Seen the never-started '83 Triumph on Trademe?

[Motu]

Why would you do that to a Bonnie, one of the nicest looking bikes Triumph ever put out?

Because it was what the (American) market wanted.Check out what other bikes and cars 1983 had to offer on the American market.

[tri boy]

80's era TSX etc Triumphs were hideous beasts that, if it were an animal, it's mother would eat it live just after giving birth to it.
Will be remembered as a last gasp attempt by a dying factory. I'm mean mags, on a Meridan Triumph??????????

[James Deuce]

I feel like buying it to ride, just to piss some collector off. Including the seller.

Anything I buy appears to be inherently valueless, so why leave it sitting around?

[vifferman]

$25K? There are other bikes that would be more collectible for that sort of money, and for intrinsic worth (good engineering, classic good looks, race pedigree, etc.) than this one.
Jim2 - love your comments. It'd be a laugh to buy it then customise it or whatever, but I'm sure iffen you had that kinda coin spare there are lots of better things you could spend it on.

[cs363]

$25K? There are other bikes that would be more collectible for that sort of money, and for intrinsic worth (god engineering, classic good looks, race pedigree, etc.) than this one.
Jim2 - love your comments. It'd be a laugh to buy it then customise it or whatever, but I'm sure iffen you had that kinda coin spare there are lots of better things you could spend it on.

I agree with both yours and James2's comments and I think at $25K it's well overpriced, most of the other ones I have seen have sold for considerably less (OK, none had 10 miles on the odo, but most if not all were low mileage) average price being around US$6500-$7000 (NZ$8900 - $9600) Here's the last one I saw on EBay: http://cgi.ebay.ca/Triumph-Bonnevill...item3efb5fb0f1

[RDjase]

80's era TSX etc Triumphs were hideous beasts that, if it were an animal, it's mother would eat it live just after giving birth to it.
Will be remembered as a last gasp attempt by a dying factory. I'm mean mags, on a Meridan Triumph??????????

The T140D specials looked good with there mags , Black and gold and the cool 2 into 1 with the screw in the head header flanges, Was heaps of them in HB in the 80's.
Different style to the TSX/TSS mags,Specials had H shaped 7 spoke and 6 bolt rotors too(look like yamaha), all the other triumphs had 4 bolt.
I like the 8 valve mags better tho (look like late 70's early 80's kwaka?), look good with the triple alloy calipers

Were the T140D mags made by Lester? or is that the TSS wheels?

78 Bonnie still looked he best, Splayed head and disc front and rear, Close 2nd is the 73 with the cool rear drum(conical?) and right hand gear change

What were he mid to late 80's Bonnevilles? A mate had one with Brembo Brakes, 86ish? and another guy had a 650 something? with drum rear(QD) and no tacho, the key and idiot lights were where the tacho should have been, was a 80's model. I think it was a short stroke engine and differnt to the old 650 but not sure

[Kickaha]

What were he mid to late 80's Bonnevilles? A mate had one with Brembo Brakes, 86ish? and another guy had a 650 something? with drum rear(QD) and no tacho, the key an idiot lights were where the tacho should have been, was a 80's model. I think it was a short stroke engine and differnt to the old 650 but not sure

Harris built Triumphs

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Har...businessman%29

They're actually the model I would like to own

[Bender]

Because it was what the (American) market wanted.Check out what other bikes and cars 1983 had to offer on the American market.

I wonder whether Meridian just got it wong completely. For two decades they (BSA & Triumph) had enjoyed decent sales with their "lightweight and sporty" bikes in the US. The bikes were different to what Harley was producing and Americans liked them. But instead of continuing with a successful and unique formula, they lost their way with bikes like this - no longer unique - and with it went their traditional market.

What they needed to do was forget the mag wheels and vile shouting paint job and focus on making their offering reliable and user friendly. That's all Honda did with its CB350 and CB750, two bikes that slammed shut the coffin lid on the offerings from Meridian. This has all been written a thousand times but they performed OK, were reliable with no nasty design faults, they had electric starters, didn't drop oil and the electrics worked. Started every time (pretty much). Handle?.... let's move right along. It is a measure of how desperate bike buyers were that they were prepared to give up such things as good handling in order to make the gains I mentioned above.

Meridian chose to ignore the clamour. Perhaps all they needed to do was sort out the problems (Lucas electrics etc etc) and give buyers the same as they had always given them, but with reliability and user-friendliness added in.

Promise not to hijack the thread further and apologies to those who like these Trumpies - it's all just a matter of personal taste.

[Motu]

Yes,it's all been said a thousand times before (6 million on the internet),and for those who understand the complexities of the end of the British motorcycle industry....it's not worth talking about.But as I mentioned in my first post,this is almost an exact replica of the XS650 Special (which itself had been almost a replica of a Bonnie,or Lightning I reckon) In the early '80's customs like the Special were being sold by the truck load in the US,all the manufacturers were doing it....even Ducati! Shit,if Ducati could stoop to making an ugly custom just to capture some sales,then Triumph weren't far behind.As the others have mentioned,Triumph were still making some good traditional bikes....this one is just made for that custom segment of the market.For that,being a little bit ''Special'',they can ask what the want for it.

[HenryDorsetCase]

Horrible, horrible horrible.



You'd have to go out and buy a special velour "leisure suit" to wear when riding the thing.

You could borrow one of my velour leisure suits if you want. Just saying.

[RDjase]

You could borrow one of my velour leisure suits if you want. Just saying.

What about the headband( mark knoffler special edition) and leg warmers? all horrible 80's things lol

Lucky they made some good bikes aye

[Dodgyiti]

I do wonder about the chrome on the side cover panels that is worn, of course being a Merriden bike it could have just fallen off but there is also a crease in the seat like it has been sat on a bit. Not my cup of tea at all though. It does look a bit like an XS650, even the graphics are '80s Yamaha-ish. A bike that lost it's relevance 10 years before...
Is it collectable?


I don't think so, I have a Guzzi that is one of only 100 ever made totally original with 20,000mls- is that collectable?
No, it's not but a low mile engine is handy

[triumphnz]

check out the hurricane with a start
price of $35,000.

[JimO]

a mate had a black one, oil dropping dog of a bike

[Pedrostt500]

10 Ks aint alot of pushing for a triumph of that era, The death rattle for the British Motorcycle industry was the decades of mismanagement, and the Japs getting their act together.
remember British Leyland, and all is clear why Great Britan lost the "Great" in their motor industry.