Timeline
– 1902 to today
The roots of Triumph motorcycles go way back to the late 19th century when founding entrepreneur, Siegfried Bettmann, settled in Coventry, England and capitalised on a ripe English bicycle market. Bicycles soon became motorcycles and the evolution of one of the most famous names in motorcycling had begun.
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1900'S
In 1902 the first motorcycle emerged from Triumph’s Coventry works. Known since as ‘No 1’, it was essentially a strengthened bicycle with a 2.25bhp Minerva engine hung from the front down tube. Drive was via a belt from the engine’s crankshaft to the rear wheel while the bicycle’s pedals, chain and crank were retained. Schulte chose the Belgian-made Minerva engine simply as a matter of quality – he was a perfectionist and, at that time, the cutting edge of internal combustion technology was coming out of continental Europe.
Schulte now concentrated on refining and developing this machine and while other manufacturers tried to move too quickly, Triumph kept on a consistent path of evolution, always proving their machines.
Engine capacity grew as the years clicked on and by 1908 the Triumph engine was displacing 476cc, putting out 3.5bhp and came equipped with a ‘variable pulley’ to deal with difficult inclines. An Isle of Man TT win (with Jack Marshal at the handlebars) the same year further underlined Triumph’s reliability and road worthiness. As was said at the time, ‘Eight Triumph’s started, and eight finished…’