The Triumph TR5 Trophy Motorcycle

Triumph TR5 TrophyThe Triumph TR5 Trophy Motorcycle was first manufactured by Triumph Engineering between the years of 1949 and 1958.  It was based on Triumph's Speed Twin design, but it had a number of modifications done to it to make it suitable for both off-road use and on standard paved streets.  It got its name from the three special motorcycles that Triumph built and entered in the International Six Day Trial held in Italy in 1948.  The specials won three medals, and Triumph took home the team trophy.  They then incorporated many of the features from those three specials into the TR5 Trophy.  In 1951, Triumph updated the bike with a 498 cc engine that used alloy heads and barrels.

However, while the TR5 did make use of some of the features of those bikes, the motorcycle itself actually has its roots in World War II.  During that time, Triumph had manufactured a number of motorcycles for the army, including the 3TW 350 twin that was built specifically for the military.  Its light frame was just one of the things incorporated into the TR5.

A modified version of the TR5 Trophy was one of the bikes owned by famous actor James Dean.  It was the last motorcycle he purchased.  Dean made some changes to his shell-blue TR5, of course, such as installing a 6T-style rider seat, some straight pipes, and a set of upright handlebars.  He switched the passenger around, too, so that the bike resembled the one ridden by Marlon Brandon in the movie The Wild One.  After Dean died, the bike was sold, but his cousin later tracked it down, bought it, and restored it.

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