Featured Thruxton Ton Up Thruxton

Discussion in 'Thruxton, Scrambler & Trident' started by Iceman, Nov 11, 2021.

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  1. Iceman

    Iceman Crème de la Crème

    Apr 19, 2020
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    Hi to all ageing Rockers (well me at least). Triumph are producing a "Ton up Special" based on the Thruxton RS with a 1960s theme, it is named after the "Ton up Boys" who raced (sorry officer rode) modified bikes back in the sixties from café to café. The bike will be available for 1 year only and retails at £14,050, it looks cool to say the least, black spoked wheels and blue/white/black paint among other mods. It is ironic that those of us back in the sixties who modified our bikes were often demonised, especially by the press, the only places we were welcomed at were the cafe's, if you turned up at a local gig wearing your leather jacket and kit you were told "we don't let your sort in", often venues had a notice saying "no leather jackets allowed", how attitudes have changed, it's great to now see Triumph actually recognising the contribution to the biking scene we made in the 60s, we had the freedom to modify our bikes with what we liked and when we liked (or finances dictated). I often look back on those days very very fondly (not rose tinted specs either) but a truly great era, especially for us bikers, I am a Rocker through and through and true to by biking past, I still carry on modifying my bikes today, although not to the extent I did back in the day, but I still have that "Rocker" spirit within me, anyway good to see a dedicated "Ton up Special". Ride safe all
     
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  2. timboo

    timboo Senior Member

    Oct 17, 2021
    271
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    Cambridgeshire
    As soon as I saw the gold line edition in other models of Triumph I eagerly awaiting the Thruxton incarnation. It’s a really nice blend of colours since its release several days ago.
    I can’t relate to the days you talk about however I’d love to have witnessed some of what you talk about sounds amazing.
    What does life have in store for motorbikes in the next 10 years or so?Triumph may have hit a sweet spot and some of their current bikes may well turn out to be collectables in the future such as the one you mention.
     
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  3. Mark9

    Mark9 Noble Member

    Jul 13, 2020
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    It’s all down to personal taste I know but it looks a bit of a hotch potch to me, white, red, blue, gold, not a beauty to my eyes. 29061D55-BCE0-4571-97FE-B73A990FC0F2.png
     
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  4. learningtofly

    learningtofly He’s not the Messiah, he’s a very naughty boy!
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    Sep 25, 2018
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    Yes, I love the inspiration behind it... the execution, not so much.
     
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  5. Iceman

    Iceman Crème de la Crème

    Apr 19, 2020
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    That's exactly what we did with our bikes in the sixties (not exactly a hotch potch), but an individual expression of what we liked in different machines and incorporated those into one machine, such as the Triton, Tribsa, Tricati, Norbsa, Trifield and so many more, back in the day you could buy a running but neglected machine for £5, sometimes a lot less, take parts off it and modify them onto your own machine, often you could have a different tank colour to the mudguards, most of us didn't think twice about what we created (as rockers we were only interested in riding our bikes as fast as we could and as often as possible, we respected our girlfriends who rode with us and we partied hard). I guess it is difficult for some to see beyond a first glimpse of the "Ton Up Special", however for those of us that experienced those fantastic times we can relate right away with the "Ton Up Special" and appreciate what Triumph have created. I would like to think this machine will appeal to some of our younger riders who would like to experience "the spirit of the sixties" albeit riding a modern machine in modern times. For me I just love anything with an engine, I love the resurgence in the customising scene we are seeing, ironically many countries are seeing a huge and growing "Rocker scene of the Sixties", Especially Japan, and how ironic is that. Could I personally see this machine in my garage, hell yes as I can appreciate the history behind the machine. Ride safe all
     
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  6. Mark9

    Mark9 Noble Member

    Jul 13, 2020
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    Yes, as I said, it just that it looks that way personally to me, I’m all for changing bikes around to personalise them, here’s a couple of my current machines, all altered to varying degrees, DD38E64F-4500-4338-8BD7-37162B9F9003.jpeg 6387864D-E8DA-4556-B2FD-355573AC6853.jpeg including my Thruxton that’s just had a couple of subtle changes.
    65C88B98-A8BA-4E40-9E54-860DAFCC3205.jpeg 5565E969-F333-40A7-8DDC-B4801C819A39.jpeg
     
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  7. Iceman

    Iceman Crème de la Crème

    Apr 19, 2020
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  8. xorbe

    xorbe Noble Member

    Jan 27, 2021
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    £14,050 is US$18,850 ... will the Thruxton Ton Up sell at that price point? I was already struggling to convince myself to place an order for a '22 Speed Twin, as otd is about msrp + 20% including all taxes, registration, and a healthy variety of dealer fees. The Ton Up price far exceeds a Speed Twin!
     
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  9. Iceman

    Iceman Crème de la Crème

    Apr 19, 2020
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    Hi xorbe, I agree some Triumph models are far to expensive and there are better machines out there for the money that Triumph are asking, take the Speed Triple 1200rr for example. However for me personally what really enthused me was that Triumph have recognised the 60s Rocker era and what we were about and achieved, we were rebelling against the norm, we loved the excitement and freedom our bikes gave us, we felt alive and lived and breathed bikes, or girlfriends who rode with us had the same level of excitement we felt and got the whole thing. Having owned over 80 motorcycles of all makes and models, a while back another forum member asked what was my favourite machine from that era, it was a BSA DBD34 GS, the thing was fantastic to look at and hear, however it was problematic to start, a lot of clutch slipping in the villages, however there was very little traffic about back then. I usually buy a new bike every 12 months, currently I just keep to one machine as I slowly sold off the bulk of what I had, a few forum members bought some of my bikes, my Triumph dealer bought a couple off me for a very good price, I swapped a 1956 T100 in show condition I had restored for a new STRS, the dealer kept it in his showroom as a talking point, he did sell it recently though to a young rider who said he loved the classic scene. Anyway enough nostalgia, the "Ton Up Special" would for me be used for the occasional ride outs with those of us of that certain age, it would break my commitment to one bike at a time though. I think Triumph recognise the "Ton Up Special" will only sell in limited numbers, hence the production run of 1 year only. Ride safe all.
     
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  10. andyc1

    andyc1 Lunarville 7, Airlock 3

    Feb 4, 2017
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    I'd love another Thruxton. Had the R when it came out, brilliant machine, I loved it! Based on their track record, this could well be triumphs usual special editions before a new model comes out. I just wish they would put bloody tubeless rims on it :mad:
     
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  11. Mark9

    Mark9 Noble Member

    Jul 13, 2020
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  12. Iceman

    Iceman Crème de la Crème

    Apr 19, 2020
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    I am seriously thinking of purchasing a set of Kineo wheels for my STRS, they are expensive but gosh they do look good, have a look at bikehps for the different specs.
    https://www.bikehps.com/kineo/
     
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  13. Charles P Vanacore

    Charles P Vanacore New Member

    Jul 4, 2021
    14
    3
    New Jersey USA
    agreed on the color combination ..gloss black and gold pin striping would have been amazing. but then again i've always been partial to the john players paint scheme from formula one in the 70's.along with the fact that they use stick on decals on the tank badging is annoying the hell out of me on all their recent bikes.. cap's key broken ...sorry .....
     
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  14. Charles P Vanacore

    Charles P Vanacore New Member

    Jul 4, 2021
    14
    3
    New Jersey USA
    not so much ....your too kind.....
     
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  15. beerkat

    beerkat Senior Member

    Aug 14, 2019
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    I agree, black and gold always look classy together. Although when I picture a black and gold bike my thoughts usually go to Norton, not Triumph. However that shouldn't stop Triumph from using it.
    I also agree about the tacky stick-on decals. My black Street Twin has got a cheap-looking 'Triumph' sticker on the tank, in white. I often look at it and think how gold would look so much better. I don't know how difficult it would be for a professional to alter it, without respraying the whole tank.
    But that Thruxton in black and gold would be the bees knees.
     
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  16. beerkat

    beerkat Senior Member

    Aug 14, 2019
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    Just had another look at the pic of the Thruxton. Black with gold is just so bloody obvious, especially with the anodised forks and shock remote. What the hell is the matter with their design team?!!!
     
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  17. Iceman

    Iceman Crème de la Crème

    Apr 19, 2020
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    Ah that colour scheme was not unique though, with major sponsor John Player & Sons, the Norton Rotary achieved significant racing success with riders Steve Spray, Robert Dunlop, and Ron Haslam, together with stand-in riders Andy McGladdery and Terry Rymer. However for me the greatest ride of all time on the Rotary Norton is that of Steve Hislop at the IOM in June 1992. The Mountain Course on the Isle of Man has been the setting for some amazing contests but few, if any, can have been better than the 1992 Senior TT in which Steve Hislop powered the “white-charger” Norton to victory in an epic contest with Carl Fogarty decided at lap and race record speeds. There are a fair few forum members, myself included who were there to witness this great event, I had the privilege of a press pass (you had to have a pass in those days to enter the pit area, security on the gate checked your pass, a friend got me the pass as I was a bit of an amateur road race photographer) it is not so these days and one can gain access to the whole area. Anyway Steve Hislop, the proud Scot, ruled supreme at the end of a captivating, record breaking event over the torturous six laps as he took the victory, despite running on a shoe-string budget and racing with the backing of a long time supporter who found sponsorship through Abus locks.

    The man from Hawick Scotland, who made his home on the Island was a real sporting all-rounder, winning the short circuit British 250cc crown and then twice the Superbike Championship as well as recording 11 victories at the TT. The “flying haggis” as he was nicknamed was described by some as a “flawed genius,” when everything clicked into place he was one of the fastest, if not the fastest, of his era to ride a motorcycle.

    Anyone doubting that, then think on this. He was the first rider to clock a 120mph average speed lap at the TT and a decade on from his remarkable “white-charger” winning ride he confounded the sport by shattering the outright lap record at Donnington Park running with a time of 1m 31.45s aboard a BSB specification Ducati, better than the times recorded by the MotoGP elite.

    This was Hislop, the man who in 1992 had finished second to Phillip McCallen in the opener to the festival, the TTF1 race. The Ulsterman was back for more as were Joey and Robert Dunlop and Fogarty riding the Loctite Yamaha. The opening lap was a scorcher with Hislop leading by a little over a second from Fogarty while Robert Dunlop on a Norton was only a further couple of seconds, all three averaging over 121mph.

    Hislop doubled his lead going into the first round of pit-stops but Fogarty was full of fight – he wanted the victory and it showed as he reeled in the Flying Scot to take a one second lead at half distance. Hislop responded, breaking the record, and amazingly pulling a lead of over seven seconds at two thirds distance.

    Fogarty trimmed two seconds off him on the fifth lap and then went for broke on the last dash over Snaefell, smashing the lap record again at an average speed of 123.61mph but Hislop was all but matching him, barely a second off that scorching pace, as he took the victory by 4.4 seconds. He had given Norton their first victory in the Senior TT since 1961 – a milestone success for him and the marque. Both Ron Haslam (Rocket Ron) and Trevor Nation race at the Isle Of Man TT and other road races such as the NW200, shown together in the last photo. Two of my favourite racers were the husband and wife duo Dennis and Julia Bingham, I have some lovely photos I took of Julia before the sidecar race showing her rather pensive, it was a great loss to sidecar road racing when they retired, I felt for them both it was family pressure that Julia decided to hang her leathers up.

    norton_rotary_racer_1987.jpg

    Norton_Rotary_RC588_Duckhams_cropped.jpg

    norton-rotary-factory.jpg

    robert-dunlop-norton-tt.jpg

    Trevor_Nation_Steve_Spray.jpg

    Dunlop-Hislop-Fogarty.jpg

    trevor-nation-ron-haslam.jpg
     
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  18. Charles P Vanacore

    Charles P Vanacore New Member

    Jul 4, 2021
    14
    3
    New Jersey USA
    .no doubt about it aside from being a triumph the reasons i purchased my st. cup was because of it's styling and paint scheme. the yellow and silver combination, but very important to me was the individual hard lettering on the gas tank. sounds insignificant but it mattered to me. when your paying a premium price for a triumph you should get all the premium items even the small items to justify the premium price....the can stick their stick on's as far as i'm concerned. . the trident is a good example of this cheap look ...maybe their marketing research wanted to reach a younger buyer but to me they missed the mark. matte finishes and stick on logos......i'll pass......
     
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  19. beerkat

    beerkat Senior Member

    Aug 14, 2019
    818
    243
    Cheshire UK
    I agree with your comment regarding matte (is there an 'e' on that?) paintwork on bikes (or cars). I've never got it, give me deep gloss paint every time.
     
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  20. Charles P Vanacore

    Charles P Vanacore New Member

    Jul 4, 2021
    14
    3
    New Jersey USA
    some how i remembered it being spelt/spelled that way.... but anyway

    matte
    [mat]
    ADJECTIVE
    1. (of a color, paint, or surface) dull and flat; without a shine.
      "prints are available on matte or glossy paper" · 
      dull · lackluster · matt · flat · 
      [more]
    wow i got it right ....a gold star for me ...whooppie
     
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