Triumph Speed Triple/Triumph dummy here.

[chirules]

http://www.ianchadwick.com/motorcycl...mph/index.html

Check out the website above,
great site on Triumph history.

[dml955i]

From what I understand, by the '02 model year, Triumph finally worked (most of) the bugs out of the fuel injection system and electrics.

Also, I heard that starting in the '02 model year, the engine cases were cast using a slightly different method to reduce opportunity for fluid leaks... I could be wrong though...

[OldSwede]

Triumph cycle company was founded in Coventry, England in 1885 and began making motorcycles in 1902. The firm faced hard times in the 30´s, was bombed out 1940, went bankrupt in 1983 and recently burnt down. But it´s up and going again, as always.
In his book "Triumph the legend" Mac McDiarmid writes that the first Speed Triple was made in 1994. The chassies was completely different compared to the Daytona stuff used today. The frame was a big bent iron tube going from the swing to the steering head and the 885 cc engine a substantial piece of machinery. The whole thing had a considerable weight. About 20% more than the present.
The price of the 2005 S3 is about 3,75% more than the 04 here in Europe and a flyscreen is no longer included.

[OldSwede]

Triumph cycle company was founded in Coventry, England in 1885 and began making motorcycles in 1902. The firm faced hard times in the 30´s, was bombed out 1940, went bankrupt in 1983 and recently burnt down. But it´s up and going again, as always.
In his book "Triumph the legend" Mac McDiarmid writes that the first Speed Triple was made in 1994. The chassies was completely different compared to the Daytona stuff used today. The frame was a big bent iron tube going from the swing to the steering head and the 885 cc engine a substantial piece of machinery. The whole thing had a considerable weight. About 20% more than the present.
The price of the 2005 S3 is about 3,75% more than the 04 here in Europe and a flyscreen is no longer included.

[chirules]

When Triumph went bankrupted in the early 80's, it was almost sold to Royal Enflield India. Imagine that.

[TBSstunta]

Usually people refer to the vintage bikes as Coventry, Meridian or Hinkley Triumphs, those names are from the location of the factories. A big distinction is that the 94 - 96 S3s had carbs, while the 97 & 98, despite keeping the same displacement, were fuel injected.

T309 - 94-96
T509 - 97 & 98
T595 - 99 & 00
T955 - 01-04

Stylistically I like the 97-00 Speed Triples, while mechanically the 03-04 are the best.

[ This message was edited by: TBSstunta on 2004-09-27 22:11 ]

[OldSwede]

For those interested in Triumph’s history I can recommend an article in the British magazine Classic Bike, March 2001. It’s an interview with Les Harris, the man who built Triumphs while John B. was restructuring the firm. Harris made 1386 Bonneville’s on licence between 1983 and 1988.
Harris was one of the bidders for Triumph after the bankruptcy in 1983. The others were Harley Davidson, “a group from India” (Royal E?) and Mr. Bloor. The County Enterprise Board favoured Bloor because he said he was going to keep Triumph in the Midlands.
Harris opinion about John Bloor: “What he’s done make us look like a drop in the ocean”