TRIUMPH

TRIUMPH: THE STORY OF THE LEGENDARY MOTORCYCLE 
By Mike Armitage. 

Motorcycle journalistic and magazine editor, Mike Armitage, celebrates Triumph's 140 year anniversary with look back at the company's history. 

The Triumph Cycle Company was founded back in 1885, but it wouldn't be until 1905 that the first Triumph Motor Bicycle would be manufactured. The company originally started out selling sewing machines and bicycles after it was originally founded in England by a German salesman, Siegfried Bettman.

Through the power of advertising, using the 'Trusty Triumph' brand name quickly grew following early successes in the Isle of Man TT races and then supplying the British Army during the first world war.
Post war, manufacturing numbers went through the roof. Now with a huge factory at Coventry and employing more than 3000 people, Triumph were selling tens of thousands of bikes every year.
It would be the arrival of a new model in the late 1930's that would create an icon. 
The Triumph 5T Speed Twin could exceed 100mph, but with another world war beginning  military motorbikes again became the focus and over 10,000 were made despite the Coventry factory been destroyed by the Luftwaffe. 

Conscious of not revealing the whole book and story here, it is fair to say that the Triumph name is indeed legendary. It would become a movie star following unforgettable scenes in 'The Great Escape' with Steve Mcqueen, as well as being Marlon Brando's ride in 'The Wild One' and much later in 007 Daniel Craig's final outing.
Alongside Hollywood, it would continue to have success on the racing circuits around the globe and again at the TT.
In 2023 it would even enter the Guinness Book Of Records too. These incredible achievements confirm that Triumph's legendary name continues to live on and now with this new and highly readable book, both motorbike fans and history readers can enjoy Triumph's triumphs even more.

The hardback edition will be published this week by Michael O'Mara Books. I thank them for this review copy.


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