 |
|
||||
|
|
|
THE LONDON MOTORCYCLE MUSEUM: The Museum is rather small and the facilities definitely need an injection of capital. Nevertheless there were some interesting exhibits in particular early incarnations of the Triumph Trident T150V and suspect attempts at massaging an SOHC configuration onto the Meriden Triumph and BSA Triples of the era.
1965: TRIUMPH TRIDENT T150V 'P1' (PROTOTYPE): The UK Trident and Rocket Three Owners Club recovered the engine, rebuilt it and slotted it into period 1965 Triumph cycle parts to achieve the mid 1960's guise of the original P1 Prototype of the Triumph Trident T150V I photographed in the Museum. The prototype was developed using a 1965 T120 frame modified to accept the engine, initial testing with cast iron barrels soon dictated a change to cast aluminium with hemispherical combustion chambers. The Prototype Triple of 748cc capacity produced 58bhp @ 7,250rpm, carburation included 3 x 27mm Amal Monobloc carburettors, incredibly the primary drive was geared (not the production triplex chain) and the clutch was a strengthened T120 type (not the production Borg and Beck Dry Plate type). The 'P1' engine was subsequently developed into the 'P2' machine that became known as the Trident T150V. Having owned one of the production Ray Gun T150V's I prefer the look of the prototype, retaining the then accepted Triumph Twin appearance with the slightly increased smoothness and power of the triple. I was staggered to realize that the 'P1' Prototype incorporated a geared primary drive and a strengthened T120 clutch as my T150V had horrid reliability problems with the triplex chain (breaking side plates) and the dry clutch (contaminated with oil). The New South Wales Triumph Dealer of the time simply had no idea how to rectify these and many other reliability problems.
TRIUMPH TRIDENT AND ROCKET 3 - SOHC PROTOTYPES: Accepted these were apparently prototypes of proposals to convert the T150V and similar sloping head Rocket 3 triples to SOHC from the production pushrod type engines. How this was ever going to be developed as a mass production external drive belt arrangement protruding from the right hand side of an otherwise slimline air/oil cooled engine defies belief. There is also a DOHC prototype Rocket 3 triple utilising an external drive belt arrangement in existence. It is interesting to compare this engineering solution to the excellent design solution of the Honda CB750 K0.
1949: VELOCETTE LE MARK I: A cutaway display version of this remarkable flat twin, shaft drive motorcycle, obviously targeted at the touring market with a deeply valanced front guard and inbuilt leg shields. The engine was a water cooled 149cc side valve boxer engine driving through a three speed hand change gearbox with an enclosed shaft final drive.
SUNBEAM SINGLE:
1915: HARLEY-DAVIDSON SIDECAR OUTFIT - 1,000cc V TWIN:
1922: CHATER-LEA SIDECAR OUTFIT - 885cc V TWIN:
MORE MOTORCYCLE SHOWS AND MOTORCYCLE MUSEUMS: Please continue viewing my records of Motorcycle Shows and Motorcycle Museums I have visited by selecting from the following...
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
I LOVE NEW TECHNOLOGY, TABLETS, LAPTOPS, DIGITAL CAMERAS, MOBILE PHONES/WIRELESS BROADBAND, GPS, ETC. ALL SO COOL AND 'PORTABLE'......
|
