Superbike pioneers
It may be a surprise to learn that Hinckley Triumph’s Daytona 750 (and 1000), 595 and 675 sportsters weren’t named after the 1971 race success, especially as, like the racers, they were (mostly) triples. Instead, those modern incarnations revived the name of Triumph’s production 1967 500cc T100R Daytona twin, the ‘junior Bonneville’ sportster built to commemorate factory racer Buddy Elmore’s 1966 200 victory, when the race was run under 500cc rules.
Which is why the 1970 and ’71 racing machines are usually called either ‘Beezumph racers’, due to their mixed BSA/Triumph parentage or ‘Rob North Triples’, in reference to their bespoke racing frames by Midlands specialist Rob North.
In the few years in the early 1970s before Japanese or even Italian (MV excepted) manufacturers rose to dominance, these Formula 750 three-cylinder racers were the superbikes of their day. The tuned triples put out up to 86bhp; the lightweight chassis were revered for their handling; the use of Lockheed disc brakes all round was pioneering, and the bodywork was wind-tunnel aerodynamic.
Both works and privateer versions had considerable racing success and today are amongst the most prized of all British bikes – original works versions regularly being valued at in excess of £150,000. With the break up of the team and factory, however, bikes spread across Europe and the US and with ‘reproduction’ Rob North frames made to this day, provenance can be difficult. Sadly, despite the pleas of race boss Doug Hele, Triumph never produced a road version. If it had, this might have been an entirely different story…