THINKING OF BUYING: RARE BEEF

Triumphs started leaving the Hinckley factory almost 30 years ago, and there were some remarkable machines among the original ' modular' models. These rarities are rising in value, especially i f they've retained their original specification. You wouldn't want to dismember one and convert it into a cafe racer - but they offer a vividly raw riding experience that is hard to match for the money•.•

DAYTONA 1000: a 120bhp four-cylinder superbike, a truly beefy beast. A l ow miles example like this one - j ust 5000 from new - will fetch around £6000 DAYTONA 1000:

if, however, you find a

Hinckley four which has been personalised and then (shock!) actually ridden, its price falls quite radically. This 1992 example has been trimmed out like a JPS racer and has travelled 27,000 miles in its lifetime, which makes i t worth £3500 DAYTONA 750: a 'sports-touring' triple rather than a raucous race-rep like a GSX-R, the mid-size Daytona offers the sort of performance you'd normally expect from a 900. This 1993 example has covered j ust

1500 miles, and was offered for sale last month at £6500 SPEED TRIPLE: the original Hinckley cafe racer with big, bold styling and a surprisingly compact riding position. Most were 900s, but a few 750s were built. This one claims to be a 1997 750, up for £ 4500 Check the RealClassic website for our indepth buying guide to the early HinckleyT300 series, including their few flaws and foibles and more details about each model variant. Visit Real-Classic.co.ukand search for'hinckley'