Triumph: Prototype 1901 ready to go for the anniversary
COMEBACK Just in time for the brand's 120th anniversary next year, the first Triumph ever built, the 1901 prototype, has been faithfully restored. The motorcycle was discovered only a few months ago.
Rumors about the existence of the first prototype had been around for quite some time, as the motorcycle was already referred to in advertisements and contemporary reports dating back to 1901.
For the construction, a normal Triumph bicycle from that time was supplemented with an engine coming from the Belgian manufacturer Minerva. The aim was to arouse public interest and test the demand for a motorcycle from the bicycle manufacturer of the time.
Unique details of the motorcycle
Leading Triumph collector Dick Shepherd discovered the bike from a collector friend who recently passed away. The fact that the bike had unique details not found on Triumph's first production motorcycles caught his attention.
Together with the machine, the collector had also received a letter from Triumph from 1937, which described the origin of the motorcycle and contained important details. With an engine number matching the information in the Minerva engine records for a first Triumph of 1901, the historical significance of the motorcycle was actuated.
Hinckley exit after 100 years
The 1901 prototype will be on display for the first time from today at the British Motorcycle Live trade show until December 12. It is planned that the motorcycle will then be ridden for the first time in over 100 years at the Visitor Center at the company's headquarters in Hinckley on December 14, 2021. Subsequently, the ancestor of all Triumph motorcycles will become part of the exhibition celebrating the 120th anniversary of the brand.
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