The Best Vintage Triumph Motorcycle

Over the years of being in business we have received a broad range of questions

Some basic, some interesting and some that really make "think"

Most general questions range from "what type of oil does my bike need?" or "how do you rebuild a motor?"

Since we can’t address all those questions in a single post we would like to cover one question in particular that seems to come up during "project season" 

“Which vintage Triumph motorcycle is the best?”

Right off the bat, that’s a very broad question and will be extremely difficult for me to answer but I will throw in my personal opinion of what I "think" The Best Vintage Triumph Motorcycle is

Let’s dig in..

Triumph history

Lets starts off with some history and background of the original Triumph motorcycle company 

The Triumph motorcycle company was founded in 1885 in Meriden, England

The Triumph company made and produced motorcycles through the 1900's until the factory finally closed there doors in 1983 due to bankruptcy 

Triumph motorcycles gained popularity here in the states right after the Second World War (WW2)

From the beginning and to the end of Triumph, most can agree that Triumph motorcycles where not perfect, but where designed for the average chap to afford, fix, ride or race on any budget

I personally believe that is why Triumph has such a strong following today 

Ingredients For The “Best” Triumph Motorcycle

Over the years Triumph made many different models that all have there very own unique perks

We saw the swing-arm frame introduced in 1954, unit construction 650 motor in 1963, disc brakes in 1973 and telescopic forks on most models in 1950 just to name a few

Below I will cover a few points and observations that will help you better understand my choice for the best vintage Triumph motorcycle

• Parts availability
• Technical support
• Eye appeal
• Overall performance

Keep reading below too see what the Best vintage Triumph motorcycle is..

Parts a Availability

Most folks feel that if parts cannot be found, are too expensive or hard to obtain that alone may be a deal breaker when contemplating a new project or purchase

For myself, I put parts availability at the top of my list

I understand that old vintage Triumph motorcycles require time, attention and detail, but if vintage Triumph parts cannot be found in a reasonable manor then I could possibly walk away from a project

I would like to spend time riding the bike, not spending 2+ years finding parts...

If you prefer that method or have a rare model, I accept that and admire your willingness to restore an old machine 

Technical support

There’s nothing better when everyone speaks the same language 

With support through manuals, online forums or even help through clubs, it is ideal that a particular model has a good technical support all around

Sometimes mechanic's and builders need a reliable source to turn as well

Eye appeal

Finding an attractive vintage British motorcycle isn’t a hard task at all

In fact, most British motorcycles all have there very own unique appearances and features that may be proprietary to its maker

I mean, who wants to ride around on an “unattractive” motorcycle?

Motorcycles have “looks” too..

Overall performance

Performance is a critical aspect when selecting or choosing the best “vintage Triumph motorcycle”

Although these bikes where made over 40+ years ago, the demand for performance then is not the same to today’s standard

Triumph offered engine sizes from 250 all the way up to 750 3-cylinders

Depending on your riding style, weight and riding location, performance is ideal and key

Mind you that most classic Triumph motorcycles can be “hopped up” with large cams, HC pistons, and so forth should your demand for more performance be a driving factor

My choice

Drum roll please......

My personal choice for the "best" vintage Triumph motorcycle would be a unit construction 650 made from 1963-1970

Are you surprised?

The reason why I think the 650 unit models from 1963-1970 are the best choice is because 7-year range meets all the criteria above that some other Triumph models simply don’t

The “dry frame” or PRE-oif 650 models have the largest selection of parts available, technical support, eye appeal and good performance with many upgrades available

Don’t get me wrong here, I admire all Triumphs from the triples, 750 twins down to the Cubs, however I believe the Triumph 650 from 1963-1970 is the better overall choice should you be willing to make a purchase or perform a restoration

Do 1963-1970 models have any pitfalls? Yes - many 

However, the positives outweigh most pitfalls

Do you agree or disagree?

So what do you think of my choice? - do you agree or disagree? 

Let us know what you think in the comment section below should you agree or disagree

Thanks for reading

Thanks for reading today's blog post 

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Ride safe!