Triumph Gone, But Not Forgotten

A reader talks about the 1978 Triumph T140V that he wishes he never sold for a Bonneville chopper.

Reader Contribution by Randy Lambert
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by Randy Lambert
Randy Lambert’s 1978 T140.

I am a longtime subscriber to Motorcycle Classics. I currently ride a 2017 Triumph Bobber and I really dig the torque of that engine! I have had many bikes over the last 43 years, including a Yamaha Radian which I really liked a lot. It was a good looking machine. I also had a 1989 Sporty which fit my 5-foot-7-inch frame just right. Somewhere along the way though, I really got into Brit bikes. I’ve had four Bonnevilles including my Bobber. The one I wish I’d never sold was my 1978 T140V. I kept it stock after buying it from the original owner who had only put 2,000 miles on it from new until I bought it in 1993! It was always a one- or two-kick starter and never once gave me any mechanical or electrical problems in the seven years I owned it, and I put a lot of miles on it riding with my club!

If you can believe it, I swapped it straight up for a 1963 Bonneville chopper. It was the most uncomfortable and vibratory torture machine I ever straddled! After I came to my senses, I got a 2003 Bonneville and eventually my current Bobber. I sure miss that ’78. It was a smart looking, hairy-chested machine! I enjoy the magazine immensely so keep up the great work!

Randy Lambert/Fort Worth, Texas

Randy,

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