Single-cylinder Triumphs To Be Launched in June

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It appears that Triumph will once again build a single-cylinder model, and it could even be a scrambler-style bike similar to the Tiger Cub of 1967. (Cycle World Archives/)

Triumph will unveil the first of its long-awaited range of affordable single-cylinder models on June 27 in London as its long-running association with India’s Bajaj finally bears fruit.

It marks a notable turning point for Triumph, which hasn’t offered an entry-level, single-cylinder bike since John Bloor revived the brand back in the early 1990s. It might be late to the party, but this year will see the release of not one but two single-cylinder Triumph projects; the Bajaj tie-in brings a range of retro-styled streetbikes, and the separate off-road competition arm will launch its 250cc motocross bike later in the year.

The Indian-made models mark the culmination of an idea that’s been ongoing for well over a decade. Originally, Triumph intended to go it alone by building its own factory in India. It developed two thoroughly modern 250cc singles in the early 2010s, a naked “Street Single” and a faired “Daytona 250.” Both were spied testing at the company’s R&D facility in Spain, looking very near completion, and Triumph even got as far as announcing the project and officially revealing styling sketches in 2013. Then months later Triumph canceled the entire project; the planned Indian factory was hugely behind schedule, tied up in red tape, meaning there was nowhere to build the bikes.

In 2017, Triumph inked a deal with Bajaj, already one of India’s major motorcycle manufacturers and a large stakeholder in KTM, to cooperate on future models from 250cc to 750cc, and in 2020 the plan was crystalized further with an official announcement that the resulting bikes would target the global market, not just India. In a press release at the time, Triumph said: “The motorcycles developed together from this partnership will join the current Triumph product portfolio and be distributed by the Triumph-led dealer network worldwide.”

Two new, small-displacement Triumphs have been spied undergoing tests in Europe. The first is a more conventional street-going model, expected to be in the 500cc range. (Bernhard M. Hohne/BMH-Images/)

In recent months, two distinct models have been spied on test in both Europe and India—a traditional, retro-style roadster and a similarly 1960s-inspired scrambler. Both share the same DOHC single-cylinder engine that looks very much like one half of the parallel twin used in the current Bonneville range. The engine cases share a similar shape, and the cylinders are covered in cooling fins despite the presence of a large radiator that confirms the bikes are liquid-cooled.

We tested the Tiger Cub in the April 1967 issue. (Cycle World Archives/)

Although Triumph has yet to officially announce the June 27 launch, Bajaj’s managing director, Rajiv Bajaj, confirmed it during an interview with Indian business TV station CNBC-TV18. “The actual launch,” he said, “will be toward the end of June. Perhaps specifically on Tuesday, 27th June, in London. It will be a global launch that is being organized by Triumph. The exact content of that, I am not aware, but that’s when the launch might be.”

As for the availability of the bikes, they should be reaching dealers—at least in India—straight after the launch. Bajaj said: “We should have product on the market in the second quarter of this financial year.” He went on to acknowledge the spy shots that have been seen, saying: “Clearly there’s more than one product in development. I can also say that more than one product will be launched in the second quarter if all goes well.”

When it comes to names for the bikes, Triumph recently filed trademark applications for the terms “Street Tracker” and “Adventurer”—both titles that could suit the upcoming models. A third trademark application, for the name “Hurricane,” would be better suited to a triple, giving its heritage on the BSA-based X-75 Hurricane in the 1970s. Although students of motorcycle history might rightly suggest that a small-capacity, single-cylinder Triumph should carry the “Tiger Cub” title, that might be out of the question as Honda has trademark rights to use the name “Cub” on motorcycles in much of the world.

There’s still a question mark over the precise size of the new single-cylinder Triumphs. Speculation in India suggests the new engine is being developed in 250cc and 400cc guises, with a clear target of competing with Royal Enfield’s 350cc singles in India and elsewhere, although as we mentioned when the bikes were spied last year, the engine looks like it could easily be as large as 500cc. There’s less than two months before we’ll find out for sure.

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