Interesting Old Triumph Ad Circa 1972 or so

[JustPassinThru_imp]

The Triumph handled superbly compared to the Honda, and they had similar top speeds however the Honda had a 5 speed box and the Trident a 4 speed box, but more importantly the Honda had an electric started which Triumph didn't get until 1975... Way too late to save Triumph.

BTW little known, by 1973 Triumph had a 1000cc 4 cyl in prototype form called the Quadrant ( actually quite an attractive motorcycle) but it never made it to production.

A Brit UJM (or UBM?). Looks like it would have competed directly with the Kaw Z-1. I think that would have solved the modernization issue, but I have a feeling that the quality control issues would have still killed them.

A Brit UJM (or UBM?). Looks like it would have competed directly with the Kaw Z-1. I think that would have solved the modernization issue, but I have a feeling that the quality control issues would have still killed them.


I just looked up the Wikipedia write-up of Triumph Engineering - to learn and confirm. Aside from the facts, related here - and no, I didn't know Triumph automobiles and motorcycles were separate entities - the downfall of Triumph motorcycles was blamed on Honda's greater access to capital.

By the Japanese government, so it says. The Japanese government which was broke from losing the war and from rebuilding, even to 1970.

I don't think it was an issue of funding modernization that killed Triumph. It seemed to be a toxic stasis, that seems to hit industrial companies at their pinnacle. Three decades after Triumph, we all saw it with General Motors. And on the Japanese side, we're seeing it with Suzuki and Yamaha in their industries, now.

Innovation is avoided in favor of sticking to the same old mold; and the game-changer competition, the new guys with new ideas, are ignored. Until it's too late.

Harley-Davidson is the next to go. They have resisted new ideas since they were purchased in 1980; and while their customer base was eager to embrace the promotion of the brand, rather than development of the product...that customer base is THE same population it was 35 years ago.

Now about ready to go the way of all flesh. Harley-Davidson is going to be a storied brand without customers...the under-35s see H-D cycles as parodies. The ones who remember when that was what motorcycles were...are disappearing. Along with their own grandfathers, some of whom thought the Model T was the last word in automobiles.

Who will take the place of the stagnant Japanese brands? Perhaps nobody. Perhaps the kids today are so enamoured of the cyber-world they're not going to do anything they've been told is "dangerous" in the real world.

Until it all comes tumbling down, and motorcycles again become, not toys but valued tools. But that's fodder for another screed.