Description
This is a unique opportunity to purchase a real “one of a kind” motorcycle, as I am currently “considering” parting with my beautiful 68-year-old 1955 “Marlon Brando” style Triumph Tiger T110 motorcycle, but only if I am convinced that it will be going to a good home and be ridden by an enthusiast who will take good care of it and will love it as much as I have!
It has full supporting documentary evidence, and its (2 owner) buff logbook.
This motorcycle has its original correct (1956 Warrington issued) registration number, confirming its matching frame and engine numbers.
Its updated DVLA registration document (V5C) confirms it as now being recorded as a “Historic Vehicle” and as such it no longer requires an MOT and the VED Road Tax is ZERO £ per year.
Unlike the majority of Tiger T110’s of the era, it does not sport the more common “shell blue sheen” colour scheme, instead she is finished in the rarer livery of the Triumph “Blackbirds” of the day, being gloss black and gold.
In recent years this motorcycle has had a newly powder coated rear carrier with a “Givi” top box bracket fitted. NB: a top box is NOT included.
A sealed battery (not lead acid) with an Optimate charge lead has been fitted and as additional safety/ security measures, two very discreet LED DRL’s (daytime running lights), new chrome mirrors, a hidden ignition/ isolator switch and also a specially adapted original “Britax” full size chrome engine bar (see photos) displaying a genuine TOMCC (Triumph Owners Motor Cycle Club) badge and an extremely rare and original 1956 AA flat motorcycle badge.
Back in 2012 all of the bike’s details, along with detailed colour photographs were submitted to my insurers, who placed an “Agreed Value” on the bike at £8, 500. Rather remiss of me, but this valuation figure has remained unaltered and has never been updated since, despite the obvious appreciation of Classic Vehicles over the last 11 years and also despite the additional equipment added and the monies that have been spent on it since.
This is a very reluctant sale brought about by a combination of increasing age, the realisation that the bike is no longer being displayed and or taken on Club runs and the inevitability of some rather expensive private medical costs looming on the horizon. With such provenance and history this unique machine has to be worth every penny of its asking price, however, very importantly - I really need to know that it is going to an enthusiast and to a good home.
Two of the display photos show the bike in the lovely condition that it has remained in since my ownership, one is a close up the “Britax” engine bars and engine, two of the photos (sporting engine bar badges and rear carrier) were taken in recent years on Club runs and another two were taken just a couple of days ago of the unveiled bike in the garage. A video of the bike running was also taken on 5th Oct 2023, but at 27. 2mb it may be too large a file size to include/ transmit.
This bike is extremely comfortable to ride and has always run like a dream, you will certainly not be disappointed. This T110 motorcycle left Triumphs factory in July 1955 to go to a Motorcycle dealers in Warrington, it was actually sold and registered in January 1956.
With only two owners in the buff logbook, it doesn’t appear to have been used very much and as such it was never actually registered on the DVLA’s, then (early 1970’s) “new” computerised system. It was purchased in the 1970’s by an enthusiast (a brilliant Triumph engineer) and it remained in his collection until around 1998/ 1999 when he decided to completely rebuild it to his extremely high standards (full details available). Thereafter, even after its full refurbishment it was displayed and ridden privately and to the best of my knowledge never actually officially used on public roads.
After years of drooling over it, in 2012, I was lucky enough to be able to purchase the bike from this private collection. DVLA confirmed that the original registration number (as per the buff logbook) was still available, because it had never been entered into their computer system and that they were thus happy to allow its subsequent official recovery and the issue a new style V5C registration document, subject to receipt of all the necessary proof of authenticity.
As per DVLA’s requirements, when reclaiming its original registration number in 2012 the bike was subjected to a thorough inspection and a full MOT.
The Odometer Reading, (thought to be its original mileage) was 8, 402 miles.
The last full service of this bike was only carried out only some 145 miles ago, at 8, 767 miles. The oil tank was drained, the gauze filter was inspected (as expected it as clean as a whistle) and the additional “canister” after market oil filter (WIX WL7101) was replaced with a new fresh filter (a FTechnic ST2439).
The sump plate was removed to drop the remaining engine oil and the internal block magnet thoroughly inspected. The oil was clean and of excellent viscosity and, as expected, there were absolutely no signs of any particles, metallic or otherwise, given the bike’s spotless major engine rebuild.
The engine and oil tank were replenished with fresh Morris Golden Film SAE 20/ 50 engine oil and confirmation of healthy circulating oil established with the engine running. The gearbox was also drained and re-filled with Morris Golden Film SAE50 and the Primary Chaincase drained and filled with ¼ pint of fresh Comma ATF.
The bike has not travelled many miles since, as most of the time it has remained covered with a blanket and securely cossetted in a dry and warm (carpeted) garage. It was mainly taken out and ridden only in good weather for Club runs and/ or ridden to several Classic Motorcycle displays, and shows.
Thus the current mileage is only 510 miles more, at 8, 912 miles.
In June 2018 after being let down by a collapsed battery on a more modern classic and not wanting to miss a pre-organised run, I wheeled out the T110 and old faithful started first kick (despite not having been run for some 3 years).
With 4ltrs of fresh fuel (and fuel additive added at 8, 856 miles) before the run, she ran like an absolute dream until returned to the garage some 56 miles later.
The next time the engine ran was when it was brought out of the garage in 2021 for inspection and cleaning and once again, unbelievably, she started after a couple of prods of the kick start (despite having old fuel within the tank, again protected by fuel the additive).
As a recent update:- a couple of days ago I wheeled this beauty out of the garage, turned the fuel tap on and tickled the carb and once again, unbelievably (without fresh fuel), this wonderful machine started, first prod of the kick start, making the thought of parting with it even more difficult! Such reliability is a real testament to the very skilled Triumph specialist who completely rebuilt it.
You will not be disappointed
