c1957 Triumph Thunderbird 500cc Motorcycle

Description

One of the best known and most established British motorcycle manufacturers, Triumph were exporting nearly all their production to the United States in the post-war period, where the brand had been popularised by Marlon Brando's appearance on a Thunderbird 6T in the 1953 movie "The Wild One".  Based on Edward Turner's classic Speed Twin, the Thunderbird was the most powerful parallel twin available on the market at the time of its launch in September 1949.  To celebrate the Thunderbird’s arrival, Triumph sent a team to the French banked circuit Montlhéry where three stunt riders lapped at more than 90 mph for 500 miles, then did a flying lap of more than 100mph each before returning to the UK.  Updated over the years, Triumph added an SU carburettor in place of the original Amal in 1952 and adopted a swing-arm frame in 1955.  The 650cc engine successfully held the world speed record for motorcycles from 1955 until 1970 set on the dry lakes at Bonneville and much of the success of the model can be attributed to the American desire for more cubic inches and horsepower.  The Thunderbird had such an abundance of power and torque that the bike was capable of cruising at more than 150km/h without any fuss - perfect for the long, straight roads of countries like America and Australia.  Without doubt one of the all-time classics, the Triumph Thunderbird is a truly rewarding motorcycle to own and the opportunity to acquire one is all too rare.