My Triumph

[stan]

I picked up a triumph at a yard sale a long time ago. I don't know much about it maybe someone can give me some info. the motor number is TR5C H22927. It is a unit construction. It is in rough shape. a few things needed are a carb, distributor, needs pistons, forks are rusted bad. Is this worth the money to bring this triumph back to life? Thanks for any info. stan

[Shaky Jake]

Early 60's 500cc dirt bike. I think they called them 'Trophy' but I'm not sure about that. Somebody on britbike.com will know all about it.

Kevin

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[AFJ]

I picked up a triumph at a yard sale a long time ago. I don't know much about it maybe someone can give me some info. the motor number is TR5C H22927. It is a unit construction. It is in rough shape. a few things needed are a carb, distributor, needs pistons, forks are rusted bad. Is this worth the money to bring this triumph back to life? Thanks for any info. stan

By the motor # it is a 1961 TR5A/C Trophy. 490cc engine. This was the first year for the unit 500 off road Triumphs. The last of the 1961s was built on april 20, 1961 and was serial # H23103 so yours was probably built some time in early April/61.
Certainly worth re-building as parts are widely available for all the unit 500 Triumphs, which were made from 1957 to 1975.

AFJ

[fciron]

Worth restoring is a tricky question. If you want to sell it and recoup your expenses plus a living wage the answer is no.

If you just want your hobby of tinkering with old bikes to pay for itself or you think you want to own an old Triumph them the answer is yes. Maybe even "Hell, yes!"

It's a well known make from a period of which parts and information are readily available, so it's a great candidate for a project. Get a manual or three and see what's involved in a rebuild. Join a British or Triumph specific forum. Take lots of notes and pictures during disassembly and don't forget to share the pictures here.

Edit: I looked a little harder and i see that Stan is not new to this game. So you're looking for bike specific info, rather than my generalized info. Hope i haven't insulted anyone's intelligence.

[AFJ]

The Triumph 500 Trophy model from 1961 on to 1967 (when they were really "enduro" bikes and not "street scramblers") was a gerat woods bike in the hands of those who could really ride. Bill Baird was the US Enduro champ for 6 or 7 years in a row in that era and the 'little" Triumph got the nickname of the "Jack Pine" model after the famous Michigan off-road event.

I've had one of these bikes (a '67) for 34 years and while obsolete for the Enduros even in 1980, it is still a good trail bike or street legal "Dual Sport" as they call this sort of bike nowadays.

AFJ