TRIUMPH TSX

SOME OF THE BEST TRIUMPH PUSHROD TWINS to use today emerged just as the Meriden factory slipped towards oblivion. The Tiger Trail is now one of the most sought-after twins, along with the TR65 Thunderbird. The eight valve TSS was supposed to have a top speed of more than 120mph, with an anti-vibration frame in the works.

One of the very last great motorcycles out of Meriden was the TSX, a factory custom that could have done great things. It followed the principles that the Japanese were establishing for factory customs. The irony being, of course, that those customs were created in the first place to follow the lines of the US export Bonneville.

Triumph and BSA had long realised the value of the American market for their products and in the early 1970s had built bikes specifically for it, like the X-75 Hurricane triple and to a lesser extent the 500cc Trophy Trail/Adventurer. The T140D, a classy Bonneville in black and gold, had been another bike designed for the US buyer. A range of issues meant it wasn’t a success Stateside. Road testers felt the T140D needed lower handlebars and a flat seat. Heavy rain in the US was felt to have caused poor a spring sales season and the T140D came at a price that was uncompetitive compared