Bike:1969 Triumph Thruxton Bonneville
Owner: David Haydon
Hometown: Abbotsford, British Columbia
Occupation: Auto mechanic
Etc.: A confirmed Triumph man, Haydon also owns a rare short-stroke, Hinckley-built 1995 750cc Trident.
Haydon was living in Canada when he heard about the Thruxton through an England-based buddy. It had been stored for some time and needed some TLC. As an auto mechanic, this prospect held no fear for him. He’s made several modifications to the Thruxton, mostly to make it more streetable: like installing stock 9:1 pistons instead of the racing 11:1 versions, and replacing the close-ratio gears with a standard set.
“I haven’t added to it, mostly subtracted from it,” he says. “The CR gearbox was really impractical for any city work.”
So what’s the Thruxton like to ride?
“I always describe it as a bit like riding a motorized skateboard. The suspension’s a little hard, and of course that seat … I guess it’s just harder on me now than when I first got it!
“It’s been entertaining owning it. It’s not like you see another one every day. And I think the thing I hear most that makes me chuckle is, ‘I didn’t know they made Dunstall Triumphs.'”
Read more about this motorcycle:
• Triumph Thruxton Bonneville
