Triumphhadtimedbreathersworkedoff
theexhaustcam,thensomeonethought
“let’s doawaywiththem,andputabig
tubeintheprimarycase...”it workstoo.Rearlightunitisactuallymassive
andalsoprotectedfromthe
vibrationsproducedbytheengine.No,it’snotstandardbutBryndecided
toleaveit onanywayasit is useful
andafairlyneatattachment.Pillionrests–orperhaps‘buddypegs’
wouldbeabetterterm–thoughgiven
theseatdimensionsthebuddywould
havetobereally close...andsmall.FortheTrophyTrail,
Triumphusedtheparent
group’sCeriani-stylefront
forkwhichalsofitted
othermodelsintherange,
hencetheextrabracketry.Toppingofftheframewasthe
smartestlookingtanktobefitted
toaTriumphever...discussand
letmeknowyourthoughts.mechanicalnoisefrom the engine.This
commentcomeson the back of growing
noisepollutioncomplaintsexcept‘noise
pollution’hadn’tbeen invented.In orderto
operatewith amodicumof consideration
for the rest of the planet’soccupantsa
weird and wonderfulpressedsteelsilencer
had beendevised.This proved so effective
at dealingwith exhaustnoisethat engine
clattercouldnow be heard.Praisetoo came
for the front forks whichhad benefitedfrom
beingdevelopedin the scramblesworld and
smoothedout all bumpswith naryaflutter.
With around 2500 officialexamplesof the
TR5Tin its two main modeldesignations,
this machineis fairly rare, even for Triumph
and as such commandsquitehigh prices.
However,ifyou’re preparedto compromise
on somedetailsit’snot that difficultto build
areplica,or indeedareplicaof mostISDT-
esqueTriumphsof the Sixtiesas mostused
off-the-shelfcomponents.
Even the biggerTriumphs,such as the 750
range,joinedin the off-roadfun with the TR7T
in 1981.Ratherlikethe TR5T,itwas not
meantto be aseriousdirtbikebut an early
adventurebikewhich wouldcope with the dirt
of basichighwaysand byways of theUKand
USA. Ashamethat time caughtup with it and
reallyit oughtto have been produced10 years
earlier...tofinalise,the Adventurer,Trophy Trail
and TR7Thave all got their placein the off-
road sceneas machinesbecomingso much
morethan the sum of their parts.“
...thepresspraisedthe traditional
powerdelivery, suggesting ateeth-
slackening theoretical topspeed of
perhaps82mph...
”
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