KNEE-JERK REACTION
As I age, my taste in bikes has changed. Gone are the days of race-reps and the like; I have fond memories of a Honda NC45 and an MV 750-4 but my preference these days is for something simpler, lighter and manageable. It needs to be manageable not just on the move but in the garage and on the drive. Back problems and ailing knees prescribe a different style of machine.
When I was a lad and had a BMW R60/7 with an S-type cockpit fairing, I recall a memorable trip. I encountered a 750 Triumph which swept round the borders roads twixt England and Wales in a very sprightly manner and seemed at ease, whereas the Beemer needed coaxing a little more. I’d seen reports of the Thunderbird 650 which made me ponder about buying one of those... one day, perhaps. Many years have since elapsed and many bikes have been and gone, but the late Triumphs still hold some appeal.
Fate played a hand and now I am providing garage space to a single-carbed Triumph. Not the TR7RV 750 Tiger but its smaller 650 sister. Yes, that’s right: a 650 Thunderbird. Not a Thunderbird from the 1950s or 60s but the short-stroked 1980s edition. Mine is the slightly posher Mk2 version with twin pipes and a tacho. I find I am in good company: several RC regulars including Martyn Roberts, Rowena and Frank have all enjoyed these machines.
The TR65 Thunderbird is a Meriden-made model which weighed about the same as a Japanese 400/250, with (ahem) a top speed to match. It doesn’t have the vibration of the larger Triumph twin (or all the torque of the 750, tis true), but it is svelte and lovely to flick around. As they say, Less is More. And it seems, thus far, to be knee-friendly.
The paintwork on the bread-bin petrol tank (not an Italian item) seems fine and original. The cut-price instruments missing a kill switch may be ‘character’. As is the recently fitted battery ‘top-hat’, which prevents singeing of the backside if the terminals hit the seat base. Kick starting seems easy, and it ticks over. My old T140E was never as compliant. Maybe the Mk1 Amal and a quick tickle is just right for this twin.
The 650 wears an Avon Speedmaster up front and an SM Mk2 at the back. The bike rolls around OK on them, and once warmed a little they’re enjoyable on the back lanes. This brings back memories of the Triumph I met in the borders – its ease of handling and a manner of going, which may be a little lost on some.
The seating position? Maybe the pegs are a little too far forward, but after a while I acclimatised and wasn’t wrapped in knots as on the MV or the NC of times gone by. The front brake might need an overhaul but it stops the bike OK, as does the drum rear.
The 650 is comfy enough for reasonable progress. In some ways it reminds me of the 60/7... less the shaft, and quite a diet too, and with similar indicators. Light(er) bikes rule! Well they do today, for me. The Thunderbird has delightful steering and no destructive vibes. It appears to be that rare thing: a rider’s mount. Conceived as a budget model to tempt punters – and out popped a delightful, characterful companion. It might’ve been a budget bike back then, but today it’s almost a perfect bike for this classic enthusiast. Thank you Meriden. Good job.
Overall, the roadtests are true: very little / no vibration; an engine that provides sweet progress and likes to rev (a little), so it’s very satisfying. A good all-rounder it seems, and a brilliant bike for the classic enthusiast, from the dying embers of the old industry before its modern reincarnation. Mark Holyoake, member 7138
Glad to hear you’re getting on well with the TR65, Mark. We enjoyed our time with one, although I can’t say I found it any easier to haul around the place than a T140. Our 650 needed quite a firm foot to kick it into action as well – demonstrating yet again that it’s hard to generalise about 30 year-old motorcycles. The actual condition of a particular machine is often more important than anything written in an ancient roadtest…