- Kemunculan motosikal Triumph Scrambler 1200 telah digembar-gemburkan sejak dari pelancaran versi 900cc lagi.
- Kini, Triumph telah hadir dengan video usikan yang baharu.
- Motosikal baharu ini akan dilancarkan pada 24 Oktober 2018.
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.)
Triumph Motorcycles will open Visitor Experience Centre and factory tour
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.
Oh, one more movie trivia before we end: Chris Pratt’s character rode the Street Scrambler in 2015’s Jurassic World.
We complained in Part 1 of this series about how boring new motorcycle names have become, but in Part 2 Ten Motorcycles Named after Racetracks, there is one current bike in production which is named so and thankfully, it goes as great as its name. Can you guess which one is it?
5. Moto Guzzi V50 Monza
Moto Guzzi was clearly in financial problems in 1973 when De Tomaso took over with the backing of the Italian government. The management decided that smaller, less expensive bikes was the solution, resulting in the 500cc V50 and 350cc V35 in 1976. They were less than popular, so Moto Guzzi created a more powerful version of the V50 called the Monza in 1980. V35 also went through a similar makeover and was named the Imola.
4. Yamaha RD400F Daytona Special
Named after the infamous Daytona track, the 1979 RD400F Daytona Special commemorated Yamaha’s successes at the track and also the last of street-legal two-strokes in America. When the RD350LC introduced, it was only sold in Europe but imported in the States as a competition-only motorcycle.
3. Triumph Daytona 500
When American racer Buddy Elmor won the 1966 Daytona 200 aboard a Triumph Tiger 100, it was the first victory at the track for Triumph. Triumph then launced a 500cc, twin-cylinder roadster called the Daytona to commemorate their feat (there was also a Tiger Daytona in 1967). Moving forward to the current Triumph Motorcycle Ltd era, the Daytona name was used specifically for the Hinckley-based manufacturer’s sportbikes. The Daytona lineup were universally praised for its performance and sublime handling until being phased out in 2017.
2. Moto Guzzi Le Mans
Moto Guzzi build the 850 Le Mans Mk I from the iconic 1971 750cc V7 Sport, which was the first production motorcycle to feature a five-speed gearbox and hit 200 km/h. Guzzi upped the displacement to 850cc, as well as adding new disc brakes. It was the world’s fastest and best handling motorcycle of its time. Guzzi called it the “Le Mans” after the infamous racetrack in France. The 1976 Moto Guzzi 850 Le Mans Mk I is most collectible Italian motorcycle today (sorry, Ducati).
1. Triumph Thruxton/Thruxton R
In 1965, Triumph hand-built 52 bikes as homologation specials in order to contest in the Thruxton 500 mile (800 km) production endurance race. Many enthusiasts believe that it was this series of races that created the café racer era as standard production motorcycles were modified for extra performance.
In 2004, John Bloor’s Triumph Motorcycles Ltd. produced the new Thruxton 900 as the café racer of the new modern classic Bonneville lineup. In 2016, the Thruxton was revised and featured the new 1200cc liquid-cooled engine. A “hotter” R version was also added which featured Brembo brakes, Ohlins shocks and Showa BFF forks.
The result is the new Thruxton R is the best factory café racer in the market.
Excitement had started to build for a new Daytona even before the ink dried on the agreement with Dorna, when Triumph announced that they will be supplying engines to the Moto2 championship from 2019.
MotoGP: Triumph Confirmed as Engine Supplier for Moto2 in 2019
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.
One thing we speculated is that the delay could be due to the Euro 5 emissions standards taking effect from 2020. Bikes Republic had reported that the manufacturer had filed a patent for the “Daytona” name in the United States earlier this year.
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.
Long before The 70’s Show celebrated life in the Baby Boomer, another TV sitcome called Happy Days celebrated the Swingin’-60s. Some of you may well remember a colourful (well, black leather is colourful for us bikers) character called Arthur Herbert Fonzarelli (played by Henry Winkler), better known as “Fonzie” or just “The Fonz.”
The intro of the show had The Fonz posing on a motorcycle, with his signature pose and “Ayyy” tagline. Other characters included “Richie Cunningham” which was played by a certain Ron Howard.
Fonzie and the Triumph were so famous that they even sparked a model kit.
That motorcycle The Fonz posed on was a 1949 Triumph TR5 Trophy, when it was not too unlike the Bonneville but focused more on all-terrain riding. Yes, before the Trophy became a tourer. It was made from 1949 to 1958, powered by a 498cc OHV parallel-Twin.
Although The Fonz epitomized the 50s/60s cool of being on a bike, Winkler didn’t actually know how ride very much. Hence, he was only filmed mostly posing on the bike and riding it a little; the sound of a motorcycle was inserted during scenes when he arrived at the Cunningham house. There were three bikes used for the show, but Winkler preferred the Triumph because it was the lightest (easier to balance).
On a side note, this particular Triumph wasn’t any other Trophy, as it was customized by Bud Ekins. Yes, the stuntman who stood in for Steve McQueen’s heroic and iconic motorcycle jump over the fences of the PoW camp on a Triumph TR6, in the movie The Great Escape. Ekins customized The Fonz’s TR5 Trophy with a silver paint job, new handlebar and removed the front mudguard.
The bike was part of an exclusive Julien’s Auctions Hollywood Legends auction at Planet Hollywood in Los Angeles last month. Other items included Han Solo’s blaster from Return of the Jedi, the Evil Superman suit from Superman III, a 1969 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide owned by Marlon Brando and a 1987 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic, among other legendary Hollywood paraphernalia.
Fonzie’s Triumph was expected to fetch between $100,000 to $200,000. The hammer fell on S179,200.
Triumph Motorcycles is slated to supply the standard engine to Moto2 teams beginning next year (2019) as Honda’s current contract ends at the end of the 2018 season. Please click on the link below for our coverage.
As such, Moto2 teams have begun testing the engine this year in preparation for the new season. Do note that Moto2 teams consist of frame builders such as Kalex, Speed Up, NTS and KTM (including Suter and Moriwaki at one point) who build frames and chassis around the spec engine which was based on Honda’s CBR600RR from 2010.
With the advent of a new engine supplier, these teams would have to build frames and chassis to suit the new engine’s mounting points and power characteristics. This should mean close competition in the season ahead as the teams obtain new data on handling and tyre wear.
The latest rider to test the 765cc, inline-Triple based on the new Street Triple (please click here for our review) was Alex Marquez, multiple MotoGP champion Marc Marquez’s younger brother, on the EG 0,0 Marc VDS Kalex – Triumph.
Alex tested the new engine in the new Kalex at Motorland Aragon yesterday, following Julian Simon and Ricky Cardus’s tests aboard the KTM on the previous day. Jesko Raffin had also tested for Kalex, while Alex De Angelis tested the engine for NTS.
During testing at Valencia earlier this year, Jesko Raffin posted a time that was 1.3 seconds faster than the lap record set by 2016 Moto2 champion, Johann Zarco – using a standard 765cc triple engine from the Street Triple RS! Raffin commented that he encountered “zero problem” with the powerplant. Another rider had commented about the engine’s abundance of low-down and mid-range torque.
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:
Now is the best time to bring home that Triumph you’ve been lusting for.
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…)
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