bonneville T120, Triumph Bonneville T100, Triumph Street Twin, Triumph Speed Twin, Triumph Thruxton, and Thruxton R, the Triumph Bobber and Bobber Black, Triumph Scrambler 1200, and Scrambler 1200 XC.

Adventure & Touring models from Triumph are built to be comfortable and able to go on long trips. The bikes are made for the rider who loves to hit the open road and experience new things and places but still have that classic British look. The Adventure/Tour bike line includes the Tiger 800, Tiger 900, Tiger 1200 models, as well as the Tiger Explorer and the Scrambler 1200.

The Cruiser models are made with comfort in mind. They are not the fastest, but they are fun to ride. They are better for shorter rides and around-town trips than long-distance riding.

If you're looking for a sleek bike with all the classic style of a Triumph motorcycle but with a lower seat height and mid-range power delivery, check out Triumph's Cruiser line. The Cruiser line includes the Bonneville Bobber, Bonneville T120 Black, Bonneville T120 Ace, Speedmaster 1200, and Speedmaster 1200 Bobber.

Triumph Roadsters are renowned for their agile handling and responsive performance. Built to inspire complete confidence on city streets or winding back roads, these motorcycles deliver all the power, handling, and capability you need for any journey.

With relaxed riding positions combined with a unique blend of style and substance, Triumph Roadster motorcycles are the perfect choice for riders seeking an exciting yet comfortable ride experience on everyday roads.

The Roadster line includes Triumph's Rocket 3 GT, Rocket 3 R, Speed Twin, Thruxton RS, Street Triple RS 765cc, and the Street Triple 765cc.

The iconic Rocket 3 line is back – with more power than any production motorcycle in history and a whole new level of beautiful styling. With class-leading capability and technology, together with world-leading capacity, torque, and power, these phenomenal motorcycles have been specifically created for riders seeking the ultimate in high-performance muscle roadsters.