The motorcycling goose that laid all the Golden Eggs was a man by the name of Edward Turner. For all those who throw a leg over old British Iron, much thanks for the emotive experience it has become to us is due to Mr Turner. He not only was innovative, but a saviour of the British Motorcycle Industries' Golden age.
In 1927 he built his first complete motorcycle, The Turner Special, with a 350cc OHC mill at a time when the norm was side-valved flatheads. From that point in time he saved nearly every British Motorcycle company in one way or another with his radical designs.
What he will always be most famous for was his return to Triumph in 1944 and the greatest modern example of alchemy. Triumph we're sliding down Bankruptcy Mountain as BSA, using one of Turner's designs no less, were at the summit. The alchemist picked out a design he originally pitched in 1939 and threw it over the drawing board.
Turner gave Triumph the Speed Twin.
The design stayed in production till the Meridian plant shut in 1983. This design's most famous form came in the shape of the world's most famous motorcycle. The Bonneville. The engineers at Triumph had to design the Bonneville in secret, due to the surprising issue, Turner detested motorcycle racing and racing replica motorcycles. Their secret design, completely based upon Turner's Speed Twin, was taken out to the Bonneville Salt Flats, breaking every record in it's class. Thus giving the Triumph secret machine it's name, Bonneville.
Turner thought, "this hot 650" would ruin Triumph, but due to his design, it saved the ailing company once again.
It's nice to know history is still heartfelt, and that we embrace good ideas. As every time you see a new Hinckely built Bonneville, you can look down on the familiar twin and think, "ahhh Mr Turner made that..."
1959 T120 Bonneville
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