Triumph Tiger 100
Encyclopedia
The Triumph Tiger 100 was a British motorcycle
first made by Triumph at their Coventry
factory for 1939.
With the runaway sales success of the Triumph Speed Twin
, Edward Turner
's mind turned to further developing the potential of his new parallel twin motor. The lighter and more powerful Tiger 100 was developed as a sports enthusiasts machine, where as with previous models the '100' referred to its claimed maximum speed.
Technical changes over the Speed Twin included forged alloy pistons, a very early use of the technology. Secondly, the cylinders were forged in a single casting and held in place by eight studs, instead of the Speed Twin’s six. Thirdly, the Tiger 100 used a single Amal carburetor, possible thanks to the 360-degree firing interval of the two cylinders. Finished in silver and costing £5 more, new features included a larger fuel tank and detachable silencers.
In March 1939, Triumph came up with an unorthodox 'launch' of the new Tiger 100. Using a Tiger 100 and a Speed Twin straight from dealers showrooms, endurance was tested with a run of over 1800 miles (2,896.8 km) from John o'Groats to Land's End
in Cornwall then to the Brooklands
circuit for six hours of continuous high-speed laps, where riders Ivan Wicksteed and David Whitworth averaged 78.5 miles per hour (126.3 km/h) with a final lap of 88.5 miles per hour (142.4 km/h), winning Triumph the Maudes Trophy. The Tiger100's sporting pretensions were later further proven through Freddie Clarke’s 1939 lap record at Brooklands of 118.02 miles per hour (189.9 km/h) on a bored-out 503 cc Tiger 100.
The Triumph works was destroyed by German bombers on the night of 14 November 1940 - along with much of the city of Coventry
bringing production of the Tiger 100 to an end until after the war. When Triumph recovered and began production again at Meriden
the Tiger 100 re-appeared with the new telescopic fork. In 1951 it gained a new close finned alloy cylinder barrel and factory race kits for independent racers. In 1953 a fully race-kitted model, the Tiger 100C, was available although only 560 were made.
1954 saw the first swinging-arm rear suspension models and the Tiger 100 was developed year on year alongside the other models in the range. 1959 was the last of the pre-units (separate engine/gearbox) and in 1960 it was completely redesigned in the new 'unit' style as the T100A. A long line of T100SS, T100C, T100R and others appeared during the sixties in the UK & export (mainly US) markets culminating in the Daytona
variants which soldiered on until 1973. The historic Tiger name was revived by the new Hinckley Triumph company in 1993.
On 29 July 1966, Bob Dylan
crashed his 500 cc Triumph Tiger 100SS motorcycle on a road near his home in Woodstock, New York, throwing him to the ground. In the wake of his accident, Dylan withdrew from the public and, apart from a few select appearances, did not tour again for eight years.
A police -specification 1973 Tiger 100 T100P was also the bike that Ted Simon
rode on his first trip around the world, starting that year. In the beginning of his book Jupiter's Travels
, he documents how the Meriden factory was undergoing a sit-in
and as a result his motorcycle was hastily assembled.
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
first made by Triumph at their Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
factory for 1939.
With the runaway sales success of the Triumph Speed Twin
Triumph Speed Twin
The Speed Twin 5T is a motorcycle that was made by Triumph at their Coventry factory. Edward Turner, Triumph’s Chief Designer and Managing Director, launched the Triumph Speed Twin at the 1937 National Motorcycle Show. It was a 500 cc OHV vertical twin in a lightweight frame and the first...
, Edward Turner
Edward Turner
Edward Turner was a British motorcycle designer. He was born in Camberwell in the London Borough of Southwark, on the day King Edward VII was proclaimed King....
's mind turned to further developing the potential of his new parallel twin motor. The lighter and more powerful Tiger 100 was developed as a sports enthusiasts machine, where as with previous models the '100' referred to its claimed maximum speed.
Technical changes over the Speed Twin included forged alloy pistons, a very early use of the technology. Secondly, the cylinders were forged in a single casting and held in place by eight studs, instead of the Speed Twin’s six. Thirdly, the Tiger 100 used a single Amal carburetor, possible thanks to the 360-degree firing interval of the two cylinders. Finished in silver and costing £5 more, new features included a larger fuel tank and detachable silencers.
In March 1939, Triumph came up with an unorthodox 'launch' of the new Tiger 100. Using a Tiger 100 and a Speed Twin straight from dealers showrooms, endurance was tested with a run of over 1800 miles (2,896.8 km) from John o'Groats to Land's End
Land's End
Land's End is a headland and small settlement in west Cornwall, England, within the United Kingdom. It is located on the Penwith peninsula approximately eight miles west-southwest of Penzance....
in Cornwall then to the Brooklands
Brooklands
Brooklands was a motor racing circuit and aerodrome built near Weybridge in Surrey, England. It opened in 1907, and was the world's first purpose-built motorsport venue, as well as one of Britain's first airfields...
circuit for six hours of continuous high-speed laps, where riders Ivan Wicksteed and David Whitworth averaged 78.5 miles per hour (126.3 km/h) with a final lap of 88.5 miles per hour (142.4 km/h), winning Triumph the Maudes Trophy. The Tiger100's sporting pretensions were later further proven through Freddie Clarke’s 1939 lap record at Brooklands of 118.02 miles per hour (189.9 km/h) on a bored-out 503 cc Tiger 100.
The Triumph works was destroyed by German bombers on the night of 14 November 1940 - along with much of the city of Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
bringing production of the Tiger 100 to an end until after the war. When Triumph recovered and began production again at Meriden
Meriden, West Midlands
-External links:*****...
the Tiger 100 re-appeared with the new telescopic fork. In 1951 it gained a new close finned alloy cylinder barrel and factory race kits for independent racers. In 1953 a fully race-kitted model, the Tiger 100C, was available although only 560 were made.
1954 saw the first swinging-arm rear suspension models and the Tiger 100 was developed year on year alongside the other models in the range. 1959 was the last of the pre-units (separate engine/gearbox) and in 1960 it was completely redesigned in the new 'unit' style as the T100A. A long line of T100SS, T100C, T100R and others appeared during the sixties in the UK & export (mainly US) markets culminating in the Daytona
Triumph Tiger Daytona
The Triumph Tiger Daytona is a motorcycle made by Triumph from 1967 to 1974.-Development:The 'Daytona' name was derived from American rider Buddy Elmore's win at the 1966 Daytona 200 race held at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida...
variants which soldiered on until 1973. The historic Tiger name was revived by the new Hinckley Triumph company in 1993.
On 29 July 1966, Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
crashed his 500 cc Triumph Tiger 100SS motorcycle on a road near his home in Woodstock, New York, throwing him to the ground. In the wake of his accident, Dylan withdrew from the public and, apart from a few select appearances, did not tour again for eight years.
A police -specification 1973 Tiger 100 T100P was also the bike that Ted Simon
Ted Simon
Ted Simon is a British journalist born in Germany in 1931, noted for circumnavigating the world twice by motorcycle. He was raised in London by a German mother and a Romanian father....
rode on his first trip around the world, starting that year. In the beginning of his book Jupiter's Travels
Jupiter's Travels
Jupiter's Travels is a book by Ted Simon which narrates his four-year journey through 126,000 km across 45 countries on a Triumph Tiger 100 500 cc motorcycle from 1973 to 1977. His book was first published in English in 1979....
, he documents how the Meriden factory was undergoing a sit-in
Sit-in
A sit-in or sit-down is a form of protest that involves occupying seats or sitting down on the floor of an establishment.-Process:In a sit-in, protesters remain until they are evicted, usually by force, or arrested, or until their requests have been met...
and as a result his motorcycle was hastily assembled.