# Triumph motorcycles - where are they?



## witfalait

Every few months I depart Bangkok for a day or two at Chantaburi. On each occasion, I drive past the Triumph factory, and wistfully recall my youth when Triumphs, BSAs and Matchless's kept my garage floor well lubricated (one at a time, I should add). 

But where are the bikes? Who has ever seen a Trumpy on Thai roads? Anyone? Are they all for export? I have never even noticed a bike shop selling them. 
Man, I'd love to buy one before I croak, even if they don't leak oil any more. 

(Some would say it is a conspiracy to deny expats beautiful motorbikes. That is plainly ridiculous... but certainly the CIA is involved somewhere.)


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## King Silk

witfalait said:


> Every few months I depart Bangkok for a day or two at Chantaburi. On each occasion, I drive past the Triumph factory, and wistfully recall my youth when Triumphs, BSAs and Matchless's kept my garage floor well lubricated (one at a time, I should add).
> 
> But where are the bikes? Who has ever seen a Trumpy on Thai roads? Anyone? Are they all for export? I have never even noticed a bike shop selling them.
> Man, I'd love to buy one before I croak, even if they don't leak oil any more.
> 
> (Some would say it is a conspiracy to deny expats beautiful motorbikes. That is plainly ridiculous... but certainly the CIA is involved somewhere.)


I am sure there some here Wit old bean. Never seen one though.
I had a shock a couple of years ago. Went into the UK Motorbike Museum and there on a stand in the Foyer was my old 500cc BSA Twin! It had been beautifully restored to a new condition. I think I paid about 250qud for it in 1991. It was then priced at 1250 if my memory serves me..
And would you believe it. THERE under the engine was....*a little pool of oil!*!!


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## King Silk

Hey! Triumph have a factory in Thailand!!!

This is a dealer in BKK I think matey.

BritBike Company Limited | Soi Soonvichai, Rama 9 Road | +66 (0) 2 203 1315, +66 (0) 2 203 1316


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## witfalait

Thanks Kingy old man, you are a champ! I will check it out when I get back to BKK, though I am starting to fear my dream of riding a big pommy bike again is fast evaporating. Back in Aust for a while - one or two health issues and to see the kids. Fingers crossed for the future. (Sadly, I may have to give up Sangsom and coke. That should be easy here: can't get Sangsom here for love nor money, can you believe it? What a primitive country.) So sorry I did not see your message at the end of April.

I found another great quote for you:
"When I die, I would like to go peacefully, in my sleep, like my Grandfather did. Not screaming and yelling like the passenger in his car." -Jack Handy


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## King Silk

witfalait said:


> Thanks Kingy old man, you are a champ! I will check it out when I get back to BKK, though I am starting to fear my dream of riding a big pommy bike again is fast evaporating. Back in Aust for a while - one or two health issues and to see the kids. Fingers crossed for the future. (Sadly, I may have to give up Sangsom and coke. That should be easy here: can't get Sangsom here for love nor money, can you believe it? What a primitive country.) So sorry I did not see your message at the end of April.
> 
> I found another great quote for you:
> "When I die, I would like to go peacefully, in my sleep, like my Grandfather did. Not screaming and yelling like the passenger in his car." -Jack Handy


At Last Wity old bean..... Hope you get a Triumph. Great Quote also. Come back to LOS real soon. Hope no great problem with your health? Take care.....


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## Mweiga

*Triumphs in Thailand*

Just been trawling through Google info on Triumph motorbikes and came across your message of just over a year ago. Youv'e probably already had answers but just to let you know I bought a brand new Thruxton 900 a month ago from the official Thailand dealer , Britbike Ltd in Bangkok. Apparently it's the second new bike to be sold in the Pattaya area where I live. Britbike are currently selling 8 to 10 new machines per month.

If you want anymore info send me a message.


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## Song_Si

^ Thruxton - plenty in NZ but haven't seen one here; there were two 675cc triples on Phuket I saw quite regularly, saw a 2300cc Rocket for sale (new) but hardly the ideal bike for Phuket's road conditions.
I've owned 'new' Triumphs since 1999 when i bought a 900 triple, in 2005 bought another one, faultless in my experience. Sadly it remains in NZ, in the good care of a friend. 
I have two friends who bought Bonnevilles in 2007/8, I'm almost 6'3" they just weren't comfortable for me, but have proven to be great bikes for their owners.
Enjoy your riding!


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## wildfk

witfalait said:


> Every few months I depart Bangkok for a day or two at Chantaburi. On each occasion, I drive past the Triumph factory, and wistfully recall my youth when Triumphs, BSAs and Matchless's kept my garage floor well lubricated (one at a time, I should add).
> 
> But where are the bikes? Who has ever seen a Trumpy on Thai roads? Anyone? Are they all for export? I have never even noticed a bike shop selling them.
> Man, I'd love to buy one before I croak, even if they don't leak oil any more.
> 
> (Some would say it is a conspiracy to deny expats beautiful motorbikes. That is plainly ridiculous... but certainly the CIA is involved somewhere.)


Although they claim to have plans to make a whole bike here, as far as I can work out tey only make parts for assembly elsewhere. Thailand has laws preventing the manufacture of large engined bikes for sale in Thailand.......go figure


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## Mweiga

*Triumphs in Thailand*

The Triumph plant at Chonburi makes some components as well as assembling complete bikes from imported parts and ships to various global markets. The Triumph Thailand website gives some info plus there are several other informative links in Google - I believe frames and tanks are made here while forks are made in Japan and engines in UK. There is also a new paint shop recently opened at the Chonburi plant so complete bikes can be assembled and finished here.

There's also another Triumph plant in Taiwan I understand.

Triumphs business model is pretty smart and geared to the globalised world we now inhabit where flexibility , cost effectiveness and a can-do approach is vital. The Thai operation is supervised by a resident team of engineers and managers from the Hinkley , Leicestershire head office.

I'm still learning my Thruxton with some local trips while awaiting Thai registration and number plates to get finalised - it goes like stink with 69 bhp on tap and definitely a quantum leap in the traditional Brit vertical twin concept - I'd been a lifelong Norton Commando officionado having had three of them.

I can see Edward Turner smiling down from above. 










wildfk said:


> Although they claim to have plans to make a whole bike here, as far as I can work out tey only make parts for assembly elsewhere. Thailand has laws preventing the manufacture of large engined bikes for sale in Thailand.......go figure


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## bandit 18

witfalait said:


> Every few months I depart Bangkok for a day or two at Chantaburi. On each occasion, I drive past the Triumph factory, and wistfully recall my youth when Triumphs, BSAs and Matchless's kept my garage floor well lubricated (one at a time, I should add).
> 
> But where are the bikes? Who has ever seen a Trumpy on Thai roads? Anyone? Are they all for export? I have never even noticed a bike shop selling them.
> Man, I'd love to buy one before I croak, even if they don't leak oil any more.
> 
> (Some would say it is a conspiracy to deny expats beautiful motorbikes. That is plainly ridiculous... but certainly the CIA is involved somewhere.)


if the triumph factory that you refer to is the one you see from the motorway i also thought of my youth and my triumph speedtwin and all the pleasure i had touring england when i saw the factory but my wife says that they make bra's and other underwear!!!!!!!!! i still have my memories.


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## Song_Si

^ ha ha, when in NZ I put a search for 'Triumph' on TradeMe (NZ version of e-bay) and didn't specify the category - next day had a mailbox full of emails about women's underwear!

But here's the facts:

Triumph Motorcycles (Thailand) Limited

Address:	Amata Nakorn Industrial Estate
700/485 Moo 2
Bankao, Panthong
City:	Chonburi
Post Code:	20160
Country:	Thailand

Background
Triumph Motorcycles (Thailand) Limited are a 100% UK owned company that currently operate 3 factories in Amata Nakorn Industrial Estate, Chonburi. Triumph's first factory in Thailand was opened in May 2002 and was established for the manufacture of motorcycle components including Frames, Fuel Tanks, Header Systems, Swinging Arms, Engine Covers and Chrome Plated Parts. A second factory was opened in 2006 where a wet painting facility and assembly line have been established. A third factory, opened in 2007 includes high pressure diecasting and machining. The company now employs approximately 800 staff in Thailand.

Products or Services
Production of motorcycle components and assembly of motorcycles for export markets. Processes include; Aluminium & Steel welding, CNC Machining, Laser Cutting, Polishing, Chrome Plating, Powder Coating, Wet Painting and Assembly.

and from Wiki

At 21.00 on 15 March 2002, as the company was preparing to celebrate its 100th anniversary as a motorcycle maker, its main factory was destroyed by a fire which began at the rear of the facility. At the height of the blaze over 100 firefighters were tackling the fire which destroyed most of the manufacturing capacity.[9]

Nevertheless, the company, which by then employed more than 650, quickly rebuilt the facility and returned to production by September that year. Furthermore, in 2003, Triumph opened a new manufacturing facility in Thailand. An assembly and painting facility in Thailand was opened in 2006 by Prince Andrew.[10] In September 2008, Triumph announced that they were expanding their Thailand factory to increase capacity to over 130,000 motorcycles.[11]


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## Mweiga

... the Triumph brand name covers both motorbikes and ladies' smalls - the two companies are unrelated. Your Speed Twin , designed by Triumph's chief engineer Edward Turner in 1936 , was the original vertical OHV twin design concept that became a stalwart of the post-war Brit motorcycle industry until its demise in the 1970s. 

Triumph motorcycles was resurrected by John Bloor in late 1980s and in 1991 the first new models went on the market. They broke even in 2000 after close to 100 million Pounds had been invested and today are profitable with a growing global market and current annual production of around 50,000 machines.


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## bandit 18

Mweiga said:


> ... the Triumph brand name covers both motorbikes and ladies' smalls - the two companies are unrelated. Your Speed Twin , designed by Triumph's chief engineer Edward Turner in 1936 , was the original vertical OHV twin design concept that became a stalwart of the post-war Brit motorcycle industry until its demise in the 1970s.
> 
> Triumph motorcycles was resurrected by John Bloor in late 1980s and in 1991 the first new models went on the market. They broke even in 2000 after close to 100 million Pounds had been invested and today are profitable with a growing global market and current annual production of around 50,000 machines.


i had my speedtwin for 16 years ,very comfortouble to ride and never let me down once and such a good looker, i love triumph's


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## mike88

*how much for triumph bikes ?*

could anybody inform me of the price of a new triumph in thailand ?..675 or speed triple etc...priced a new yamaha r1 up in pattaya...£17500 !...versus £12000 in uk,thai luxury goods import duty k,in expensive !


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## Mweiga

*Current Triumph prices in Thailand*

The current price list from Britbike Ltd , who are the official Triumph dealer in Thailand , quotes as follows :

Street Triple 675 = THB 620,000
Street Triple R = THB 650,000
Tiger 1050 ABS = THB 795,000
Bonneville = THB 549,000
Thruxton 900 = THB 590,000 (also what I paid a month ago for this bike)
Scrambler = THB 590,000
Thunderbird ABS = THB 1,090,000
Rocket 3 Roadster ABS = THB 1,180,000

At the current exchange rate of approx 1 Pound Sterling = THB 48 , the Street Triple 675 therefore works out to GBP 12,916 ex-Britbike Ltd.

With local manufacture / assemby by Triumph they are probably getting round Thai luxury import tax , etc. 








mike88 said:


> could anybody inform me of the price of a new triumph in thailand ?..675 or speed triple etc...priced a new yamaha r1 up in pattaya...£17500 !...versus £12000 in uk,thai luxury goods import duty k,in expensive !


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## NORM123

My 2nd bike when I was 19 was a '67 Bonny, bought brand new for about $1900 The bike started with the 1st kick, cold or warm, every time, and never, never a drop of oil! I think I dream more about that bike than my first girlfriend. (first bike was a Honda 250cc Scrambler, very dependable but wouldn't go 80mph if it was falling off a cliff) Since then I've had a number of different bikes, including 4 Harleys, but my true love will always be "Bonny"


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## eyecatcher

There appears to be a new triumph bike shop opened in Chiang Mai over the last few days; and i seem to think it said britbikes on the sign...but i was tear arsing along on my yamaha nuevo about to hit the bend on moonmuang to pay any real attention to it.
There was certainly a few big shiny machines there., and what a great business idea, well done to whoever they are.


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