SPIRIT OF THE SIXTIES   

Triumph TR6R 1969

Some classics are easy to recognise.  TRIUMPH's TR6R Tiger has all the key attributes.

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My wife Terttu with the Triumph TR6R on the Arctic Circle at midnight 23.06.2001.  Backround Tornioriver and Sweden.

During the Sixties the big Triumph was, for many, the motorcycle to own.  Looks, power and charisma - it had it all.  Can the TR6R "Tiger"still weave its magic in the new Millenium?  The 360 degree parallel twin designed by Edward Turner was one of the most signifigant developments of the Thirties.  Over 60 years later the basic parallel twin design, although much modified with balance shafts and ohc, is still in use.  The slim, relatively light, units have always delivered point and squirt power.

Restoration:

No bullshit, this means using the correct cadmium plate where some of restorers are tempted to use a brighter chrome finish. Boyer Bransden electronic ignition, an acknowledged improvement over standard is replaced on the bike with a traditional points set up.  Original Dunlop rims were chrome plated by Rauno Kalliokorpi.  I bought Tiger as a runnig condition, but with silencers sawn off.   Many original parts like exhaust pipes, silencers, tank badges were bought from Carl Rosner and Don Hitchcock of JA Hitchcock ans Son.  The complete engine - and I really do mean complete with  balanced crankshaft came to a total of 1500€.

                       
Above pictures of the restoration

           
Cylinder head and Big Bore Kit

Big Bore Kit installed 20.6.2005

The Tiger was 1.5.2000 ready to be started.  I ran the Tiger long enough to dircover that the Amal concentric carburettor needed adjusting.  Needle jet was thinner than the original.  I sent E-Mail to Carl Rosner, and he sent me a new needle,  jet and a gasket set of carburettor.  After fitting these parts, the Tiger started like a dream and the tickover was a joy to hear.

The TR6R was built for both performance and looks and it still has looks of "drop dead gorgeous" variety.  No surprises there, but is it still a street credible performer? Wind the throttle open and the bars wrench at your arms.  Clutch in, change up, clutch out and open the throttle and it happens again and again.  Compared with today´s siperbikes the Triumph´s 46 hp is nothing to write home about, but for some inexplicable reason the high performance British twin is still a master of the point and squirt game.  Handling is good for a Sixties machine, with modern tyres helping rider confidence and brakes are up to the standard of the period.  Despite being an almost 40 -year old motorcycle.  TR6R could easily cruise day in day out at Finnish motorway speeds.  Like most parallel twins fuel consumption is nothing special, although not too drastic either.  Hard use drops the figure to 45 mpg, but gentle rides are rewarded with over 60 mpg.

Gearbox side view of 1969 TR6R.  Even at rest, the Triumph looks fast.

                  
The instruments don´t interfere with the machine´s clean lines.

1969 Triumph TR6R was equipped with Amal Concentric carbs.  Intake strokes on Triumph´s twins are spaced 360 degrees apart, which means TR6R´s carburettor can only feed one cylinder at the time.  As far as the cylinders are concerned, there may aswell be two Amal carburettors-the only thing lost is a superchrging effect at high engine speeds.  One carb operates under almost constant flow conditions and at low and medium engine speeds should give better throttle response than a twin.  It should also give more kilometers to a litre.  Staying in tune better and isier starting are other benefits of one carb fitment.  And there is fewer parts to replace when things wear out.  You get off a modern bike and into a Triumph and the difference is amazing.  It is very manageable bike and produces its best power in the middle of the rev range, right where you want it, a squirt on the throttle sets the TR6R Tiger flying.   The Triumph sounds, handles and smells like the classic it is.

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Above midnight sun riding in north Lapland.  Pictures: 1.  and  2.  Karesuvanto, Backround jietariver and road to Norway.  3.  Karesuvanto kokkojärvi.  4.  Ketomella, road to Muonio.   5.  Pallastunturi at midnight.   6. At home.

Specification:

Model:    1969 Triumph TR6R
Engine:    649cc aircooled ohv 360 degree parallel twin.  Bore x stroke 71 x 82mm.  Compression 9,0:1.  Amal concentric carburettor.  Dry sump lubrication.
Transmission:    Wet multiplate clutch/chain primary drive.   Four speed gearbox.
Frame:    Single downtube with duplex engine gradle.   Telescopic fork with twin preload adjustable shocks.
Tyres:    3.25 x 19 front, 4.00 x 18 rear.
Brakes:    8 in twin leading shoe front, 7 in single leading shoe rear.
Performance:    46 bhp at 6500 rpm.  180 km/h.  Touring fuel consumption  4l/100km.

For me:  "performance + design + style + sound = Triumph TR6R Tiger.

E-Mail:  nasser@luukku.com

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