Britbike forum Forums British Motorcycle specific Brands Triumph bulletin board Dealer / importer special orders 1970

Hi. Does anyone here have any experience or knowledge of triumphs built to special order specifications for a specific dealer or importer?

I am under the impression models such as the t120tt and service bikes were built to order but I am interested in smaller runs of bikes or what triumphs policy might have been to filling smaller orders to specific agents and locations?

I don't need to hear again that if I think I know of something special it is probably a lash up or if it was sold that way new it was modified by the dealer. I am only interested in hearing from people who can actually answer the question I am asking.

Cheers.

Some that spring to mind which could be considered are the TT Specials with earlier frames, Police Bikes which were usually a small run at the end of of TR6/ T100s prod, French Army Cubs, Danish Army 3TAs. There is also the Bantam Cub 'tarbuk' made for the Iranian importer of the same name (actually tarabok I think). The British Army had some specially commissioned Cubs coded T20WD.

Weren't there also a batch of T150 "Trident" police specials sent to Arabia?

Yes, saw one on display at Autocycles of Bilston back in the early 80's after it was brought back, allegedly they were run with the choke always on and that plus the sand worn the bores out very quickly. It was a T160 cardinal in white if my memory is correct.

Good memory, K.
Yes-- a batch order of T160s was sent to Saudi Arabia for police use.
From memory they had a wind shield, radio equipment and a single seat.
They were painted white.
Due to poor/lack of servicing etc they were not a success in Saudi.
Some were never even started up.
A UK dealer bought the whole lot back to the UK and sold them as T160 Cardinals--keeping them white but removing the radio equipment.
I think some were fitted with replacement dual seats.
You saw them for sale quite often in the 80s and 90s in UK ads.

They were T160's. Les Williams imported a bunch of them from which he made the Slippery Sam and Legend bikes.

US dealer John Esler had a group of 500 twins made up special for the Jack Pine Enduro.
He was a personal friend of Rod Coates who were both on the AMA Competition
and Technical Committees.

There were others.

Jim , do you have a high pipe 70 T120?

Mr. Healy, I can't read the name "John Esler" without smiling.

He was a great dealer and a real character, and anyone who ever met him could never forget him.

Not personally but that is why I am asking. Do you know about them?