Triton
Bespoke pre-unit Triumph twin in slimline Norton “Featherbed” frame
Frame number: 393010
Engine number: TR6C 029404
The most revered motorcycle chassis in the 1950s and early 1960s was the McCandless brothers’ “Featherbed” Norton frame. This frame provided the racing Manx Norton with legendary handling and it became the bike to beat on tracks like the Isle of Man. But the Manx Norton was never road legal, so street riders seeking to emulate the Manx’ supreme performance took a production Norton frame and fitted it with a more suitable Triumph pre-unit twin cylinder engine. The result was the “Triton;” a contraction of “Norton” and “Triumph.
Back in the 1960s café racers were for those who wanted to ride fast short duration bursts to the next café. It began as a British phenomenon; café racers mimicking real road racers and they were generally homebuilt specials. With low clip-on handlebars and rear-set footpegs the most popular café racers were Tritons. This Triton was built by Geoff Knott over a four-year period from 2004, and completed in 2009. It began life as an incomplete 1960 slimline Featherbed Norton Model 50 single purchased from Jon Munn of Classic Cycles in Seaford. The engine is based on a 1961 Triumph TR6C, fitted with a NOS T140 crankshaft with NOS short con-rods. These are 22mm shorter than stock, but considerably stronger, and required 11mm shaved from the 750cc Morgo barrels. The crank runs in superblend roller bearings. The forged 10:1 racing pistons are from Sonny Routt while the cylinder head is the improved 1971 Bonneville type. This combined 1970 porting developed from the racing Daytona and Bonneville while retaining screw in inlet manifolds and a stronger internal bolt arrangement. The camshafts half race 1970 profile with R profile cam followers. With a pair of rubber mounted Amal 32mm Mark 2 smoothbore carbs and Amours swept back exhaust system with reverse cone megaphones, the engine gives smooth power throughout the range but really kicks in at 4,000rpm. Other bespoke components include a longer stroke oil pump, this fitted with an oil pressure switch, and Norton Commando spin-on oil filter. The primary cases are from a pre-unit BSA, machined to accept a Tony Hayward belt drive and Norton Commando diaphragm clutch. The gearbox is five-speed T140 with a T160 kickstart. A Kirby Rowbotham electronic ignition with Boyer module and negative earth solid state rectifier took care of the electrics.
Aircraft grade Dural engine plates supported this engine in the slimline Featherbed frame. This also included Manx style solid swingarm bushes. A pair of Marzocchi shocks complemented the short Norton Roadholder front fork, this fitted with Molnar Manx dampers and springs, solid billet alloy triple clamps, a Norman Hyde fork brace and Rickman style front guard. The front brake is a modified four-leading shoe Grimeca. Bespoke oil and fuel tanks were built by Bernie Willets, these with an aircraft fuel filler and side oil filler. The paint is by legendary Melbourne bike painter Roy Bogner and the seat an American Corbin.
With more than 300 hours spent making bespoke parts and assembly, this Triton is a superb example of a modern take of the 1960s British café racer. Beautifully presented, it is ready to ride and enjoy.
This bike had previously been registered by Geoff Knott on the Victorian Club Permit Scheme.
To view high resolution images of the motorcycles, please follow the below Dropbox link;
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/n5bcjb2nuoc16t4y3k5hs/h?dl=0&rlkey=exyqlbxilyvv4n3ue8jmppkbx
This motorcycle is sold unregistered.
