This is a debate that's been aired in the classic mags since time immemorial...'what makes a classic'? I can recall reading such debates in 1970's Motorcycle Sport magazine. I can quite understand your point....the Meriden Triumphs have all that can be required to achieve classic status.....but, personally, I wouldn't exclude the Hinckley bikes. I guess all that's needed is for prices to reach the bottom of their curve then start to rise as riders hanker for their old bikes again. As one who was amongst the last to flog his T140v and buy a jap bike in the eighties I also remember being downright relieved to ride a bike that would probably get me where I was going without grief or shedding tail lights. I put more miles on my Coburn and Hughes Xs 650 in a year than I'd ever dared to attempt on any of my Triumphs or BSA's. I can look back with nostalgia, but not with regret( well, maybe I can regret flogging my 350 Velo for £17). But I for one don't want to be paying " classic" prices for my Hinckley Triumphs.
No mate just as well I'm good with an angle grinder too It's all about practice my welding starts to look ok just about the time I've finished ffs
I think both Meriden and Hinkley have a charm of their own, My old T120 & T140 where good bikes after I had intervened and replaced the Crap Lucas wiring and made certain mods, until then it was a case of IF I got there not WHEN. The newer ones are more reliable but can still be improved to give you a better quality machine. To own a classic now costs a small fortune as prices are becoming silly and some are held as pure investments and are not used as they where meant to be but as an investment they would not be would they.
Go to their website they do a rolls Royce thing too. I thought it was a Chinese company, but it’s actually Japanese
Going back on track in my opinion NO the modern day Triumphs made at Hinkley are not classics. Yes they are better all round bikes (reliability,brakes etc) they have to be for safety and emissions. I was going to add build quality to the above list but of late no,no,no
Hmm, I think that depends on the bike. I don't think that any of the "retro" bikes will ever be a classic as they are simply aping the originals. However, I do think the T595 should become a future classic as it was the first "modern" sports bike Triumph had built and also the first with fuel injection so a significant bike for Triumph.
Generally what also makes classics are memorable times with that said vehicle transferred down the lines. I have memories of my dads bsa, other younger people will have memories of parents or older friends on Hinckley stuff and so on....
It is a funny one this. Triumph along with many old brands (and not only British ones) created some great bikes in the past and in todays market are considered as classics. Who knows in 50 or 60 years time if any of the modern bikes built in the past few years will be considered as classics. If I was a betting man I would suggest there will be some included in that category.......
