1969 Triumph Trident & 1969 BSA Rocket 3 – $27,000 CDN
INTERNATIONAL SALE
SELLER SAYS: Original condition Trident and Rocket 3. Both have Campbells silencers and the Rocket 3 has been painted, other than that original. Trident was running last year, Rocket 3 has been stored correctly for 6 years in a heated garage. Both are numbers matching and are fantastic survivors that will need minimal fettling and tyres to be roadworthy again. Price INCLUDES shipping. Contact Kevin at taybrig@shaw.ca (British Columbia, Canada).
EDITOR TERLICK SAYS: It’s hard to come up with a more important period in motorcycle history than the dying days of the 1960s, thanks in no small part to the Honda CB750, Norton Commando, BSA Rocket 3, and Triumph Trident.
Chronologically, the Commando arrived first in 1968, followed by the BSA and Triumph and then the Honda. All three represented rolls of the dice — the Commando for abandoning the featherbed frame and introducing a rubber-mounted engine to fight vibration, the BSA and Trident for daring to go out to three cylinders, and the Honda for creating a new standard of smoothness and civility with its in-line four-cylinder engine and disc brakes.
There is no doubt the Honda won the sales war, dominating the market to such an extent that it pretty much knocked the other three out of the park. But as the years have passed, history has become increasingly kind to the three Brits. A combination of rarity – relative to the Honda, at least – and recognition that the Norton, BSA and Triumph were wonderful machines in their own right has resulted in all four now sharing admiration.
The two bikes we have here, being offered as a package from one of our regular sellers in Canada, present a most unusual opportunity. Very original – you’ll quickly notice the carbs and exhausts I’m sure – they would be a brilliant start or addition to a collection of history’s most important motorcycles.
And for those who are wondering, $27,000 CDN is a bit over $30,000 AUD and yes, the price is for both bikes and includes shipping.
