Hyde’s record-breaker

Triumph motorcycles is 120 years old this year – but there’s another notable Trumpet anniversary too. It’s fifty years since Norman Hyde drove his Roadrunner III sidecar outfit to 161.8mph at RAF Fairford, fast enough to give him the World Sidecar Land Speed Record, which he then held for more than 35 years.

Hyde was a development engineer at the Meriden factory at the time, so was just the man to build a Triumph engine for the job. He started with a Trident motor, taking the capacity out to 831cc and bolting on a supercharger.

Roadrunner III joined the National Motorcycle Museum’s collection in the 1980s, but was severely damaged in a catastrophic fire in 2003. Fortunately the aluminium bodywork, handmade by Don Woodward, was in storage at the time and survived. The bike itself was painstakingly restored by Don’s brother, John, and Roadrunner III is now back on permanent display in the museum.

Norman Hyde will be making an appearance at the Museum on 24 September, 50 years to the day since he broke the record. The Triumph Owners’ Motor Cycle Club is organising a ridein, with a concours competition for member’s bikes judged by Hyde. He will give a talk about his death-defying high speed ride on three wheels, followed by a question and answer

Anniversary exhibition for Hyde’s record breaker

session and will also be signing original Triumph postcards, made to commemorate the achievement, to raise funds for Prostate Cancer UK. www.nationalmotorcyclemuseum.co.uk

TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLEowning top brass at the British Motor Museum, Gaydon, Warwickshire, have introduced a dedicated motorcycle exhibition for the first time in the museum’s 29-year history.

Triumph Daytonas are the theme, with 16 examples on display, from the 1967 Percy Tait 500 works racer twin, to the last made so far by Triumph of Hinckley, Leicestershire, in 2020.

The display bikes have been supplied by Triumph and the world’s leading Triumph collector, Dick Shepherd, who fired up his 1966 Daytona 200-mile race winner (rider Buddy Elmore) and a 2017 prototype Moto2 triple to give the press launch a high decibel fanfare. Daytonas roar The Daytona display runs until October, when it will be superseded into Gaydonby a general Triumph exhibition celebrating 120 years of the marque.

Museum MD Jeff Coope, owner of three Hinckley Triumphs, said: “This museum is the world’s focal point for British automotive heritage on two, three, four and more wheels, and we have major development plans for expansion, including more exhibition buildings and an onsite hotel.” Even though the museum has always had a sprinkling of motorcycles on display and has been hosting the Banbury Run since 2008, the Daytona exhibition is a significant step in embracing the British motorcycle industry. Coope and chairman of the museum board of trustees Kevin Timms, also a Hinckley Triumph owner, wouldn’t be drawn on future motorcycle content at Gaydon. However, the twinkle in their eyes suggests that the two-wheel element is now firmly on the British

British Motor Museum MD Jeff Coope with the 1967 Percy Tait works Triumph 500. Meriden factory Daytonas ran from 1967 to 1974, Hinckley Daytona production from 1991-2020

Triumph collector Dick Shepherd fires up the 1966 Daytona 200-mile race winner which inspired the Daytona Triumph series. Next to Motor Museum grid. it, his 2017 Moto2 triple was also The Daytona has played a fired up. major role in Hinckley Triumph’s remarkable sales success. Hinckley Triumph (launched Cologne 1990) sold its one-millionth motorcycle in 2021. Annual world sales now exceed 80,000 and Triumph has more than 750 dealers worldwide, including 48 in the UK.