[Croak]

As many of you may know, if you stop anywhere, there's a good chance you'll be approached by somebody older than you wanting to talk about Triumphs.

Sometimes, it gets a little wierd:

 

[Shovelstrokeed]

Get it all the time.
"I had a (insert year) Bonneville, back in the day."

My normal response is "So did I. They are really different now though."

Can you imagine how well we could have gone back then with modern suspension, tires and brakes? Today's tires, even sport touring ones, are better than what passed for race rubber back in the 60's by orders of magnitude.

Not to mention, of course, that 40 HP defined a "big" bike back then. Now, the 125 HP of my Sprint feels mild. Used to have to wind out third all the way and then speed shift to fourth just to make ton up. Now a simple twist of the wrist from 80 in 6th, hold a couple of seconds and the ton is there, as is 1/2 again that.

The good old days were wonderful and, with the exception of stuffing myself into the weeds a few times, I wouldn't trade the experience for anything but, don't ask me to go back to mediocre brakes, rock hard tires, chains that wore out in 3K miles and lighting systems only a step above a large candle.

 

[Medic09]

I get stopped just as often for my Honda. Happened just yesterday.

Of course, it is a 30 year old 750Four SOHC.

 

[ukflyer]

Great pic! Love it... too true!

 

[iceman]

..... I appreciate the interest that people show in my bike

Most common line would be - 'so who makes them these days?'

Grant

 

[DaveM]

I get that a bit too Grant or "I didn't know they were still going?"

Triumph is such an old brand and has had such a rich history especially in racing that it is a marque many non motorcycle riders recognise also.

I am very happy that they are not the same as the older ones, especially the no brakes part!

DaveM

 

[iceman]

....... and the Lucas electrics

 

[P & L]

First off, great pic! Too funny. I kinda like it when people come up to me and wanna shoot the bull about triumphs. Espically when I'm just wearing a triumph t-shirt and not even on my bike. I'd have to say my favorite thing to do is to pull into Harley events and get them "Big Bad Harley Guys[" all worked up seeing a "crotch rocket" pullin into their event,and then they find out it's a triumph and then suddenly everythings allright. What cracks me up is half of those guys weren't even aware triumphs still around.

 

[Catenaccio]

An older gent (which is going some) came up to me when I was fueling my Speedy and said "Nice bike. I used to wrench on BMWs but got too old to hold the wrenches steady and retired." He was shaking and walked with a cane, but the fire was alive inside. I asked him if he still had any bikes, he said "Yes, two R90s and a 650 Bonnie." I then asked which he likes best "The Triumph." Nice guy. Made me think I'm going to miss bikes when I give them up.

 

[Ogre]

A few years back while at Americade, we noticed this old sign.

Wow, look at all that old stuff in there...................

We met the owner--now retired--named "Red" (If I remember correctly he was 88).

He was actually getting this bike ready to go for a ride with some friends that came into town for Americade week.

 

[Rizzo]

I have had people talk to me out of car windows going down the road!

Somebody says something to me almost ever day about my bike. I ride most days when it's over 50 degrees. With my two harleys I never had that happen.

In fact i bought the bike off a guy drove a 1/2 mile to get gas and by the time I left I had two people ask me about that bike.

85% of the time its the same lead off question......

"hey what year is that"

Second most popular statement,

thats a good looking bike

and if they are male and over 50 they often say, "I used to have one of those" with a sad longing in their tone of voice like a man talking about a first love who they never married.

 

[3Moons]

I have as many 18 to 40 year old guys oogle my ST. They get so excited when they hear (from me, and then the TOR pipes) that it's a triple.

My T100 draws guys from the 40+ age range, although I have sales people and mechanics in non-Triumph dealers ALWAYS asking, "Is that your ride?" Followed by "Handsome bike, man!"

This is a given and I've come to live with it.