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Triumph Bonneville 750 T140 J Silver Jubilee

Never officially in Germany

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In 1977, Triumph celebrated the 25th anniversary of the throne of Queen Elizabeth II with the special model Triumph Bonneville 750 T140 J Silver Jubilee. Exactly 40 years later, two of these machines met, which officially never existed in Germany.

GStories that life writes: Rolf Jurgens has experienced a lot with his Triumph Bonneville 750. He bought it in Calgary / Canada in 2013, drove it through the Rocky Mountains for four and a half weeks, satisfied his wanderlust. Alone. It became clear that more, a real relationship between man and machine. Rolf brought the English lady to Germany: “She just has a soul.” Immediately after collecting it from customs, he presented it to the Triumph specialist Trumpet Classics in Stuttgart – proud of the silver paint with the decorations in blue, white and red, the decoration in the patriotic colors of the Union Jack.

Triumph Bonneville 750 T140 J Silver Jubilee

Never officially in Germany

Proud on wheels

Because it’s a very special Bonnie, a Triumph Bonneville 750 T140 J "Silver Jubilee" from 1977. On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s throne, the Meriden plant built 1,000 “strictly limited” copies of the special model for Great Britain , and another 1,000 for the US, and 400 went to Commonwealth countries. Only continental Europe was left out, sorry. There is no article in the extensive MOTORRAD archive about the Silver Jubilee, this royal expression of pride on two wheels. All the better is the material for a story, exactly 40 years later.

If you mess around, you stay here

Rolf had awarded his Triumph Bonneville 750 T140 J Silver Jubilee on the tour in Canada: "If you fool around, you stay here, if you behave well, I’ll take you home." She was good and was allowed to cross the pond. What Rolf didn’t know: Just 15 kilometers from the garage at home is a second Silver Jubilee, which never officially existed in Germany. A classified ad announced this: “Triumph Bonneville, 1977, Silver Jubilee, first hand, electronic ignition, double brake discs at the front, hydraulic clutch, progressive springs at the front and Koni at the rear: 7,700 euros, e-mail: brburrows @ freenet.de. ”What for a crazy coincidence.

So similar and yet so different

And so today both Bonnie owners stand together and talk about gasoline. Brian Burrows, the British, 69-year-old first owner, and Rolf, 57, an engineer from the Rhineland. Both Triumph drivers once worked at Daimler-Benz in the truck division without knowing each other. Their motorcycles are so similar and yet different: Rolf’s copy is technically and optically in much better condition at first glance. The chrome shines, the paint looks like new, the parallel twin is tight. The last known previous owner completely restored the Triumph Bonneville 750 T140 J Silver Jubilee. "When I bought it from a dealer in Canada, the newly installed speedometer only showed a good 3,000 miles since the restoration."

Rossen Gargolov

Blue-white-red: decor in the colors of the Union Jack – British patriotism on two wheels .

There are currently 7,033 miles on the clock, 11,318 kilometers. Tea Triumph Bonneville 750 T140 J Silver Jubilee sparkles like a gem under the southern German sun. “The first TÜV inspector was bothered by the lack of KBA embossing on the rear light. There was a brighter H4 headlight at the front instead of the dim Bilux lamp, ”explains Rolf. Brian also reports on "Theater with the TÜV". That was a long time ago: As a young man, the Army brought him to Germany, to East Westphalia. Then he found various jobs in Berlin, back in England and finally in Stuttgart, "the twin town of my hometown St. Helens". There he originally drove the Triumph.

"I’m not a cleaning and polishing devil"

The purchase contract from the dealer in Manchester for 1,159 British pounds is dated December 28, 1977. “I also drove in winter, there was hardly any snow in England.” In 40 years, Brian’s machine has accumulated a fair amount of patina, including real rust: “I’m not a cleaning and polishing devil. ”Current mileage: 39.915. A little oil is leaking from the cylinders here, light incontinence belongs to an old English woman. The same goes for classic bellows to protect the slim 35 mm fork tubes. But also cheap switches in handlebar fittings made of metal. In Brian’s Triumph Bonneville 750 T140 J Silver Jubilee, a toothed belt rotates under the chrome-plated primary case instead of the standard triplex roller chain. This specimen is characterized by the angular, around 20 liter tank with knee cushion: only the English version of the Silver Jubilee carried it. In contrast, Rolf has the US version with a small 12.4 liter drop tank. The mini fuel keg gave him problems on the tour through the second largest country in the world, but he never got stuck. Both Brit bikes carry the tall, curved US handlebars. The tall Brian retrofitted it: "It’s more comfortable for me." Series in England was a flatter handlebar.

Electric starter? Nothing!

"Extras" here and there are better-sounding, conical silencers in the style of Norton Roadster bags. “They top the engine running,” says Rolf. The starting procedure is as sublime as it is backward: turn the ignition key on the left in the headlight and open both fuel taps. Then the simple Amal slide carburetor type 930 dab like in the old days until the fuel runs out. And then bring the twin to life with a bold kick. Electric starter? Nothing! Hey, all of that back in 1977? Back then, Brian still believed the brand would survive. Both triumphs come on the first kick. The twin babbles pearly, sounds pithy, characteristic, full, but not obtrusive – real long-throw sound! You can also hear the elaborate engine mechanics, it was behind the times. After all, there is left gear and the brake pedal is on the right. Rolf still has a Honda CB 400 Four from 1979 as the first owner plus current bikes. He calls his Triumph Bonneville 750 T140 J Silver Jubilee a "rough block", with which he would hardly have fallen in 1977. Today this mechanical anachronism has grown dear to him. The 750 weighs 197 kilos and is very easy to drive: “I have a lot of fun with the Bonnie. Admirers come at every stop, ”says Rolf happily. "My wife loves it too, the thickly padded bench is very comfortable for two." Its cover is dark blue with red piping and Silver Jubilee lettering.

Sitting position is relaxed

Now set the Lucas indicator and off you go. The pistons running in parallel hammer properly in their cast iron bushings. Brian’s Triumph Bonneville 750 T140 J Silver Jubilee shows vibration cracks in metal fenders and H-plates. The 750 series offers a lot of character and great experience. The twin hangs softly and elastically on the gas, comes nice and powerful from below. He chugs smoothly and completely relaxed with 2,000 turns. Shift speed 3,000, and the day is your friend. Born in the 1950s as an athlete and rebel, the engine matured with dignity to become an elder statesman. The sitting position is very relaxed. Everything is inspiring. The hands in the chrome-plated Smiths watches tremble happily.

Rossen Gargolov

Love at first kick: There is no such thing as an e-starter. There are plenty of references to the strictly limited series from 1977.

Brian retrofitted a second Grimeca brake disc. That brakes really well now. Rolfs Triumph Bonneville 750 T140 J Silver Jubilee has a new clutch for this. Both bikes now have metric tires in dimensions 100 / 90-19 and 110 / 90-18 on their spoked wheels instead of the former Dunlop TT in inch format: British Avon Venom-X from Brian, German Continental Classic Attack from Rolf. For long tours, Brian still owns a BMW R 80/7 with around 250,000 kilometers on the clock and a Triton Cafe Racer with a 650 Triumph twin in a 1954 Norton duvet frame. Both Triumph drivers get parts in England – or from Trumpet in Stuttgart.

Defiant, backward and hints of megalomania

Brian holds the "Certificate of Ownership" like a trophy. This certificate was added to the Limited Edition in 1977. “Bike and Queen are still around.” She just celebrated her 65th anniversary on the throne. Brian sells the Triumph Bonneville 750 T140 J Silver Jubilee “without melancholy” for health reasons. The closing words now go to Hans-Jorg Gotzl, editor-in-chief of Motor Klassik, owner of a 750cc Triumph: “Bonneville – no other motorcycle embodies the British Empire as much as she does: she is defiant, backward and shows hints of megalomania. But she is also lovable, always eager and always very entertaining. You either love them or you hate them. ”Brian and Rolf recommend the former! 

Of course.

Technical specifications

Triumph Bonneville 750 Silver Jubilee (US version)

  • engine: Airstream-cooled, transversely installed two-cylinder four-stroke in-line engine, two valves per combustion chamber, operated via two camshafts below, bumpers and rocker arms, bore x stroke 76 x 82 mm, displacement 744 cm³, compression 7.9: 1, output 48.4 HP at 6,500 rpm, 56.7 Nm at 5,500 rpm
  • Power transmission: Multi-disc oil bath clutch, five-speed gearbox, chain drive 
  • landing gear: Double-loop tubular steel frame, hydraulically damped telescopic fork at the front (Ø 35 mm), gas struts, spring travel front / rear: 155/88 mm, wire-spoke wheels with steel rims, tires front / rear 4.10 H 19 / 4.10 H 18, disc brakes front and rear (Ø each 254 mm), handlebar width 745 mm
  • mass and weight: Wheelbase 1,422 mm, weight with a full tank approx. 197 kg, tank capacity 12.4 liters 
  • Top speed: about 177 km / h

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