Triumph Tiger T110
 | |
| Manufacturer | Triumph |
|---|---|
| Production | 1953–1961 |
| Engine | 649 cc parallel twin OHV four-stroke |
| Transmission | 4 speed / chain |
| Wheelbase | 57 inches (140 cm) |
| Seat height | 31 inches (79 cm) |
| Weight | 420 lb (190 kg) (dry) |
| Fuel capacity | 4 imp gal (18 L; 4.8 US gal) |
| Fuel consumption | 70 mpg‑imp (4.0 L/100 km; 58 mpg‑US) at 60 mph (97 km/h) |
The Triumph Tiger 110 was a British sports motorcycle first made by Triumph at their Coventry factory between 1953 and 1961. Developed from the Triumph Thunderbird the T100 first appeared in 1954.[1]
Although it was supposed to be the sports model of the Triumph range the Tiger 110 was later fitted with the rear panelling introduced with Triumph's 350cc 3TA twin in 1959. This rear fairing earned it the nickname 'bathtub' from it's shape and made the T110 look somewhat staid. In any event, from 1959, the T120 Bonneville was now Triumph's leading sports model and before the introduction of Edward Turner's unit construction 650 twin in 1962, the T110 was dropped from from Triumph's range.[2]
Development
The Triumph Tiger 110 650 cc OHV Twin was Triumph's fastest production motorcycle to date, developed for the American market which wanted a higher power output. The T110 first appeared in 1954. Originally produced with a cast iron cylinder block and head, this was quickly replaced with a light alloy cylinder head with special airways to improve cooling and austenitic iron valve seat inserts. The external oil fed pipes were also replaced with internal oilways via the pushrod tubes.[1]
The Triumph Tiger 100 was named because it was capable of 100 mph (160 km/h), so it was an obvious marketing idea to call the new bike the Tiger 110 - although technically the best one way speed obtained by The Motor Cycle magazine in tests was 109 mph (175 km/h) (with a strong tail wind) - but the speedometer was reading 114 mph (183 km/h), so there was a margin of error.[1]
By 1961, the Tiger 110 was no longer Triumph's fastest model, the dual carburettor Bonneville T120 having taken its mantle. Triumph added the enclosed panels from the Twenty One which, resembling an upside-down Victorian slipper bathtub, earned the bike the nickname 'bathtub'.[2]
World Speed Record
On 5 September 1962, at Bonneville Salt Flats American racer Bill Johnson secured the world land speed record on a heavily modified Triumph T110 with a top speed of 224.57 mph (361.41 km/h).[3] This success led to the development of the Tiger T110's successor - the Triumph Bonneville.[4]
References
- ^ a b c Currie, Bob (1980). Great British Motorcycles of the Fifties. Hamlyn Publishing Group Ltd. ISBN 0 86363 010 3.
- ^ a b Bacon, Roy (1988). British Motorcycles of the 60's. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-85648-1662.
- ^ "Two-wheeled Land Speed Record". Retrieved 2009-11-15.
- ^ Kemp, Andrew (2004). Classic British Bikes. Mirco. Bookmart Ltd. ISBN 1-86147-136-X.
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