The scene of Steve McQueen’s character jumping over the Stalag Luft III fence on a motorcycle is immortalised in The Great Escape.
The bikes used in the shooting were actually Triumph TR6 Trophies.
One of the bikes is now on display at the Triumph Factory Visitor Experience facility.
The 1963 film, The Great Escape, had always been lauded as one of the best war movies of all time. But that scene of Steve McQueen’s character nicknamed “The Cooler King” jumping over the POW camp’s 12-ft. high fence on a Triumph TR6 Trophy turned The Great Escape into one of the best bikie movies, too.
There were actually three bikes used in the movie; they were all Triumph TR6 Trophies, dressed up as BMW R75s used by the Wehrmacht (German Army) as there were very few running R75s around at the time and the escape scene needed a bike that’s lighter, faster and handled better. The TR6R Trophy fitted the fill to perfection so the producers got a few and prepared them spec- and aesthetic-wise for the film.
However, all three Triumphs disappeared after filming, just as both the Easy Rider bikes in 1969 (and you thought missing jet engines was impossible). But this particular bike was traced to being sold to a farmer, who used it… of all things… to herd cows. You’d probably imagine him yelling “There is no escape!” to his bovine subjects.
Dean Shepherd bought it from another farm worker who inherited it after the farmer’s demise and restored it to its original state in the film.
The Great Escape bike is now displayed at the Triumph Factory Visitor Experience near Triumph Motorcycles Ltd.’s HQ in Hinckley, Leicetershire. It will then be displayed at the Salon Privé Concours de Elegance at the Blenheim Palace near Oxford. According to Auto Classics, the bike will be entered into the Class B event for exceptional motorcycles built between 1940 and 1979. (Please click on this link to learn more about the visitor centre.)
Bikes Republic will be travelling to the UK to visit Triumph Motorcycles Ltd.’s HQ and the Triumph Factory Visitor Experience in October this year, and we truly, sincerely, hope to see The Great Escape TR6 Trophy there! (Otherwise our Editor will throw a tantrum.)
The TR6 Trophy has a soul successor in manufacturer’s current modern classic lineup in the shape of the Bonneville Street Scrambler. It was so fun to ride that we swore we were overcome by the visions of Steve McQueen’s jump and were tempted to jump it over a few roadside railings. Just kidding.
After all, the engine is the same but race-kitted 765cc inline-Triple found in the new Street Triple lineup. And if the new Street Triple (especially the RS) could slay plenty of bikes out there, a new Daytona 765 could bleed the souls of ZX-6R, GSX-R750, F3 800, R6 riders through their faceshields. Easy.
Additionally, Honda hadn’t capitalized on their involvement in the intermediate class since 2010. Did they launch a “CBR600RR based on lessons learned in eight seasons of competitive racing in Moto2”? Nope.
Triumph could certainly do so!
Well, bad news for those who await the Daytona 765 with bated breath. Triumph had said they will not debut it in 2019, reported Asphalt & Rubber.
But, but, but it would be incredulous to believe that Triumph hasn’t something up their sleeves other than capitalizing on such an awesome opportunity to take their branding to a higher plane, innit? The Hinckley-based manufacturer is in the best position to do so.
We also understand that the supersport/sportbike market is soft but supersport/sportbikes appear to be making a comeback, especially along with the sudden spurt of racing activities Malaysia.
In the meantime, or in the truly sad case that a new Daytona doesn’t come by, we could almost be certain that Moto2 technologies could be transferred into evolving the Street Triple. That’s already a great bike to increase your giggles-per-km quotient, anyway.
Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia has officially released the prices of their motorcycles with 0% GST.
The bikes from Hinckley are now even more attractively priced.
The new price announcement coincides with the arrival of the Tiger 800 XCA and Tiger 800 XRT.
Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia has published the prices of their motorcycles, with 0% GST, in accordance to the Ministry of Finance’s announcement.
The new prices will be effective from 1st June 2018 until 30th June 2018. Please refer to the list below. Prices are subject to change without prior notice.
Reductions for new motorcycles are between RM 3,000 to RM 6,0000, while price reduction for “Clearance Sale” models range between RM 2,937.06 to RM 5,603.77. However, it is safe for you to purchase your favourite Triumph now before 1st June 2018 as Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia had launched their Price Protection Scheme earlier (please click on the link below for more information).
The new price announcement coincides with the arrival of the first 2018 Tiger 800 XCA and Tiger 800 XRT in Malaysia. The duo are the flagship models of the Triumph Tiger 800 range.
The Tiger 800 XCA and Tiger 800 XRT have extra features and accessories compared to the Tiger 800 XCX and Tiger 800 XRX we tested earlier in a few areas:
Fully LED headlights and distinctive running lights (XCA and XRT).
Heated seats (XCA and XRT).
6 TFT screen styles (XCA and XRT).
5 riding modes including an extra rider customizable mode (XRT).
6 riding modes including an extra rider customizable mode (XCA)
A pair of high-powered LED fog lamps (XCA only).
Off-road style footpegs (XCA only).
Adjustable front forks (XRT vs. XRX. The XCX and XCA have adjustable WP forks as standard).
Centre stand (XCA and XRT).
Aluminium radiator guard (XCA).
Now is the best time to bring home that Triumph you’ve been lusting for.
Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia has announced the Price Protection Scheme for all their new unregistered bikes.
The scheme will protect future Triumph bike owners against any price fluctuation in accordance with the new tax regimen (GST back to SST).
If prices go up, they will honour the original lower price. If prices go down, customers can enjoy the new price PLUS store credit equal to the price difference.
In light of a very historic moment for our beloved nation and its process to evolve itself in accordance with the new Government, Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia has assured all future owners of Triumph bikes to not worry about the possible changes of price. (more…)
The 2018 Triumph Street Triple 765 RS was officially launched with two other variants last August.
While we know that the Street Triple 765 RS is a perfect track day weapon, how it performs with everyday riding is also being considered.
The 2018 Triumph Street Triple 765 RS is priced at RM66,900 (basic price with GST).
It was late last August when Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia officially launched the latest generation naked bike series, the 2018 Triumph Street Triple 765. The media test ride was conducted at the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) to allow some media members to have a go on what the bikes are all about. (more…)
The Triumph Bonneville T100 Black is a blacked-out modern retro.
Smooth power and predictable handling are its best traits.
Unintimidating, easy and fun to ride.
I’ve many biker friends who name their bikes. The majority being guys, their bikes are almost invariably lady’s names: Suzy, Hunny, Becky, Mimi, etc. etc. Some guys named their bikes with masculine names like Butch, The Rock, etc. However, it had never vexed me to name the few bikes I’ve owned, for some reason. Nope. Not even the Ducati 916SP I once had.
Maybe my bikes have never appealed to me beyond the machines they were.
So here came the Triumph Bonneville T100 Black, all blacked-out with a flat black fuel tank, black headlamp nacelle, black fork stanchions, black front fender, black rims, black peashooter exhausts, black engine covers, black side panels, black bench seat, black shock springs, black rear fender. Black, black, black. The only non-black parts were the throttle body shrouds, wheels’ wire spokes, bezel of the blocks, fuel cap.
The colour scheme actually harks back to the days of custom bikes when owners did away with the chrome and polished bits for something more sinister in appearance. Or more punk, if you will. Like the Sex Pistols vs. the early Beatles.
Getting on the T100 Black tells you how simple bikes were back then. Low seat height, narrow profile, handlebar not too wide and not too narrow, upright seating position, comfortable reach to the handlebar, comfortable positioning of the footpegs.
Just like any Triumph, the T100 Black fired up with a soulful vroom and settled down into a smooth idle. Blipping the throttle had some engine vibration through, just enough to let you know it’s alive.
Looking downwards, your gaze meets a pair of beautifully appointed gauges. Unlike those on other Bonnevilles, the T100 Black’s are black-faced, surrounded by silver counters and finished off with chrome bezels. Those bezels are awesomely beautiful especially at night when you ride past one light source after another. The LCD, numbers and needles glow softly (soft, not dim) without blasting photons into your retinas.
The Triumph Bonneville T100 Black felt special as soon as the clutch went out. Again, the throttle take-up was so direct, so smooth, so linear.
Before I go on, please think of something smooth. Butter, margarine, cheese, cream, etc. It doesn’t have to be dairy products, of course.
Okay, let’s move on.
The 900cc HT (for High Torque), liquid-cooled, parallel-Twin engine has a crankshaft spaced at 270o to mimic a 90o V-Twin’s firing order. It pulled the gears so smoothly… that a vision of a glass-smooth lake flashed through my mind. And this was just out of Triumph Motorcycle Malaysia’s showroom. From zero all the way to the top, there wasn’t a single step in the rev range. The bike didn’t stutter or surge at low speeds, either.
Nonetheless, the bike did rush forward when I snapped open the throttle and it pulled hard but it didn’t feel like a dog going after the GDex delivery man.
The suspension was plush enough without experiencing a speedboat ride on land, while stiff enough to have the bike turn quickly to my commands. Just as with other Triumphs, the twin rear shocks and forks were so well calibrated.
I remembered that I still had articles to write that afternoon, but I thought what the heck, let’s just ride a few kilometres further. I kept going from one place to another, the heart telling the brain, just a few more kilometres.
To cut the story short, I got home three and half hours later after riding it around without any destination in mind.
Why? Because it was such a joy to ride the Triumph Bonneville T100 Black. Half of that “trip” was through rush hour traffic, it even rained on me, but I didn’t care. It was pure riding joy. There a giddy excitement to it, like when I took delivery of the very first motorcycle I owned, exactly 30 years ago.
The handlebar is wide enough for good leverage, but it’s also at the correct width allowing you to filter through traffic. If the kapchai in front of you could get through, so could you. Plus, the low seat height made it easy to put a foot down.
Coupled with the light and smooth action clutch, and especially the smooth throttle and engine power delivery, heavy taffic didn’t actually register until I had to recount my experience for this review. The engine’s torque peaks at 3230 RPM, which equals to lots of pulling power to blast past other vehicles quickly to a soul-stirring vroom.
Conversely, I’ve test bikes that had overly heavy clutch pull and snatchy throttle in traffic. If that’s not bad enough, add in brakes that felt so wooden they might as well have been made of wood, and suspension that sent your liver through your mouth when you hit a bump. They did nothing but caused me curse and swear everytime I rode them.
Not so with the Triumph Bonneville T100 Black; it was just a pleasant experience.
Another factor which contributed to the fun was the brakes. The T100 Black may be a classic looking bike, but that front brake is a floating disc. I had a car cut across my lane at one time. Firm pressure on the levers had the bike slowing down immediately. The front brake lever didn’t come to the bar or pulse when ABS activated, instead it became stiffer meaning you could keep on adding brake pressure. It’s really helpful, allowing you to live to offend the offending driver with an offensive gesture in return. (I didn’t do this – it’s a test bike!)
Besides that, the bike is equipped with traction control. It’s always great to have this safety net.
One day, I got on and just started riding. I couldn’t remember what triggered it, but it may have had something to do with someone listed as “Puan Harimau” (Tigress) in my phone. I ended up in Tanjung Malim before I even realized.
I remembered singing aloud to my favourite songs playing through the Bluetooth headset (mostly Judas Priest tunes – they’re British after all). Wind blast was surprisingly bearable. But I was amazed that engine was virtually vibration free at a steady throttle and coming alive when you accelerate or decelerate. At a steady 110 to 130 km/h, a nice, purring vroom accompanies you.
Approaching an F 800 R cruising along, I the rider glancing into his mirror. My first instinct was, “Here we go again.” My right wrist was at the ready and gunned it at the same time he gunned his. He put his head down and so did I. In a flash, I was past him with my left hand waving to him at the side. I saw his head following me through and I glanced at the speedo. 180 km/h and still pulling. I backed off immediately.
Think the Triumph Bonneville T100 “classic bike” can’t run? Think again. Note that I was in sixth gear and didn’t downshift. It was all a throttle roll-on action.
It was a hot, hot day but I was smiling when I rolled into Tanjung Malim. I was whistling happy tunes when I maneuvered the bike around for photographs. A local guy saw the bike and asked if he could take pictures of it. Another guy spoke to me while I was shooting and invited me over to his sundry shop for a drink, on him. He wanted to talk more about the T100 Black away from the sun, he said.
On the return trip, I ignored the signboards pointing towards the highway and stuck to the old trunk road instead. I don’t normally do this on a hot afternoon, mind you.
The T100 Black was a natural on these roads (it felt natural on any road, anyway), whether it was straight or less so. I took it really easy, never going beyond 100 km/h just to savour that beautiful engine, throttle and suspension while enjoying the scenery. I discovered that the engine wasn’t only smooth on acceleration but on deceleration too. It felt like it had a slipper clutch, although it didn’t. Oddly, it was smoother that bikes with slipper clutches.
And hey! I even spotted a glass-smooth lake on the way. Déjà vu.
The Triumph Bonneville T100 bike makes you want to just ride and ride. In fact, one could end up being a motorcycle vagabond, travelling from town to town. It’s just so fun and effortlessly easy to ride that you forget about everything else in the world, yourself included. 100% pleasure, 0% pressure.
I know a few owners who had logged thousands of kilometres, riding to far and away places on their Bonnies. Who knows I might just drop everything one day and decide to ride to nowhere, similar to how Forrest Gump just ran and ran.
I’ve decided to name a bike. The Triumph Bonneville T100 Black has so much character, so much soul it may as well be alive. Well, it did make me feel great to be alive.
I ran through a few names with the word “Black” in them. “Black Beauty” was used by Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia and it was a great name which truly reflects the bike. I thought of “Black Widow,” not the spider but the actress who plays that character but hey, that’s a bit clichéd, isn’t it?
Prices for the XR range begins from RM 56,900 (basic selling price with 6% GST) but hurry, offer lasts until July 2018 only!
Humans are resistant to change by nature. Despite some of us propounding to accept change, we tend to fall back to what we’re familiar with. We go on doing the same thing day in day out but when something unfamiliar comes along to disrupt that equilibrium, we resist, we fight, we rant on Facebook. Like Linus in Peanuts, we keep running back to our security blanket.
One of them was me, especially when it concerned motorcycles.
I loved sportbikes. No, I didn’t mind stretching my arms out, plopping my gut on the tank and offering my bum to the sky gods. To me they offered something familiar: Front tyre feedback, gruesome cornering angles and the exhilaration of blowing everything on the road away.
Then, one day, a few motojournalists and I joined the Ratpack on a ride to Khao Sok National Park in Thailand. The centrepiece of that ride was the then new 2015 Triumph Tiger 800 XRx and Tiger 800 XCx.
They may have won accolades the world over, but I was a little sceptical if I would like it. Because, truth be told, it wasn’t my security blanket. But I sucked my thumb and kept quiet.
You may have remembered the 2018 Triumph Tiger 800 XR lineup’s launch hand-in-hand with its brethren the XC range, along with the Bobber Black and Speedmaster in Bukit Tinggi. (Please click here for our report of the event.)
To recap quickly, the XR line-up consists of the base XR, XRx, XRx LRH (Low Ride Height) and range-topping XRt. The XC range consists of the XCx and flagship XCa.
We’ve tested the 2018 Triumph Tiger 800 XCx (please click here for the full review) and fell in love with it, and we tested the 2018 Triumph Tiger 800 XRx later as it’s more road-oriented than the XCx. As such, the XRx has cast wheels instead of laced spokes. The front is a 19-incher, compared to 21 on the XCx. Suspension is duly shorter with 180 mm front and 170 mm rear travel compared to 220 mm and 215 mm respectively, hence the XRx has a 810 – 830 mm seat height compared to 840 – 860 mm on the XCx.
Other than the rolling stock, both bikes are virtually the same except for the shorter “beak” on the XRx.
It had been some time since I last rode the Tiger 800 XCx and I sighed a relief when I got on the XRx. I was Linus and this was my security blanket. The seating position felt the same although the handlebar felt a little more forward due to the smaller front wheel. Additionally, both my feet could reach the ground comfortably.
A short press on the starter button awoke the bike with a deep vroom. Just a little throttle and I was on my way.
The XRx flicked around lightly on its contact patches like Muhammad Ali (Allah bless his soul). It didn’t take much time to grow acquainted to the bike and I was cutting through traffic effortlessly.
The throttle, clutch, engine, transmission combination worked so smooth even butter has lumps. All I had to do was focus on getting through traffic and let my hands and feet work subconsciously, because the Tiger 800 XRx (and XCx) took the load off me. Besides that, the twin headlamps were large and bright and they had the psychological effect of presenting a much more authoritative presence to other road users.
We were now returning from Khao Sok. It was my turn on the Tiger 800 XRx (before the XCx). I was resistant at first. But 30 minutes into the ride, something changed. I smiled in my helmet. I started to wave and signal thumbs up to the Ratpack riders.
Just as what the XCx did, the XRx induced insomnia in me. Somehow, parts of me, not limited to the heart and brain, had just wanted to go riding. It’s like this little voice that kept going on and on like a bad track, “Let’s ride. Let’s ride. Let’s ride.” Earplugs didn’t work on this one (unlike for the wife’s nagging).
So again, I got up at 5am and went riding.
There’s something eerie about the Karak Highway before dawn. A light mist hangs a few metres above the road and everything seemed to be out from a scene in Insidious. (Man, I’ve to stop watching scary movies.) Anyhow, a tap on the PASS/HIGH BEAM button bathed everything ahead in righteous light. It was just a boon for the sweeping corners of Karak.
This was where I could find the true distinction between the two Tiger 800s. As soon as the bike tipped over into the corner it was rock solid without a bounce or wiggle. I had the choices of either braking deeper or charging in harder into the corners – the Tiger 800 XRx conformed to both tasks without complaint. It didn’t have a slipper clutch but it felt way smoother than actually having one!
However, as stable as it was in mid-corner, it didn’t hesitate when I had to alter my line or direction. If you’ve the chance to test both bikes, they’d feel so much smaller than they seem.
The Genting Highlands road alternated between total darkness to total whiteness during these hours. Still, I didn’t have to worry much since the bike just took over, leaving me to actually enjoy myself even without full vision. I had so much fun I kept grounding the footpeg feelers on both sides. Had someone followed behind they’d surely be reminded of the fireworks on New Year’s Eve (sorry, Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia).
Then the rain poured down on us. In SPORT mode, the throttle felt as if my hands were connected directly to the butterfly valves, so I didn’t switch to RAIN. I just kept riding and riding, invincible against the rain.
I soon came up to a fork in the road so I stopped since I didn’t know the direction. One of the riders who had been following me on his Speed Triple all this while pulled up beside me. He flipped up his visor and yelled, “You crazy ah?!! You were doing 160 km/h in the rain!!! In Thailand!!!”
I reached the First World Hotel, aimed for the Petron station and made a left turn onto a newly tarred road. It was very narrow and as sinewy as a clump of intestines. I stopped at the summit with the Triumph Tiger 800 XRx juxtaposed against the backs of mountains and hills in the distance, just as the horizon started to turn to orange.
And I did this four days in a row in the five that we had the bike.
My surroundings turned bright quickly from then on. I felt on top of the world everytime that happened because not only had I climbed the mountain in the dark and fog, but I had also done it on wet roads. The Tiger 800 XRx and XCx were never fazed by soggy roads.
A few more deep breaths of the fresh air and it was time to head back.
Taking it easy this time due to heavier traffic, I flicked through the LCD display. It was so easy to use with the new switchgear, joystick and menu system. Every bit of pertinent information was there, presented in easy to read format.
Back in the stifling traffic of KL, the Triumph Tiger 800 XCx continued to perform sweetly. It had gone from a daily commuter to a sport-tourer to a canyon blaster and back to daily commuter in supreme comfort without even having to touch a single ride mode switch, although it would’ve been so easy to do so.
It must’ve been a match made in heaven because the Tiger 800 had gone beyond what I had expected of any bike. My paradigm had been shattered, shredded and scorched. But I didn’t resist. I couldn’t resist.
I had loved adventure-tourers from that point on, and it was the Triumph Tiger 800 that was responsible for the change.
I have a new problem now. It’s no secret that I love the Tiger 800 XCx, but I’ve fallen in love with the Triumph Tiger 800 XRx, too. Especially the “White Tiger” such as this one we tested. The XCx is a superbly capable bike on both road and offroad, while the XRx is superbly capable on the road and can do some light offroading.
Why not both?
Oh dear.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATONS
ENGINE
Engine type
Liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder, inline-Triple
Compression ratio
11.3 : 1
Bore X Stroke
74.0 mm X 61.9 mm
Displacement
800 cc
Fuel system
Multipoint sequential electronic fuel injection
Maximum power
94 bhp (70 kW) @ 9500 RPM
Maximum torque
79 Nm @ 8050 RPM
TRANSMISSION
Clutch
Wet, multi-plate
Gearbox
6-speed
CHASSIS
Front suspension
Showa 43mm upside down forks, 180 mm travel
Rear suspension
Showa monoshock with hydraulic preload adjustment, 170 mm travel
Triumph Motorcycles UK has launched two very special and limited 2018 Triumph Bonneville Spirit of ’59 models.
The special edition T100 and T120 carry colour schemes paying homage to the original 1959 Triumph T120 Bonneville 650.
Only 59 units of each model will be made at a price of £10,600 (around RM58,000) for the T120 and £9,000 (around RM49,260) in the UK.
Triumph Motorcycles is known for some very spectacular customised motorcycles over the years. This time around, they’ve introduced two very special and limited editions Triumph Bonneville T100 and T120 as part of their Spirit of ’59 campaign. (more…)
The Triumph 3HW was one of Triumph’s motorcycles produced for the military.
It served throughout the Second World War.
This particular example belongs to celebrity Wak Doyok.
You’ll never know what kind of treasures will show up at the dealerships of classic motorcycle marques. Well, Triumph Motorcycles is the world’s second oldest motorcycle manufacturer, after all.
We were picking up the 2018 Tiger 800 XCx from Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia in Petaling Jaya for testing and review, when we spotted a “baby blue” vintage motorcycle sitting in the cargo bay of a 4×4 pickup. Imagine our surprise when it turned out to be 1940s Triumph 3HW, belonging to the popular celebrity Wak Doyok!
The Triumph 3HW wasn’t only a vintage bike but it had a significance in the history of motorcycles.
When World War II broke out in September 1939, the War Office requisitioned (sapu habis, in local speak) Triumph’s entire stock of civilian motorcycles. Triumph, based in Coventry at the time, went on to develop the 3TW specially for the military.
But on the night of 14th November 1940, the Luftwaffe (German Air Force) conducted a bombing raid on the city and devastated the Triumph factory along with the production of the 3TW. Many records of Triumph motorcycles since its heydays were also destroyed.
Triumph converted an oil foundry in Meriden, Warwickshire and started producing two single-cylinder motorcycles – the side-valve 3SW and the overhead-valve 3HW. The 3HW was based on the Tiger 80 sport roadster.
The 3HW’s rocker boxes were cast integrally with the cast-iron cylinder head, as opposed to the Tiger 80’s separate aluminium allow rocker boxes. The engineers resorted to cast iron as aluminium was in short supply.
Being more powerful than the 3SW, the 3HW eventually saw service in dispatch duties and general liaison for the Royal Navy in North Africa, India and Greece. In fact, the Greek Army used the bike from 1942 all the way to 1952.
The 343cc, air-cooled, single-cylinder engine had bore X stroke dimensions of 70mm X 89mm, a compression ratio of 6.7:1, and produced 17 bhp at 5200 RPM, pushing the bike to a top speed of 115 km/h.
Wak Doyok’s bike here shows the 3HW serial number stamped on the crankcase, but the fuel tank/instrument cluster could’ve been replaced with a 3H Deluxe model’s. Regardless, it’s still one awesomely beautiful motorcycle. Watch this video of Wak Doyok riding the bike, posted on 29th September 2017. Thank you Wak Doyok for letting photograph your bike!
Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia (Fast Bikes Sdn Bhd) has just launched the 2018 Triumph Bonneville Bobber Black, Speedmaster & Tiger 800.
Eight new bikes consisting of the Bobber Black, Speedmaster and six Tiger 800 variants are now officially available.
The new 2018 Triumph models are available from RM56,900 to RM79,900.
Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia has officially launched their latest models for this year which includes the 2018 Triumph Bonneville Bobber Black, Speedmaster and Tiger 800 range. The bikes were unveiled earlier tonight at Bukit Tinggi, Pahang. There are a total of eight new bikes for this beginning of the year where the Tiger 800 range alone consists of six new variants. (more…)
