Ask Keith Martin what the best “old” Triumph is and he doesn’t equivocate: T140. That would be the “forgotten” Bonneville, made from 1973 until the company shut its doors in 1983.
Particulars: 744cc motor, five speed, unit construction, but with roots clear back to Edward Turner’s seminal 1938 500cc Speed Twin. Double-front-downtube frame with massive oil-carrying backbone/rear downtube. Known as OIF models for “oil-in-frame.” Not yet seen as classics compared to the 1959-71 Bonnevilles but gaining a strong following, if for no other reason than they are still affordable. Good early Bonnies have priced themselves out of everyday-rider status, with restored examples now going for $15,000-plus at auctions. Useable T140s can be had for well under $5K.
Martin knows Triumphs. He owns RPM Cycle (www.rpmcycletx.com) in Dallas, a new Triumph shop that also caters to the vintage Britbike crowd, a rare combination. He used to hang his hat at Jack Wilson’s Big D Triumph, the legendary dealership/speed emporium, sadly now defunct. Keith’s appreciation of T140s comes from hard-won experience. He’s successfully roadraced and land-speeded T140s as a rider and builder/tuner.
He also knows how to make T140s beautiful, as evidenced by my 1976 model, RPM’s most recent restoration. Actually, “restoration” is a misnomer. This is a hot-rodded café-custom T140 with virtually no component left untouched. Build-quality is, well…look at the photos.
