Post Listing Update: This Triumph got no interest at the opening ask of $25,000.
Triumph introduced the 5T Speed Twin in 1938, and it immediately set the standard for other English manufacturers when it came to parallel twins. It was one of Edward Turner’s most notable designs, and it had a long production life – it sold until 1966 with several revisions, though there was a gap in production from ’40-’47 due to WWII.
The Speed Twin was the first civilian bike that came out of Triumph’s Meriden factory. The 498cc air cooled twin produced 28 horsepower, good for a top speed of 90 miles per hour. This bike is quite a legend as many consider it responsible for the survival of Triumph when it was introduced, and it inspired many similar bikes from British competitors. The Speed Twin obviously yielded more power than the more common singles of the time, but it also weighed less.
This example (VIN: 9 3H 24011) was “painstakingly restored to her original glory”, though the frame and some other parts have been powdercoated. After restoration it was started and tested on the road, then drained and “returned to the collection to hang with her friends.” These are the friends, as the seller seems to have an impressive collection of classic Triumphs and there’s even a book about him.
Find this Speed Twin for sale in Hanson, Massachusetts with an unmet opening bid of $25,000