1967 triumph tr6c tr6c

With origins dating back to 1902, Triumph established a long and proud tradition of building powerful and rapid motorcycles. The Triumph brand received considerable publicity in the United States when Marlon Brando rode a 1950 Thunderbird 6T in the 1953 motion picture ‘The Wild One’.

The Triumph TR6C was produced by the old Meriden works for about a decade from the mid-1960s and used in long-distance desert races, particularly in the US and Europe. It rekindles teenage memories of similar-styled dirt bikes that Steve McQueen rode in Bruce Brown’s 1971 documentary ‘On Any Sunday’.

You might remember the do-it-all TR6C as the bike Steve McQueen’s character jumped over a barbed-wire fence in the film ‘The Great Escape’. McQueen and the rider who actually did that stunt, Bud Ekins, have since passed away, but the TR6C legend lives on. The only thing missing from this one is a number 278 race plate, which was the tag allotted to McQueen when he raced a TR6SC in the 1964 International Six-Day Trials in East Germany.

The genesis of the model came with the introduction of the 650cc Thunderbird in 1950. The Triumph 650cc motor, designed in 1939, held the world's absolute speed record for motorcycles from 1955 until 1970. The UK home model was named the TR6 whereas the early US export models were named TR6C for the competition model and TR6R for the road model.

For 1967 the TR6 received some engine changes. Compression was raised to 9:1 and Bonneville exhaust valve and camshaft were adopted, resulting in a 5 bhp increase.

The Trophy motor is in effect a single-carburetor T120 Bonneville, whose specification in all other respects it closely followed. More tractable than the Bonnie and more economical too, the Trophy gave little away in terms of outright performance, its standing quarter-mile time and top speed being within a whisker of its twin-carb sibling’s.

By the end of the 1960s the 650 Triumphs had arrived at what most enthusiasts agree is the models’ ultimate incarnation and today these late, pre-‘oil-in-frame’ 650s are becoming increasingly sought after by collectors worldwide.

This 1967 TR6c was acquired from Jon Munn at Classic Style, Seaford, Vic, almost 10 years ago with just 13,500 miles on the odometer. Jon, a previous UK motorcycle drag racing champion, had this as his personal bike having bought it from a friend in Los Angeles 8 years earlier with 11,500 miles on the clock.

This is a matching numbers bike (frame and engine) and is in very good original and unrestored condition other than the tank having been re-sprayed and new mufflers fitted from Armours UK. Since being registered in NSW, the following mechanical work has been completed by Jim Eade at Ashfield or Steve Cutting of Motorcycle Weaponry at Mona Vale to keep the bike in top roadworthy condition. Receipts for $5,700 are available including:

• New front fork legs, springs, seals and gaiters.
• New rear shock absorbers
• New oil pump
• New inlet valves and top end kit
• New barrel studs and nuts
• New primary chain and guide
• New clutch
• Rebuilt Amal carburetor
• New ignition coil

As a concession to modernity, a cruise control throttle lock has been fitted. For the purist, this can be readily removed as can the digital speedometer which is also mounted on the handlebars. All other mechanical work has faithfully followed the original factory specifications.

This is a wonderful bike to ride and a source of great attention wherever you are. It has only been shown once at the 2009 Natureland MCC Classic Rally (Kempsey) where it was awarded a ‘Highly Commended’ in the 1960-69 class.

Sadly, since a serious surfing accident earlier this year I am unable to ride it anymore and regretfully offer it for sale. For the Triumph enthusiast, this offers an opportunity to own, ride and show not just a classic of the unit-construction Meriden twins but arguably the prettiest bike that Triumph ever produced.

Frank Milner. Mobile: 0409 586 533