Triumph Speed Twin

The Triumph Speed Twin set the benchmark for most of the British bike industry for the coming 40 years when it was unveiled in 1937. Although not revolutionary, it was just better than most of the competition and no self-respecting manufacturer post-war could do without a 500cc parallel twin in their range.

This lovely 1954 example was purchased by the vendor in 1987 as a restoration project. A friend of well known restorer Hughie Hancox, he had asked if Hancox could keep an eye out for a suitable project. Shortly after, this came up, a complete matching numbers machine needing restoration.

Hancox set about restoring the engine and also guided the vendor towards his regular specialists to complete the task. However the restoration soon stalled, to be kicked off once more in 2006 when the project was passed to Tony Healey in Coventry for completion. Other than a NOS front mudguard, the bike remains original and once completed has been used very sparingly, having covered barely 900 miles since completion. It has been kept in a motorcycle Carcoon (which is included in the sale), the vendor confirming that it always starts easily and runs beautifully.

Complete with buff log book and six old MOTs, it is tested until August 2013 and comes with an instruction book, Roy Bacon's book on the restoration of Triumph Twins and a Haynes manual.