BSA B25
BSA B25

’71 Triumph T25 SS T models

Double your pleasure, double your fun with Doublemint gum…or a pair of Triumph T25′s. Yep, two for just about the price of one. The Triumph T25 is really only a BSA B25 rebadged, but that’s ok.

These little 250′s are really fun to ride. They’re relatively light, easy to start, handle good and for the most part, very reliable. And you can get two of ‘em!

What’s the difference between the SS and T models? The SS is the ‘street scrambler’; road tyres, a hugger style front fender. The T model is the trail model (they call it the Trail Blazer); semi knobby tyres, high front fender and I think, final gearing is different as well. Both of the T20 models are open for lot’s of modifications.

You can take one of these and make a very competent dirt bike out of it…it only weighs 320 lbs and that exhaust has got to weigh most of that. Really, it wouldn’t take all that much to make this a very fun off roader. The SS model is so ripe for the cafe’ treatment…dump the exhaust, upgrade the suspension and do the regular cafe tweaks and you have one rockin’ little canyon carver.

In the first paragraph I said the T25′s are “for the most part, very reliable”, well…maybe I exaggerated a bit. The little 250′s are very happy revving motors and seem to work best at high (that’s a relative term here…) rpm’s, but along with those high revs come problems. The T25 and the BSA B25 have a tendency to have valve train issues along with lower end frailties.

There are two things you can do to lessen these issues. #1, don’t rev it up real high…(duh) and, #2, fix the problems before they happen. There are a number of good websites that have good fixes and sources for parts…there are plenty of parts out there and not all that expensive.

I found this pair of T25′s on ebay this morning for a very reasonable price. You get both a Street Scrambler and a Trail Blazer..how much fun. Hey, I know…the his and hers models. That way you can convince the wife to let you bring them home.

I’ve tried that one more than once and I can’t think of one time it actually worked, but…your mileage may vary. The Trail model is ready to ride today and the SS was ridden a year ago and needs just a bit to put it back on the road. While looking closely at the pictures, the SS has the better twin leading shoe front brake while the T model has the older single leading shoe front…the single is fine for casual off road use but the newer brake is MUCH better.

Doesn’t diminish the value of this pair in the least. All in all if you like smaller bikes and want something a bit different, a T25 is a great choice. Click on the pics below for more info.

These really are fun motorcycles…surprisingly so.

’71 Triumph T25 SS T

’69 Triumph Trophy

In 1981 I was living in Albuquerque, working in a radio station, raising a couple of kids and riding my motorcycles as much as I could, all in all not a bad life. New Mexico is a great for motorcycles, if you ride off road you could spend the rest of your life exploring and you probably won’t see it all and if you ride on the road you will never be bored…as long as you stay off the interstates.

Southern New Mexico is year round riding, and northern is. well, let’s just say a shorter riding season. The riding community there is big. I made many friends on two wheels there, some I still met on rides years later.

While living in Albuquerque I bought a 1969 Triumph T100R from this little shop that repaired English motorcycles. Mechanically it was good, cosmetically it was pretty good…someone had rattle can painted it this really ugly brown. Regardless of how it looked, it was a blast to ride. I became good friends with the shop owner and even after I moved back to California we remained in contact for years until his passing.

BSA B25
BSA B25

A few days before I moved, Jack showed up at my house with a 90% complete BSA B25 in the back of his truck. He rolled it out of the bed, pushed up the driveway and said “you owe me a beer now and a ride on it when I come visit”. I was dumbfounded. Later, friends told me I was just dumb for dragging that little bike back to California.

I couldn’t resist.

After a year of work, I was riding that little BSA around having a blast. unfortunately, one day while working on it, you know the saying about British bikes, ‘ride it for one hour, work on it for two’ (it’s soooo true), I made the mistake of leaving my garage door open. While I was inside making a sandwich someone decided they liked my little BSA more than I did. I was heartbroken, they also stole my Kawasaki 750 which was my sole form of transportation.

So what has this all got to do with this Triumph I’m posting? The BSA and the Triumph are the same bike, just different badges.

Here are the things you need to know about the little BSA / Triumph singles; they’re slow, parts a little difficult to find (unless you know where to look), they are fairly reliable unless you push them (70MPH on the freeway is considered pushing it), they are easily customized into almost anything from off road to cafe racer and most importantly…they’re fun to ride!

This little Triumph I found on ebay this morning has potential. The owner is a little light on description…”999 miles, pretty much stock, great British bike, new battery, runs good”. From the pictures it looks to be in really pretty good condition. In it’s BSA guise this would be known as the ‘Street Scrambler’ model.

Look at the pictures and you’ll see a small skid plate under the engine. It probably needs a good going through and over (these are so easy to work on), a little TLC and you’ll have a fun little around town scoot or, strip it down and go play in the dirt…the 250 will do either willingly. The ‘buy it now’ price is a bit steep but not too far out of line compared to some bikes I find. Click on the pics for, well, maybe one more pic…and the chance to put it in your garage.

Just remember to close the door.

’69 Triumph Trophy

BSA B25
BSA B25
BSA B25
BSA B25
BSA B25
BSA B25
BSA B25
BSA B25


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