Trophy Trail 500 (TR5T)

[Mr Mike]

In the Jan/Feb issue of Motorcycle Classics there was an article on the TR5T. The bike was an attempt to capture some US market with a dual purpose bike in 1973. The bike is basically a Triumph twin 500, single carb that is bolted into a B50 frame with a few minor modifications to the frame. It looks like it has the B50 front and rear suspension and what looks like a conical brake up front and rear. 21 inch front wheel and 18 inch rear. Not a lot of these bikes were made as they were not as powerful as the 650 "desert sleds" used in desert racing back then. It is listed at 30 HP and weighs 350 lbs and has a small seat (not solo and not dual). By 1973, lighter and more powerful 2 strokes were dominating off road competions. Anyway I was unaware that this bike was a Triumph in a BSA chassis.

I guess my question are these: (1) Would a 650 twin carb motor drop in as easily as they claim the 500 did? (2) Has anyone done this and sprocketed it for highway use?

Mr Mike

[Ian Hingley]

Hi Mike

There were known as Triumph Advernturers over here in UK. Couldn't compete at the time, as you say, but a bit of a cult bike now. Quite fancy one myself!

My brother rides Triumphs and reckons the 500 and 650 engines are in no way a straight swap!

[Richard Hunt]

Mike

I am of a similar opinion as Ian. A friend has an Adventurer and the engine looks a tight fit in the frame (in different places to B50 ). Looking at my 650 Bonnie engine, that has bigger crank cases etc than the 500, so I would guess there would have to be some alterations to the frame to make it fit.

No experience of this though, all supposition

Rich

[Richard Hunt]

Mike

Just another thought, Triumph have had that 500 engine in a few forms and tuned/geared accordingly. It might be easier to alter/tune a 500 than fit a 650.

On the other hand, will an A65 engine fit keeping it a

Rich

[Who]

But why?
If theres little more power there is also more weight and I dont think its more beatifull eather.

[Mr Mike]

Thanks for the input guys. I was unaware that such a bike existed and it DID catch my fancy. I have many miles of National Forest land with many trails nearby. Of course making my B50SS or my B44SS into a dual purpose would probably be easier but you know that us guys that run around on 40 year old motorcycles have always been at the edges of the mainstream. I was just thinking of the possibliites. One never knows what we may run into at a swap meet. I was out in Colorado on vacation, about 2500 miles from home some years ago, andcame home an A65L in the back of my truck. We are not to be trusted.

Mr Mike

[B25Daytona]

Hi,

If you are interested (as my username suggests I am also), these guys build up quite a few out of new or reconditioned parts. I was looking at using the TR5 exhaust for my B25/T100 and they were very helpful, telling me where they get them (Armours in UK) and how nasty they were to fit....

http://www.dcclassicmotorcycles.co.uk/4 ... st_all.asp

B25Daytona

[Richard Hunt]

I am told that this bike came about for the British ISDT team that Ken Heanes managed/put together in 1973. Apparently it was very successful in this role. There would have been differences from the Adventurer like canvas side panels to save weight and a gas bottle to pump the tyres up etc.

One of the bikes in the team was a Husky