COLD WAR WARRIOR
My friend Chris has been a fan of the Triumph TRW for many years and is an expert in fettling and maintaining these rare machines. I asked him why he became such a devotee: ‘The TRW is a slow, gentle and assured cruiser that is fun and exceptionally forgiving to ride. However I do realise they are an acquired taste and might not suit everybody. Being rare and difficult to find also makes it an overlooked and relatively unknown motorcycle.
‘With the growing popularity of military gatherings they have now become popular, and as a result prices are definitely on the rise. Although I’ve owned five to date, I have always needed to advertise to find one. Today it is quite possible to pick up a nice example from a classic dealer or from specialist suppliers of military vehicles. They are good-looking and well-designed motorcycles, and their military design means they are mechanically simple and easy to sort on the rare occasion that something does go wrong.
‘TRWs also make ideal classic touring motorcycles and are capable of extremely high mileages with minimum service requirements. Given the sidevalve engine’s soft state of tune, the TRW is renowned for smooth running and a fairly average fuel economy (55mpg at 50mph). But most of all they simply get under your skin and people seem to adore them. Wherever I park mine, it always attracts an admiring crowd.’ The TRW has roots that reach back to 1938, when the War Office invited UK manufacturers to submit a military motorcycle for field evaluation. Triumph responded with the 3T W – an
