Triumph Thunderbird motorcycles have been around in one form or another for 60 years. Of course, they were not produced in all of those years, but the model was a huge part of Triumph’s history and will continue well into its future.
When the Thunderbird motorcycle was first conceptualized, managing director and lead designer Edward Turner’s design goal was to produce a larger displacement motorcycle to conquer the American market. He succeeded beyond his own aspirations. The first of many Thunderbird motorcycles appeared in 1949; it was the Thunderbird 6T. With it, after 1950, more Triumphs were sold in the United States than in any other nation in which the marque had dealers. Thunderbird motorcycles are considered to be the product which made Triumph a household name in America.
From 1949 through to 1966, Triumph Thunderbird motorcycles were built with a 649cc. twin engine, right through the three major updates made to the bike during this time. Many owners took these early Thunderbirds and turned them into long-distance machines in order to tackle the vast countryside of North America and Europe. As they were built to be comfortable and stable, this fit the Thunderbird motorcycles’ purpose very well. The only exception to the original design concept came in the waning years of Triumph’s first ownership; it was called the Thunderbird TR65 and it was simply a more economical version of the T-140 Bonneville. This model only lasted 3 years and soon after, Triumph closed its Meriden factory for good.
In 1994, Thunderbird motorcycles made a comeback in the form of the Triumph Thunderbird 900. It was powered by an 885c.c. triple which produced 69hp and 52ft/lb of torque. This time, the Hinckley plant got it very right. This bike was made to ride anywhere - the accessories catalog was much larger for this model and many buyers added generously to their T-birds. Just as the first Thunderbird motorcycles were made for consuming the miles, the Thunderbird 900 was often configured as a touring machine.
However, Triumph also knew that any motorcycle - no matter its intended purpose - could use more power. The Triumph Thunderbird Sport 900 was more powerful, at 82hp, and had upgraded suspension, brakes, wheels, and more but it retained the classical styling of the model. The last 885c.c. Thunderbird motorcycles were assembled in 2004.
US $3,999.00
