SMALL CAT CACHET

The giddy days of the £10,000 Tiger Cub may have been and gone, but Turner’s tiddler is still the most expensive type of lightweight on the market. You could buy a pre-unit BSA single for two-thirds of the price, or a robust, unit-construction B40 for the same cost as an average Cub. For instance, a 1967 T20 which had been in long-term ownership for nearly two decades was offered at £2500 in February. It was a long way from standard, extensively adapted to suit its previous owner’s style, and hadn’t been used for several years.

Another one, a 1962 example fitted with rear enclosures, sold at auction last winter for £1955 – and it was unused since 2013, currently unregistered, and with a non-factory number stamped on its frame…

Before you commit to purchasing a Cub, do consider kicking the tyres of Triumph’s single-cylinder 250s which typically sell for similar amount. But if you simply must have a T20, then you can locate a Cub for under £3k. We found a well-maintained 1967 example, upgraded with a range of practical modifications, being offered by its owner for £2500. Similar bikes at dealers were £500 more – and all of the more sought-after models (trials, sports and enclosed editions) significantly exceed our budget.

The 1959 Cub pictured here was sold at auction in December. It’s an older restoration in running order, which has covered less than 1500 miles since its rebuild.