50th ANNIVERSARY OF THE TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE
By the Triumph Owners' Motor Cycle Club

You are cordially invited to the fiftieth birthday party of the Triumph Bonneville to be held at the Motor Heritage centre, Gaydon in Warwickshire over the weekend of 22nd-23rd August 2009. We are getting the invitations out now so that as many of her friends and relations as possible can get there.

The lady in question would like to invite every branch of her family to help her celebrate so not only are you invited if you have a Bonneville but you are invited if you have a Cub, Tina, Thunderbird, Speed Twin, Tiger 90, Tiger 100, Trident and any other Triumph from the Coventry, Meriden, Newton Abbot or Hinckley factories. Furthermore the invitation is extended to ALL British motorcycles from ABC's to Zenith’s and everything (of all ages) in between. The party is intended to be a celebration of British Motorcycles at its best.

Because we want to show off the achievements of the last 50 years we are trying to get 50 Bonneville examples from each year of production and to this end a database of bikes will be prepared. This database will contain the information we need to display the bikes to best advantage quickly and easily. After the event the database will be destroyed – however one copy will be held in the clubs library as a record of the event. As a security measure none of the information gathered will be available to the general public.

It is proposed to give every bike that is on display a certificate confirming the bike was at the event, and where the records exist the date of manufacture and dispatch from the factory. It is hoped that the other one make clubs with copies of their factory records will make the records available for this.

Tickets will be on sale from January 1st 2008, with an early bird discount if bought in 2008, prices will increase on 1st January 2009 with another increase on the day. Camping will be available on site for the weekend starting Friday 21st. Booking in advance for camping is essential. The motor Heritage centre expects to have a hotel on site in time for the event and there are hotels and B&B’s locally.

More details will be forthcoming in the next few months and as we get our new website up and running we will be continuously posting updated news on the site www.bonnevillecelebration.org please use info@bonnevillecelebration.org for your first contact and this will allow your query to be dealt with quickly.

__________________
GrandPaulZ
Author of "Old Bikes"
Born Again Bikes
My Photos

UPDATED BY DAGAD:

The TOMCC Celebration website is now live. It will be updated as time progresses; currently you can register your bike for display and entry discount. Merchandise will come on line in June. Tickets will be available from early February. We have had a lot of interest from our friends in Europe and quite a good response from the United States; a couple of people have already tried to book the hotel for two years away!

We are delighted to announce that the Meriden Judges will be John R. Nelson, Hughie Hancox and Les Williams. A full programme of events is being planned and details will be released in good time.

The response from owners, collectors and other clubs has already been impressive and some of the bikes you will be able to see are these:-

The last Bonneville to leave the Meriden Factory, currently at the London Motorcycle Museum.

The last 650cc machine off the production line, currently owned by a TOMCC member.

Bonneville number 38 currently just restored and enjoying retirement in Italy – but coming over for the party. This is the earliest Bonneville that is still in working order (unless you know different).

The complete collection of Graham Bowen, (Multiple National Concourse Winner) one from each year 63 – 71.

The first of the 1965 Thruxton Bonneville Series – currently in pieces undergoing restoration – this restorer normally schedules five years each bike but has promised it will be complete.

Further details will be released in the near future, but you can keep up to speed via the web site, www.bonnevillecelebration.org or use info@bonnevillecelebration.org if you wish to contact us.

__________________
GrandPaulZ
Author of "Old Bikes"
Born Again Bikes
My Photos

Bonneville number 38 currently just restored and enjoying retirement in Italy – but coming over for the party. This is the earliest Bonneville that is still in working order (unless you know different).

Am I to understand that this is the 38 bonneville to be built? Or what?
Some time back there was a post where number 2 had been ridden is this one still around ROY. I have attached part of your previous post dated 05/22/06 #12

DAGAD
Senior Member
Formula Extreme Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: DERBY, ENGLAND
Posts: 842

Hi guys, here's a little taster........The first production T120 Bonneville built was Engine/ Frame No. T120 020377 built 5th September 1958 as a 1959 model. Don't know wether it is still in existance but I have ridden T120 020378, the second one which used to belong to a friend of mine.
Bushybester, give me time and I will get you some answers.