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The 'magic' of the name lives on?

To: <triumphs@autox.team.net>, "6-Pack" <6pack@autox.team.net>
Subject: The 'magic' of the name lives on?
From: "John Macartney" <standardtriumph@btinternet.com>
Date: Tue, 4 Apr 2006 23:02:16 +0100
A propos of nothing in particular and more LBB (read bike rather than bus) 
than LBC related, I saw evidence today of how the Triumph motorcycle has 
evolved since passing into the hands of its current owners. I know this 
isn't a bike forum - but I hope I'm forgiven for using it as a comparison of 
product names - past, present and future.

This morning, I was minding my own business in town when several Triumph 
motorcycles drew up outside my favourite coffee shop. The guys in their 
leathers were, shall we say 'mature' men and it transpired they were all 
friends reliving an earlier youth. In point of fact, they'd all had 60th 
birthdays and as they'd met years before as owners of Triumph Tiger Cubs, 
they'd all agreed that the big 60th would see them buying a NEW Triumph 
bike. This past weekend had seen them reliving their youth as a foursome 
with machines newly delivered within the last 4 weeks.

Personally, I've always loved Triumph bikes - both pre and postwar, though 
I've never owned one and today was the first time I'd had the chance to see 
the latest versions of some of the current product range. The Rocket III 
Classic was a delight, as were two Bonnevilles and a Bonny T100. Superbly 
finished, unmistakably Triumph bikes and all making a very distinctive 
noise. I was enchanted and admired them for all of 20 minutes before leaving 
for home and lunch.

As I trudged down the road, I reflected that Siegfried Bettmann would have 
been proud to see the two wheeled product bearing his brand-name was in such 
good hands and still under totally British ownership and management. I just 
wish the same could be said for the four-wheeled variant because I'm pretty 
damned sure that if BMW ever does make a Triumph car, it'll probably look as 
unconvincing as a Triumph, as BMW's interpretation of what a Rolls Royce 
should look like. No doubt the (Bavarian) Royce is a technically impressive 
piece of transportation, but whenever I occasionally see one, I'm reminded 
of the many surviving concrete blockhouses that once formed part of the 
Atlantic Wall and can still be seen along the north coast of France. VW have 
IMHO done a better job with the Bentley but both these prestigeous makes 
have lost their visual pedigree. I guess the TR9 (or whatever it's one day 
called) might resemble a hammerhead shark - or worse. Ah, well ......

Apologies for BW

Jonmac 




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