Restored by Roger Jones, this 1966 Triumph TR6C is finished in blue with white fenders, a black frame, a black seat for two and a host of chrome and polished components. Introduced in 1956, the TR6 Trophy-Bird, playing off the Triumph Thunderbird name, was introduced to satisfy consumer thirst for larger-displacement motorcycles, especially in the U.S. market. Fitted with a 650cc, four-stroke, parallel-twin engine, the Trophy-Bird was hugely successful in desert competitions and evolved through the years, becoming more and more capable, all the while establishing various design trends, such as the harmonica tank badge and the later eyebrow badge among other nuances. The Trophy-bird name was shortened to just Trophy in 1961, and for 1966, U.S. models were coined TR6R and TR6C, the R denoting roadster, while the C indicated a competition guise. The early to mid-1960s were a sort of golden era for Triumph with a strong offering and little competition. They had style and performance, and Triumphs were known for being reasonably robust and reliable. But, competition, especially from Japan, was setting in, and Triumph had to act. What was needed most, according to customers and dealers, was a reliable electrical system, an electric starter, a front disc brake and a 5-speed transmission. In response to the demand, Triumph established Umberslade Hall, an engineering and technological think tank that focused most of its efforts on developing an oil-in- frame system to eliminate a proper oil tank. Sadly, this exercise put Triumph further behind the competition, and bikes like these TR6Cs would become a kind of benchmark bike from the brand for a long time. THE SOUTHWEST COLLECTION S168.1 1966 TRIUMPH TR6C
