Triumph Bonneville Executive

While some bikes are a one-off donation, there are also some serial donors to the cause, with John Moore being a prime example. John is primarily a fan of military motorcycles, and is the specialist on hand if you happen to go along to the museum’s open day and are interested in the military bikes on display.

This said, he does have a rather eclectic collection of classic motorcycles, primarily Triumphs although others, such as a rare early Monarch, are among his personal trove. To date 15 or 16 of his bikes have ended up in the museum, with the first handed over after the 2003 fire, which prompted John to help out by donating a bike.

His joy of Triumphs extended to this 1980 ES Executive model, perhaps the most lavish of the Bonneville line, albeit not the sportiest. It had all the developments that had been applied to the ageing twin – the parallel inlet ports, Amal Concentric Mk.II carbs, Lucas electronic ignition and a full 750cc capacity. But it also had the full Executive hard luggage, as made by Sigma, and the Sabre cockpit fairing (although a full fairing was also an option), and also saw the introduction of an electric start. As a result, this is one heavy bike! In fact, it is due to the weight and to the height of the seat (thanks to the big battery required for the starter and ancillary electrical items), that John passed this bike on to the museum, as it’s a little too tall and heavy for his liking.

He had originally bought it from a seller in London, although the paperwork (he has full paperwork and history for all his bikes) showed that it was originally sold in Bury, close to John’s Rochdale home. When it returned to its rightful Lancashire home, it showed the traits of a 1980s bike – peeling chrome and paint, etc. – and it was soon to be sent to Alistair Hillaby in Darwen for a healthy dose of restoration. Like all of John’s bikes, it had to earn its keep, including a trip to Germany shortly after he bought it, although it was its habit of heavy smoking during that trip that ensured that Alistair would check out the engine internals.

It could be argued that the Executive was either the last great ‘hurrah’ from the Meriden factory, or that it was Triumph going out with a whimper rather than a bang. Either way, it provides a fascinating reminder of how different manufacturers approached the difficulties and challenges of the 1980s.