1959 T110? - was it a duplex frame? Supposedly made for flattrack when the bikes had to have a stock frame,so a steeper rake.Not loved,and I never liked those I rode either.
Triumph stories? Maybe I should tell a duplex frame story.
A mate of mine got a chopped 5T Speedtwin,but took the long forks off,and got rid of the silly peanut tank for a stocker.The seat rails had been lowered for a sort of rigid frame look,which gave a nice low seat height.After working all night I remember the first ride we took on it at 3.00am.However,with a baby in the house he now needed a car.
At that time of my life my license was in the care of other people,and I was working with a mate,and we lived next door and went to work together.We co owned an EIP Vauxhall....I fitted the motor and took half share.So we swapped the EIP for the 5T...now I went to work as a pillion instead of passenger.After a punch up 4 stories up on scaffolding,we were not so matey for awhile,but still good friends who didn't work together anymore.He sold the bike.....but drank the proceeds before I got a chance to get drunk.
Another mate bought a 5T a couple of years later,which he then stripped for parts,I saw the frame and knew what it was immediately - ''Hey,that's my bike!!'' Next enter a girl into my life....who had a duplex Speedtwin with a grafted on rigid rear end.Which broke.So my good friend gives her the low seat duplex frame.....and so it enters my possession again.
A few years later I decided that I would put the Speedtwin together as a sidecar bike (it was on my Norton).The duplex frame was perfect with the steeper rake,then some later model forks in raked yokes,with a 7in TLS front brake from a Daytona - I worked the trail out at around 2.5 inches,perfect.I made it a rolling frame,but never finished the bike when we had to trim the junk.Marriage,kids and houses never stopped me from owning and riding bikes,but sure trimmed the options.
I always keep a lookout at classic bike gatherings for a duplex frame with lowered seat rails.....
In and out of jobs, running free
Waging war with society
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