Designed in the 1940s for military use, Triumph’s TRW side-valver makes a great workhorse.
Only one twin-cylinder Triumph motorcycle produced at the old Meriden factory did not have an overhead valve engine – the 500cc TRW, made in batches from 1950 to 1964, has the side-valve configuration once preferred by military buyers. It meant fewer moving parts and easy de-cokes, while slogging reliability was required more than the snappy performance that sold Triumphs to civilians.
With a low compression ratio, the TRW has sluggish acceleration and a maximum speed of around 70mph, so it never enjoyed the admiration that has made Meriden’s ohv twins desirable classics. But it has enjoyed a niche following from military vehicle buffs, classic trials competitors and riders seeking a low-maintenance working classic. Chris Evans (no relation to the erstwhile Top Gear presenter) is one of the latter. For more than ten years he has relied on his trusty – and a bit rusty – TRW for the daily commute to work as an auto electrician. Out in all weathers, he doesn’t wash or polish his mount but applies spay-on wax to protect it from the worst of the winter.
‘I did take it up to 60mph once, but there’s no point,’ he smiles. ‘It’s quite happy up to 50 and has been very reliable in 12 years of riding.’
Denne historien er fra August - September 2017-utgaven av Triumph World.
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Denne historien er fra August - September 2017-utgaven av Triumph World.
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ZIGGY'S NO BANGER!
Good friends Paul Herbert and Chris Harding bought this Mk2 Spitfire in 2014 to use on a Banger Rally. Six years on they’ve still got the Triumph, and it is running better than ever.
The right choice
In 1978 a Triumph Stag would have been a brave choice as your only car, but after 41 years and getting on for 200,000 miles together, it was clearly the perfect fit for Malcolm and Vera Whitehouse.
THE GREY LADY
In the mid-1930s the New Avon Coachbuilding Co started to build luxury saloons and no longer concentrated on building smaller open sports cars. Phil Homer introduces a luxury product of the era, a six-cylinder Avon on the Standard Flying 16 chassis, and explains why it wasn’t a success.
HAROLD THE HERALD
Over the last 20 years, Harold the Herald has been through five distinct phases of development. Now though, with owner Dale Barker going soft and transferring his favours to a big and comfortable saloon, Harold is looking for a new home.
APPRENTICE TR2
History repeats itself as RHP 552 is handed over to apprentices – 64 years after the last time!
A LASTING PASSION
Lee Godfrey has featured in these pages before, but his enthusiasm for the big Triumphs remains undiminished. Mike Taylor talks to him about the model, his latest example and how the passion started.
A flurry of activity ends 2019 season
H&H’s last sale of 2019 was at the Buxton Pavilion and offered 127 lots.
Herald Suspension Overhaul
Thorough investigation turns into a major overhaul and a future-proofed Triumph
Hotter Rockets Launched For 2020
The world’s largest-capacity volume production motorcycle just got bigger.
SPECIAL EDITION DOLOMITE 1500
Andrew Burford reckons that a 1500SE represents the epitome of Dolomite design. Mike Taylor meets the man who likes to champion the underdog, and his ultra-rare example of Triumph’s evergreen Dolomite saloon.
