Bonhams is about to auction what it claims is the last motorcycle built by Meriden Triumph.
The bike is a 1983 Triumph T140W TSS, capable of 120-125mph. The “W” is probably for “Weslake”. Weslake, after all, is the firm which helped developed the eight-valve cylinder head that made this T140-based 750cc motorcycle so significant.
At the time, the standard four-valve, iron barrel T140 and its offshoots were old and tired, and development funds for a ground-up replacement weren’t forthcoming.
This T140 has reworked one-piece forged crank, aluminium cylinder barrel, double disc front end, Morris cast wheels, Megura switchgear, electric starter and Bing carburettor
Of the bike’s provenence, Bonhams says: “There is a letter in the bike’s history file addressed to the seller from one Pat Davy, assistant to the librarian of The Vintage Moto (sic) Cycle Club Ltd. dated October 6, 2006 – the VMCC is the guardian of the factory ‘Build Book’. Quote: ‘Your Bonneville (032213) has the latest manufacture date (’21 JAN 83’) in the book so I reason it was the last produced.”
The bike was exported from the factory to the USA. It was one of around 400 of its type. The seller has owned it since 1998, and it will go under the hammer on Thursday, 23 January at the Bonhams Las Vegas Motorcycle Auction at Caesar’s Entertainment Studios, Las Vegas, with an estimate of $17,000 – $22,000 (£13,000 – £17,000).
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