The BSA Fury and Triumph Bandit were the last hurrah of the original BSA and Triumph factory design teams, but only two complete prototypes of each machine were found when the factory closed – the models not going into production was seen by many as a massive opportunity missed. Trials ace John Hall was one who capitalised on the premature death of these machines, leading to two ‘Hallman’ competition sidecar outfits, engineered mainly from the redundant Fury/Bandit parts.
The end of line
The BSA Fury and Triumph Bandit (P30) project began in 1968, with the plan for it to hit the showrooms in 1971. The initial layout was chief designer Edward Turner’s final effort for Triumph, with a four-stroke 350cc DOHC engine which was high revving compared with previous British designs, reputedly producing 34bhp at 9000rpm, with a top speed of 104mph, although test rider Percy Tait allegedly pushed it to 112mph. The motorcycle weighed 345lb, with a single downtube frame, but Turner’s original design came under scrutiny by others in the factory, as it was such a crucial project.
Bert Hopwood and Doug Hele duly undertook a major redesign of the engine – including the crankshaft, cylinder head and the location of the timing chain – which, ultimately, resulted in a redesign of the crankcases, making for a much neater-looking machine. Turner’s
