Memories from a road tester

Pete Kelly’s article on ‘Six of the Best’ brought back many memories of when I was employed at Triumph Meriden as a Road Tester.

Everyone has been critical of the demise of the British motorcycle industry during the years 1950 to

1978, but the problem was lack of the finance required to compete. Germany and Japan had suffered the ravages of war from 1939 until 1945 and due to those six years, their economies were decimated. So, together with the Allies, their industries were being revitalised far more than those in the rest of the world.

Britain during the post-war period was too busy repaying the National Debt. The whole emphasis was on exports, with the motorcycle industry having been constantly encumbered by hire purchase restrictions which was obvious to those who attended the annual Earls Court motorcycle shows.

By 1965, Ariel and Triumph (both of which belonged to BSA) had to stop making the Ariel Leader and Arrow models to concentrate their production of BSA and Triumph models in the USA.

At this time I was at Meriden, busily trying to get every model they made to America.

BSA at Small Heath was doing the same in a factory which was originally built in 1861.

The advent of the Ariel-3 had, by 1970, made BSA a loss leader that nobody wanted.

I still have a right hand which malfunctions due to Triumph’s right hand twistgrip vibration thanks to the Western-style handlebars. Meanwhile, my book on those times is due out this month.

Jim Lee