Triumph Trident T160 750

Great bike, should never have sold her, I miss her still, heavy and not particularly well engineered but a nice ride. Bought from new electric start never worked, leaked oil in true British fashion from a poor rocker cover casting, fixed with epoxy. They are asking the usual silly prices so won't get another which is a shame.

I bought my Trident in December of 1975 with 300 miles on it. It has 38,000 on it now and has had two rebuilds.

These bikes have wonderful engine characteristics, decent handling, can cruise very comfortably at 65 mph or better, are really fun to ride but even with the help of the best mechanic, are a handful to properly maintain.

Most of these bikes came out of the factory with poor build quality resulting in full engine rebuilds within the first 20,000 miles. Working on one is not for the feint of heart. I bring mine to Raber's in San Jose who has the expertise to wok on one. Even though I own other British bikes I will not tackle major work on a Trident. 5 cases, all of which have to be matched up perfectly, super complicated clutch and a lot more complexity than any other British bike of the era. You need to know a competent mechanic that knows these bikes to own one if you are going to ride it.

Having said that, when they are running right they are more fun to ride than any other British bike I have owned including my Norton Commando's, Triumph Bonneville's, Triumph Daytona's and a Matchless. Also, the T160's with the large European touring tank are beautiful to look at.

The Brits could have done better sorting out the reliability of the Trident. It was a last ditch effort to compete in the market that was half finished when released and was never given the resources needed to make it reliable and maintenance free. But there is nothing like the sound of a Trident.

The people who buy Triumph Trident T160's are attracted to them because of the way they look, sound and smell and the way they feel when ridden. Also because they are relatively rare, they tend to get noticed more than modern bikes.The T160 was the final form of the Trident as produced by the old factory and although slightly slower and heavier than its predecessors, it was steadier in a fast corner due to its improved frame, finally had an electric starter fitted and was arguably the best looking Trident.A properly maintained example will reliably take you 500 miles or more in a day with no more discomfort than any other 1970's machine and will easily hold its own in high speed highway conditions.One of the better examples of a 1970's classic from a famous factory which is very usable, inexpensive to run and which continues to hold its value.

Fairly fast for an old British bike, keeps up with modern traffic OK, Handles not too bad, fairly low seat height, smoother running compared with the twins. Good for long runs (apart from the seat)Loads of special parts available for to upgrade engine, brakes etc, active owners club, cheap insurance.

Typical British engineering, underdeveloped, all made 1/2 cocked, I mean 3 crankcases! 2 chaincases, 2 gear box covers, as well as several other covers. A UJP 4 cylinder engine is simple compared to one off these. But even with all its failings I am keeping mine.