Triumph TRW

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Triumph had plans for a military twin during the Second World War but one of our current EU partners had a different idea (namely the Coventry Blitz) which, among its many victims, included the Triumph motorcycle factory.

Even after this pasting, Triumph did succeed in building a prototype 5TW model which used the crankshaft, rods and flywheels from the pre-war 5T Twin, matched to a twin-cylinder side-valve top end. The rest of the machine was stock Triumph rigid apart from a new-for-Triumph telescopic front fork.

Only the one prototype was built but following a request from the military, the design was revived post-war as the basis for the new TRW, and eventually a modified design which used many components from the civilian machines went into production. This proved to be just what the military were looking for, to the extent that they were still being built as late as 1964 for military duty around the world.

Stable, dependable and mild mannered, the TRW quickly won favour with the Royal Corps of Signals display team, whose highly trained riders used it to great effect at shows and tattoos doing a variety of stunts, jumps, and formation displays.

Little is known of the TRW offered here, but there is an empty envelope in the file marked ‘R.C. of Signals display bike’, suggesting that it may have seen use in that capacity. The stripped down nature of the machine, without lighting and bearing a pad on the front of the mudguard for head standing passengers, also adds credence to this claim and will doubtless merit further investigation. At any event, this is an excellent base machine from which to create a nice trials or green lane bike that the new owner may even be able to ride standing on their head!

There are no registration documents with this lot but a dating certificate from the Triumph Owners’ Club and the relevant DVLA forms should enable a new V5C to be obtained without too much difficulty.