When The Bonneville Was A Trophy

Off-road style and the Trophy TR designation boosted US sales of Triumph’s flagship bike in 1960

- Mick Duckworth

The Bonneville twin is Triumph’s most famous and long-lived model of motorcycle, but there were complications at the birth of the original 650cc version in 1959. Primarily aimed at the lucrative US market, it was essentially a faster version of the Meriden factory’s previous flagship, the Tiger 110. That in turn was a descendent of the 1938 500cc Speed Twin and the 100mph 650cc Thunderbird of 1950.

The model code – T120 – given to the Bonneville suggested a ‘ton twenty’ top speed and was only a slight exaggeration. The new 650 was certainly faster than the Tiger 110, mainly thanks to a twin-carburettor cylinder head, accompanied by a stronger crankshaft to cope. But Meriden’s mistake was launching the Bonneville with cycle parts almost identical to those of the T110.

Triumph motorcycles were highly respected in Britain, the Commonwealth, Europe and Scandinavia not only for quality and smooth style, but for practicality too. All-weather riders appreciated the T110’s adequate mudguarding, the wide seat, a handy parcel grid on top of the fuel tank and the shapely nacelle containing the headlamp, instruments and switchgear.