Triton motorcycle
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The Triton was a modified Cafe racer motorcycle of the 1960s-1970s. The name derives from a contraction of Triumph and Norton; the two brands of motorcycle combined.
The intention was to combine the best elements of each to give a superior bike to either. The usual practice was to take the Triumph parallel twin engine and use it to replace the engine on a Norton "featherbed" framed motorcycle that was regarded as the best handling motorcycle of the day. The Triumph Bonnevilles engine that already had twin carburettors was a popular engine choice. This engine, as well as other Triumph twin-cylinder engines, gave good performance and reliability and could be easily tuned for greater power by the addition of high-profile camshafts, high compression pistons and twin carburettors or fuel injectors amongst the more common power contributing modifications. There was also a Weslake 8 valve head available for the Triumph.
The Norton 650 and 750 vertical twin engines had a reliability problem. At about 7000rpm the piston exceeds the engineering limit for piston speed, so over-revvers soon destroyed their engines. The BSA 650 had a bronze bush main bearing on the right hand side, doubling as the crank oil feed, with a lack of effective crankshaft end play control, that all had difficulty staying together when thrashed, even though the rest of the design was possibly better than the Triumph. The Triumph vertical twin used a ball on the timing side, and a roller on the other, with the oil feeding through a separate bronze bush in the outer right hand engine side cover. The Triumph was the pick of the bunch.
If the Triton used a pre-unit Triumph motor, then the AMC gearbox used in Nortons after 1960 was better than the equivalent Triumph gearbox. There was also the Quaife five speed.
Several motorcycle dealers made equipment for Triton conversions, some would do the complete job for customers while others sold complete Tritons. The most important part required are the engine mounting plates and several different designs exist that can affect the engine placement and therefore the handling. The lower the engine is mounted the better the handling achieved from the Norton frame.
The Tribsa, an alternative to the Triton, was a Triumph engine in a BSA frame but other frame and engine combinations were also made.
Vincent V twin motors have also been squeezed into featherbed frames to make a Norvin.
No matter which of the above you were building, you would want the Norton Roadholder front forks.
[edit] External links
- Ace Cafe, London Cafe Racer
- Building a Triton in your kitchen
- Realclassic 1959 T100 Triton
- the Bike Shed's 1955 Triton
- The 1960's Dream Machine
- Dresda Autos Triton Builders
- Return of the Cafe Racers
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