Ending soon on Iconic is a beautiful (and street-legal) tribute to the bike that Gene Romero raced at Daytona.
In 1963, a development engineer at Triumph named Doug Hele suggested that the British firm build a flagship motor which would utilize three cylinders, but it took until 1968 and the looming 750cc Honda inline four before US riders got to ride the Trident (as well as the BSA twin, the Rocket 3). As noted in this Motorcycle Classics story, the press loved the performance and how distinctive it was. Cycle World said “The Triumph Trident is a prestige motorcycle. An awesome number of people will find that third cylinder irresistible. It will mark its owner as surely as if he were to drive a 427ci hot pink Corvette Sting Ray among the swarming minicars of Triumph’s homeland. Single and twin cylinder bikes are commonplace; even Fours are offered by more than one manufacturer. But there is only one Three.”
The performance was indeed ample, the 741cc air cooled four stroke transverse mounted inline three cylinder motor made 58 horsepower pushing you towards a top speed of around 120. But there were some ownership quirks and the US did not respond well to the ray gun exhaust and boxy styling – both of which were phased out within a couple of years so that Americans could enjoy styling more reminiscent of the Bonneville. For more about the Trident, check out this buyers guide on the T150 generation here on Sump Publishing.
This example (VIN: NE00210T150T) is offered by a friend who used to be the Road Race Director for AHRMA. He’s had the bike for 13 years and only covered 10 miles with it in that time. Selfishly, I love seeing bikes like this on the auction site because
1: it’s awesome and the kind of thing I would normally feature on Bike-urious anyway.
2. I think Iconic sometimes gets pigeonholed as a “sportbike” auction site, and I like people seeing that we do much more than that!
Per the seller, “It has a new battery and oil change. This bike was built as a Gene Romero Daytona replica racer, but made street legal. It has the ultra rare former Triumph Race Team Manger Danny Macias supplied frame (very similar to the Rob North and later Miles engineering frames) but were fabricated with chrome moly tubing and were claimed to be 14lbs lighter. I have never had the engine apart and did not receive any information when I purchased the bike. I have built and raced several Triumph Triples over the years and looking at the piston through the spark plug hole it appears to have stock compression pistons. It is a 1969 engine so it has a four speed gear box but does have the updated electronic ignition. Tickle the outside carbs and it starts first or second kick every time.”
Thankfully, he includes a video so you can hear it for yourself:
It’s got the modifications you’d expect (Works Performance shocks, aftermarket steering damper, fiberglass tank, steel braided brake lines, etc) and it’s been signed by both Danny Macias and Gene Romero.
Find this Triumph for sale in Thornville, Ohio with bidding up to $12,433 and the reserve already met here on Iconic Motorbike Auctions.
Disclosure: Bike-urious is a partner in Iconic Motorbikes.