1968 Triumph T100C Trophy
When I bought my first Triumph T100 back in the early 1980′s I instantly fell in love. I had been riding Bonneville’s for years but all of a sudden the ‘Baby Bonnie’ was for me, the perfect motorbike. It was light, nimble, loved to rev, and was just too much fun to ride.
The T100 was everything I loved about my Bonneville’s and less…less being more here.
A good friend, who was also a Bonneville fan, took my little T100 for a ride one day…five hours later he brought it back. He too loved the smaller size and the lighter weight but what got him was how the little 500 loved revving. Tim and I had both ridden Triumph ‘Desert Sleds’ years back and he still had one of his and rode it occasionally but now, he wanted a 500 to ride in vintage races.
A month later, give or take a few days, Tim showed up at my house aboard a pretty ratty T100C, Triumphs scrambler version of the T100R. Knobby tyres, upswept exhaust pipes on one side, single carb and wider bars…looked like a lot of fun to me. Tim let me take it for a ride, I brought it back in less than 5 hours, and was absolutely in love again. The bikes were so different, but so much the same.
Both T100′s love to rev but the ‘C’ model a little less so than the ‘R’ but the ‘C’ had more low and mid range power which gave it more of a ‘dual sport’ feeling. The single carb motor was smooth and torquey, and the brakes were almost as good as my Daytona model. The T100c didn’t have a tach but you don’t really need one on this bike, when it stops making power…shift.
Simple.
Cycle magazine gave the T100C a good review saying it was equally good on tight bumpy trails and in sand. Tim did eventually strip it down, the bike went from 350 lbs down to a svelte 290 and became a much better ‘sled’ than his 650.
Today while cruising ebay I found a very nice, not perfect but very nice, T100C Trophy Scambler. The bike has 9407 miles on the clock (not too much really), has been upgraded with an electronic ignition, got some tyres and brakes and is a good runner. It really only needs a couple of things…the heat shields for the exhaust and a good cleaning. This is a super fun motorcycle and the seller is asking a very reasonable price.
If you want to treat yourself to a nice Christmas present, this is it. Make sure you check it with the wife first. Click on the pic’s below for more info and more pictures.
1968 Triumph T100C Trophy
1970 Triumph T100R Daytona 500
This is a motorbike that every Brit Bike lover NEEDS to own at one time in his or her life. The Triumph T100R Daytona, aka…the ‘Baby Bonneville’. The T100R is actually so much more than just a ‘Baby Bonnie’ trust me on this one.
Over the years I have owned a few Bonneville’s; 650′s and 750′s, but only one Daytona 500 and that is the one I miss the most. When I first got my little Daytona I took it straight over to the best Triumph mechanic I knew to get it running and running right…Jack Hately. Because the bike had sat outside for quite a while the carbs needed to be rebuilt, the electrics gone through, tires and brakes replaced.
The work on the T100R cost more than the bike. and I hadn’t even considered the repainting yet! One other thing Jack advised was getting a stock Triumph mufflers to replace the JC Whitney models that were on the bike. With complete faith in Mr. Hately I found a set of mufflers in my step dads pile of orphaned parts bikes and handed them over to Jack for the final tune up.
Two weeks and a lot of money later, I rode away from Jack’s shop with a huge grin on my face…and a very pissed off wife looking at the checkbook.
Calling the Daytona a ‘Baby Bonneville’ is almost an insult to the T100R. The Bonneville is a spectacular motorcycle no doubt but…the Daytona is lighter, quicker handling, more rev happy and was the first Triumph 500 to push past the ton. Top speed was right around 110mph…fantastic!
The Daytona was the bike that really could say to the Bonneville “anything you can do I can do better” and get away with it. But here was the problem in the USA… we always believe ‘bigger is better’, look at Triumph’s current Rocket 3. So, the T100R didn’t sell all that well here. Better than the Bonneville? No.
Different than the Bonneville, yes. More fun than the Bonneville, without a doubt!
I rode that Triumph Daytona everyday. It started easily, was light (around 350lbs), and would turn on a dime and give you nine cents change. At that time, for me, it was a truly perfect motorbike.
Sadly, about three years later, somebody decided that they liked the Daytona more than me and took it from my garage.
I found a nice little T100R Daytona this morning on ebay that would make a very easy winter project. A 1970 model with 22K miles on the clock and really only needs a few things to be perfect. Get the stock mufflers! The bike will run so much smoother and don’t forget the original style pill box air cleaners.
Give it a good paint job or don’t worry about the looks and just ride the wheels off it.
Click on the pics below for more info and more pictures.
1970 Triumph T100R Daytona
’72 Triumph T100R Custom
Something happened here. I saw an ad for a Triumph T100R, the Daytona model, which I have owned one of. The ad and the picture showed a nicely done bobber bike but…where’s the Daytona? This Triumph T100R has gone from a dual carburetor motor, drum brake and normally suspended motorcycle to a single carb, disc braked and plunger style frame custom.
It looks good.
- Kawasaki W650 and Triumph Bonneville – Road Test & Review – Motorcyclist Online
- 2005 Triumph Daytona 650
- Triumph Thruxton Cafe Racer Motorcycle – First Ride & Review – Motorcyclist…
- Triumph Motorcycle Turbo Kit
- Triumph Sprint ST Windscreens
