1939 Triumph T100

1939 TRIUMPH T100 - THE LAST PRE-WAR TIGER
The Tiger T100 was launched in 1938. Performance was boosted by the use of high-compression forged pistons and polished ports and internals, the result being a machine that could touch 100mph in road trim and exceed it with the silencer end-caps removed. The 1939 Triumph T100 Tiger, and all other pre-war twins, used a magdyno for electric and spark, which would be replaced postwar with a separate dynamo and magneto. This was also the last year for girder-style front forks, which would be replaced with telescopic forks once post-war civilian production resumed in 1946.


1939 TRIUMPH T100 - WHAT’S IN A NAME?
In Triumph parlance, the alpha-numeric model designations like “T100” were meant to indicate the claimed top speed of the bikes. The numbers started low in the 1930s with the T90, but the new Tiger was good for a true 100 mph, and so the title T100 seemed right. When they later applied the “Tiger Treatment” (ie: higher compression and hotter cams) to their new 650 twin, it became the Tiger T110, good for 110 mph. When they launched the Bonneville in 1959, it was faster still, and so earned the name T120, supposedly good for for 120 mph. This trend almost ended there. After all, how much faster could an old British street bike go, anyway? Probably true. But in 1973, when Triumph punched out the 650s and made them 750s, the 750 Bonneville became the T140, even though few thought it would ever make 140 mph. They must have had a lot of faith in their new ’69 Trident because they called it T150. In its final year of production, the ’75 Trident got bumped up again this time to T160. Has anyone ever gotten a stock Trident up to 160 mph? I’m curious. I’d love to hear about it. Contact me if you, or someone you know, have.

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1939 Triumph T100 SPECIFICATIONS

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MORE TRIUMPH TIGERS
Triumph Tiger
.....1939 T100
.....1947 T100
.....1949 T100
.....1950 T100
.....1952 T100
.....1953 T100
.....1955 T110
.....1958 T110
.....1960 T100

MORE TRIUMPH:
Triumph T120 & T140 Bonneville
Triumph TR6
Triumph TR7
Triumph T110 & T110 Tiger
Triumph 6T Thunderbird
Triumph 5T Speed Twin
Triumph T150 & T160 Trident
Triumph X-75 Hurricane

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Check out these TRIUMPH BOOKS

COMPLETE BOOK OF CLASSIC & MODERN TRIUMPHS

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TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLES IN AMERICA

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TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLE RESTORATION

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TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLE RESTORATION, PRE-UNIT

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TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE & TR6 RESTORATION GUIDE: 1956-1983

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TALES OF TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLES & THE MERIDEN FACTORY

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TRIUMPH 650 & 750 TWINS OWNERS WORKSHOP MANUAL, 1963-1983

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TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE: ESSENTIAL BUYER’S GUIDE

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TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE: PORTRAIT OF A LEGEND

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ILLUSTRATED TRIUMPH BUYER’S GUIDE, by Roy Bacon

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TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE, 2001-2015

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TRIUMPH: PRODUCTION TESTERS TALES FROM MERIDEN

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TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLE RESTORATION GUIDE

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TRIUMPH OWNERS HANDBOOK, UNIT-CONSTRUCTION 350 & 500, Kindle

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TRIUMPH ILLUSTRATED WORKSHOP MANUAL 1945-1955, by Clymer

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TRIUMPH TWINS & TRIPLES

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FACTORY-ORIGINAL TRIUMPH TWINS, 1938-1962

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TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE & TR6, by Timothy Remus

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TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLES: FROM SPEED TWIN TO BONNEVILLE

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TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLES: THEIR RENAISSANCE & THE HINKLEY FACTORY

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TRIUMPH PRE-UNIT TWINS OWNERS WORKSHOP MANUAL

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TRIUMPH THRUXTON BONNEVILLE 1959-1969

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TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLES ILLUSTRATED WORKSHOP MANUAL 1937-1951, by Clymer

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TURNER’S TRIUMPHS: EDWARD TURNER & HIS TRIUMPHS

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TRIUMPH TWIN RESTORATION, by Roy Bacon

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TRIUMPH TIGER CUB & TERRIER 1952-1968, Haynes Repair Manual

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TRIUMPH 675 DAYTONA & SPEED TRIPLE REPAIR MANUAL 2006-2010, Haynes

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CLASSIC MOTORCYCLES: TRIUMPH

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TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE YEAR BY YEAR

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TRIUMPH TRIPLES

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TRIUMPH RACING MOTORCYCLES IN AMERICA

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TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLES

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TRIUMPH, by Roy Bacon

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TRIUMPH 750/900 TRIPLES & 1200 FOURS 1991-1999, Haynes Repair Manual

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TRIUMPH TROPHY BIBLE

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TRIUMPH DAYTONA, SPEED TRIPLE SPRINT & TIGER: 885/955 1997-2005, Haynes Repair Manual

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BSA & TRIUMPH TRIPLES GOLD PORTFOLIO 1968-1976

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TRIUMPH TRIDENT OWNERS WORKSHOP MANUAL, by Haynes

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TRIUMPH: A CENTURY OF PASSION & POWER

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TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE, by Osprey

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TRIUMPH TIGER 100 & 110, 1939-1961, by Roy Bacon

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TRIUMPH TIGER 100 & DAYTONA

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TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE, by Crowood

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TRIUMPH by Don Morley

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TRIUMPH TRIPLES & FOURS 1991 & 2004

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TRIUMPH 350 & 500 1957-1974 ESSENTIAL BUYERS GUIDE

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BONNIE: THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE

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TRIUMPH SINGLES: EARLY DAYS TO 1974, by Roy Bacon

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TRIUMPH: RETURN OF THE LEGEND

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TRIUMPH FUEL INJECTED TRIPLES 1997-2000

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BOOK OF TRIUMPH TWINS 1968-1969, by Floyd Clymer

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THE TRIUMPH STORY: RACING & PRODUCTION MODELS 1902-PRESENT

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TRIUMPH 350 & 500 TWINS 1958-1973, Haynes Repair Manual

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TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE 2001-=2008 ROAD TEST PORTFOLIO

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HINKLEY TRIPLES & FOURS

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TRIUMPH PRE-UNIT TWINS

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HINKLEY TRIUMPHS: THE FIRST GENERATION

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TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE BIBLE: ALL MODELS 1959-1983

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TRIUMPH TWENTY-ONE TO DAYTONA: C CLASS 350 & 500 TWINS

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ORIGINAL TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE

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TRIUMPH 650 & 750 TWINS

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TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLES & CUSTOM BIKES

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TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLES

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TRIUMPH, THE LEGENDS SERIES

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TRIUMPH THUNDERBIRD SUPER PROFILE

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TRIUMPH SPEED TWIN & THUNDERBIRD BIBLE

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TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE T120/T140

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TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLES FROM 1950-1983

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TRIUMPH & BSA TRIPLES: THE COMPLETE STORY

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TRIUMPH THUNDERBIRD, TROPHY & TIGER ESSENTIAL BUYERS GUIDE

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TRIUMPH TIGER CUB BIBLE

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ROAD RACING HISTORY OF THE TRIUMPH 500 UNIT TWIN

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EDWARD TURNER: THE MAN BEHIND THE MOTORCYCLES

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SAVE THE BONNEVILLE: THE INSIDE STORY OF THE MERIDEN WORKERS CO-OP

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TRIUMPH DAYTONA 1991-2006 ROAD TEST PORTFOLIO

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TRIUMPH DAYTONA 2003-2009 ROAD TEST PORTFOLIO

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TRIUMPH TIGER 100 / DAYTONA: DEVELOPMENT HISTORY

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TRIUMPH, by Daniel Gilpin

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BOOK OF TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLES ILLUSTRATED SHOP MANUAL 1935-1939

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TRIUMPH: THE RACING STORY

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TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE T120 1959-1974, by Roy Bacon

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TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE GOLD PORTFOLIO 1959-1983

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TRIUMPH TRIDENT SUPER PROFILE

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ILLUSTRATED TRIUMPH BUYERS GUIDE, by Roy Bacon

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Last updated 11/20/16

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