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TRIUMPH T120C Bonneville (1963-65) Competition Sports PARTS (USA)
TRIUMPH T120C Bonneville (1963-65) Competition Sports PARTS (USA)
Production Years: 1963 to 1965
The T120C Competition Sports was introduced in pre-unit form as a cross-country variant of the T120R US Triumph Bonneville with off-road capability, based on a specification derived from the Trophy competition bikes which had achieved widespread success during the Fifties. These scramblers were fitted with high pipes and less restrictive, smaller mufflers; a crankcase undershield; and Dunlop Trials Universal tyres.
In 1963 when the unit engined Bonneville was introduced, a stripped down version of the Competition Sports was developed to meet US demand for an off-road racer, intended primarily for US TT steeplechase events (dirt track races around an irregular course with a jump). Initially distributed to the US West Coast only, where it also received some popularity as a desert racer, from March 1963 it was shipped to the East Coast distributors too. This machine, with no lighting, open pipes and higher compression pistons quickly received the name "TT Special". Over 3,900 TT Specials ("T120C" until mid-way into the 1966 model year when "T120TT" replaced the "T120C" serial number) were produced over their 5 year production period.
The unit T120C Competition Sports was manufactured in much smaller quantities between 1963 - 65 only, with a total of just 185 machines being built over this 3 year period, making them one of the rarest Bonneville variants made. Most of the ones in circulation left the factory as TT Specials with higher compression pistons, ET batteryless ignition and no lighting but have been restored to look like Competition Sports (often because of a widespread, erroneous belief popular among many restorers that East Coast T120Cs were scramblers with lighting and West Coast ones were stripped down racers - this was not the case, the T120C Competition Sports and the T120C TT were two different variants). All but two - in 1963, shipped to Mexico - went to TriCor, the East Coast Distributors. They had a similar specification to the pre-unit T120Cs (and the TR7B) as described above, with the addition of a top yoke with raised handlebar mounts, front forks with heavy duty springs and longer hydraulic dampers and 18 tooth gearbox sprockets (19T on the T120R, 17T - usually - on the TT Special).
The model in the photograph is a genuine Competition Sports, shipped to TriCor as one of a batch of 20 built in late September 1964 (the first 1965 "B" Range model was built on 7th August 1964). It is a very original, low mileage, 2 owner bike. It's missing the front styling strips on the tank, has later model headlamp holders and its enduro-style VDO speedo (possibly fitted by TriCor) was replaced by the former owner with a standard Smiths 150mph magnetic. Tachos were an optional extra
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Production Years: 1963 to 1965
The T120C Competition Sports was introduced in pre-unit form as a cross-country variant of the T120R US Triumph Bonneville with off-road capability, based on a specification derived from the Trophy competition bikes which had achieved widespread success during the Fifties. These scramblers were fitted with high pipes and less restrictive, smaller mufflers; a crankcase undershield; and Dunlop Trials Universal tyres.
In 1963 when the unit engined Bonneville was introduced, a stripped down version of the Competition Sports was developed to meet US demand for an off-road racer, intended primarily for US TT steeplechase events (dirt track races around an irregular course with a jump). Initially distributed to the US West Coast only, where it also received some popularity as a desert racer, from March 1963 it was shipped to the East Coast distributors too. This machine, with no lighting, open pipes and higher compression pistons quickly received the name "TT Special". Over 3,900 TT Specials ("T120C" until mid-way into the 1966 model year when "T120TT" replaced the "T120C" serial number) were produced over their 5 year production period.
The unit T120C Competition Sports was manufactured in much smaller quantities between 1963 - 65 only, with a total of just 185 machines being built over this 3 year period, making them one of the rarest Bonneville variants made. Most of the ones in circulation left the factory as TT Specials with higher compression pistons, ET batteryless ignition and no lighting but have been restored to look like Competition Sports (often because of a widespread, erroneous belief popular among many restorers that East Coast T120Cs were scramblers with lighting and West Coast ones were stripped down racers - this was not the case, the T120C Competition Sports and the T120C TT were two different variants). All but two - in 1963, shipped to Mexico - went to TriCor, the East Coast Distributors. They had a similar specification to the pre-unit T120Cs (and the TR7B) as described above, with the addition of a top yoke with raised handlebar mounts, front forks with heavy duty springs and longer hydraulic dampers and 18 tooth gearbox sprockets (19T on the T120R, 17T - usually - on the TT Special).
The model in the photograph is a genuine Competition Sports, shipped to TriCor as one of a batch of 20 built in late September 1964 (the first 1965 "B" Range model was built on 7th August 1964). It is a very original, low mileage, 2 owner bike. It's missing the front styling strips on the tank, has later model headlamp holders and its enduro-style VDO speedo (possibly fitted by TriCor) was replaced by the former owner with a standard Smiths 150mph magnetic. Tachos were an optional extra
