‘I’ve fallen in love with a unique Triumph Trophy’
have said it before, but most of us dealers are just like any other classic bike fan. We may buy and sell bikes for a living, but we can still fall in love. And that’s what I’ve done, with a unique Triumph Trophy. I thought I’d buy it for stock, but that’s not happening. I saw it advertised at what I thought was a sensible price, so I phoned up the owner and arranged to go and see it. But I wasn’t quite expecting what I found when I got to his house.
We went into the garage and I saw the bike. It’s a lovely thing and in excellent condition, though it hadn’t been used for a while. We had a chat and agreed a price... then the owner started to tell me the bike’s story. The more he told me, the more I was intrigued. First, he revealed that it was the first duplex-framed Trophy to be built. He had all the paperwork to back that up, with a build date and dating certificate from the TOMCC. That was amazing in itself, but then he told me about his personal journey with the bike.
The owner had been a London fireman until his retirement. He was only the second owner of the bike, so he knew everything that had happened to it for virtually its entire life. He used it for commuting to and from work, but he’d also undertaken plenty of more demanding trips on it. He’d taken it to Spain a few times and even travelled to Greece back in the ’70s. That took about three weeks, he told me. I was fascinated and stayed drinking tea and talking about the bike and its travels all afternoon.
I finally got back to the shop at about 5pm. I wheeled it straight up onto the bench and started work on it. I changed the oil, checked the tappets and timing and spent a few hours going through it thoroughly. Then went straight out for a late evening ride – one of the most special rides I’ve ever had.
I absolutely love the bike – and I’m holding on to it. It was restored around 2011 by pre-unit Triumph specialists Ace Classics and is absolutely original apart from a tls brake – though I have got the original brake, too. I keep the bike in my office, not the showroom, as I don’t want people sitting on it. I clean it, I ride it and I’m certainly not ready to part with it – despite a number of offers. I’ve been touched by the bike’s story – and by how good the bike is itself.
Call me sentimental, but that’s how some bikes get you.
Anthony deals in quality classic bikes and cars from his base in Mereworth, Kent. He’s been in the trade for almost 30 years. anthonygodin.co.uk