Triumph TR5 Trophy
Triumph TR5 Trophy Background & History
The Triumph TR5 Trophy was in production from 1949 through 1958, the last year before unit-construction hit the Triumph 500 line. The TR5 Trophy did not survive the transition. However, it had a rich life as an off-road trials bike in Europe and in desert racing in the US, which morphed into motocross. In fact, US-bound bikes got several components from the Triumph Tiger 100 parts bin to optimize them for desert competition. Desert racing was booming in the US, particularly in the American Southwest, focused largely between Los Angeles and Las Vegas and Triumph was well-established in this market. They'd already gained a solid reputation for building fast, reliable, great-handling bikes, and this reputation was growing. By the end of the decade, the Triumph TR6 would be the undisputed king of American desert racing.
This 1952 Triumph TR5 Trophy was really a stripped-down dirt bike that was 'technically' street legal. However, the headlight was made to be quickly removable for off road duty.
Triumph TR5 Trophy Features
The Triumph TR5 Trophy was based on the 500cc Triumph 5T Speed Twin, stripped of most of its street gear (however sporting a clever quickly-removable headlight), got an all-alloy top end (cylinder block and heads) and a trick 2-into-1 exhaust that ran high along the left side of the bike. In 1949 when the Triumph TR5 Trophy was first built, all of Triumph’s bikes used cylinder blocks and heads made of cast iron. It was almost revolutionary to cast an entire top end out of aluminum in 1949, but Triumph did it. A shame it didn’t trickle down to the rest of the Triumph line. Early machines got a rigid frame with a sprung seat, with swing arm rear suspension arriving in 1953.
The Triumph TR5 Trophy was unique among Triumph's for it's all-aluminum top end, both barrels and heads.
Triumph TR5 Trophy 'Square Barrels'
This was Triumph’s first-ever alloy cylinder head, and of their only alloy cylinder blocks on a motorcycle. But not their first, overall. Like everyone else in industry at the time, Triumph was required to end all civilian production in 1940 to make war supplies. Among these, Triumph supplied generator motors to the British military that were based on their 500cc motorcycle designs, with one exception: an all-alloy top end, done in the interest of saving weight. But they also carried the added advantage of improved cooling, since aluminum transfers and dissipates heat much more efficiently than cast iron. Some modification was required to adapt the generator motor cylinder heads to the Triumph TR5 Trophy, hence 1949 and 1950 models have a square shape to them, which was because of its generator application, which the public quickly named ‘square barrels’. But in 1951, the entire engine was updated and new alloy heads were cast with a more elegant shape, but with a finer pitch on the cooling fins (meaning there are more of them and they’re closer together). As Triumph twins go, the TR5 Trophy has perhaps the most unique engine of the lot.
This 1952 Triumph TR5 Trophy was the last year for the rigid frame. The only rear suspension was in the sprung seat.
Triumph TR5 Trophy Racing Cred
The name ‘Trophy’ resulted from the three ‘factory specials’ that Triumph built for the Italian International Six Day Trial in 1948. They won three gold medals and the manufacturers team trophy, all done on the Triumph TR5. When production of the Triumph TR5 Trophy wrapped up in 1958, Triumph didn’t use the ‘Trophy’ name again until 1969 when it was applied to the 650cc Triumph TR6, and also used on the 500cc Triumph TR5T Trophy Trial in 1973. The TR5T was very competitive as an off-road racer, garnering the British team gold medals and a 2nd place overall at the 1973 ISDT competition held in the all-important US market. The modern Hinkley Triumph company has resurrected the name as well, using it on their Trophy 900 and 1200 models.
This 1955 Triumph TR5 Trophy shows the neat 2-into-1 side pipe, unique to this model.
In 1953, the movie “The Wild One” was released and became an instant cultural icon, thanks largely to a young Marlon Brando’s portrayal of rebellious Johnny Strabler. Clad in black leather, and never smiling, Brando rode through the picture on an all-black Triumph 6T Thunderbird, which was quickly nicknamed the “Blackbird”, which certainly garnered many sales for Triumph. One of them was to a young actor known as James Dean. But he didn’t buy a 650 Thunderbird. Instead he bought a 1955 Triumph TR5 Trophy (VIN TR559196) in shell blue, just like the bike above and below.
The same 1955 Triumph TR5 Trophy from the other side nicely shows the new swing arm rear suspension and shock absorbers (the Brits called them dampers).
Triumph TR5 Trophy Books
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