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  #1  
Old 18-11-10, 04:54
rob love rob love is offline
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Default Canadian Triumph TRWs

I have wanted on of these forever it seems, and I finally found a worthy candidate at a good price last week. The odometer reads 750 miles, it appears to have original tires on it with very little wear, and other than the gas tank having been repainted by someone, the bike remains in it's original paint. Unfortunately, the repainting of the fuel tank means the CFR is gone forever.

There are a few items removed from it, and a few more items missing. It came with some NOS parts, which is always nice, like a NOS oil tank.

I need to find things like the pannier racks and bags, the front number plate for the fender, an oil cap, and the rear chain cover. If anyone has originals around and want to sell or trade, let me know before I start ordering repros.

Anyway, enough talk, here are a couple shots of my new project. How many other MLU members have TRWs?
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Last edited by rob love; 18-11-10 at 17:07.
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  #2  
Old 18-11-10, 05:16
super dave super dave is offline
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I thought that is the one that is for sale in Calgary but after looking it up it is different as the one in Calgary has a few more pieces on it. I did not realize that we had used them as I thought the seller was just saying it was military do to the color ?? How many years did we use them and is the on for sale in Calgary a good price at $6,000.00 ??
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  #3  
Old 18-11-10, 05:28
rob love rob love is offline
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Canada bought a fair number of them in 56/57. Mind you, on another thread, the guys were debating the conditions of payment (if any) for the TRWs. Many were sold, still in their crates, in the mid 60s to early 70s.

That one listed in Calgary is what wet my appetite again for one. The CFR is right on the fuel tank, where they were normally found. Another ad showed up a few days later from Alberta with a lesser condition one for much less than that one. I snapped it up and drove out last weekend to pick it up.

Their asking price seems to be the norm for one in very good shape. Mind you, it is on ebay right now with a starting bid of $4500 and has received no bids.
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  #4  
Old 18-11-10, 05:37
super dave super dave is offline
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Thanks for the info, I just might have to keep my eyes open for one in the future.

Dave
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  #5  
Old 18-11-10, 11:05
Dean (Ajax) Dean (Ajax) is offline
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I have the front plate with a CFR still on it as well as a mint unissued Manual for the TRW.

Dean
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  #6  
Old 18-11-10, 15:42
rob love rob love is offline
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I sent you a PM on those Dean. Perhaps I will have a CFR to adopt for my bike.

There was a good article in CMP magazine #3 on the Canadian Triumphs. It mentioned that used units were selling for $400 to $650, and new in the crate ones were selling for $900 to $1250. There must have been some lower priced lots, as I have read on some of the Bike forums where a dealer in the US was selling the ex-Cdn bikes for $500 each in the crate, and had 15 to 20 of them.

Mind you, I'll take an article that was written closer to the days when they were sold, rather than conjecture from internet forums. The memory can get a bit cloudy after 3 or 4 decades, and legends can grow.
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  #7  
Old 18-11-10, 15:49
rob love rob love is offline
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I have migrated this from the CFR request thread. Here is another triumph with some of it's post service history. This one is one digit out from the CFR number of the one listed on kijiji. It would be interesting to know if the serial numbers were consecutive, but I suspect they were not.

From the CFR database:
1957 93874 0122 CFB CHILLIWACK 30901 MOTORCYCLES ALL TRIUMPH B2

I found the following at this link: http://www.britishcyclesupply.com/Bikes/BHicks001.htm
Quote:
Attached is a photo of my '57 Triumph TRW. I acquired this machine in '02 from the original owner who bought it 1967 from Crown Assets. It had 1800 miles on the fine Smiths odometer. It currently has just over 8000. All original, except tyres, tubes and battery; some fittings have been replaced with AN stock, but its a week-end rider. I service it with help from Gary at Carps Cycle in Ladner B.C. It runs well on 100/ll and aeroshell 60w.

Enjoy, I do...
Bill Hicks
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  #8  
Old 18-11-10, 16:00
Alex Blair (RIP) Alex Blair (RIP) is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rob love View Post
I sent you a PM on those Dean. Perhaps I will have a CFR to adopt for my bike.

There was a good article in CMP magazine #3 on the Canadian Triumphs. It mentioned that used units were selling for $400 to $650, and new in the crate ones were selling for $900 to $1250. There must have been some lower priced lots, as I have read on some of the Bike forums where a dealer in the US was selling the ex-Cdn bikes for $500 each in the crate, and had 15 to 20 of them.

Mind you, I'll take an article that was written closer to the days when they were sold, rather than conjecture from internet forums. The memory can get a bit cloudy after 3 or 4 decades, and legends can grow.
If anyone is stationed in Edmonton and can get access to 7SD and check if they still have them there..Up on the storage racks..
They were there ,in crates ,when I was stationed there ..
But that was '76-'77....
1976-77 Jif..not 1876-77...

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  #9  
Old 18-11-10, 16:10
rob love rob love is offline
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I would be very surprised if they were still there. There has been a lot of rationalization of the depot holdings in the last 10 years. If there is not a current application code attached to the stores, they are usually disposed of. As well, if there is nil useage of a line item in a period of time, the Life Cycle managers have to manually save the items from disposal if they are still of use.

It was only 10 years ago that there were still some ferret items in the depots, and it was around then, just as we were ordering them for the museum here, that the supply system went to dispose of them. We managed to catch some of the items by contacting the supply managers before they were all tossed.
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  #10  
Old 18-11-10, 22:58
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If you're into Canadian motorcycles then you may be interested in my book.
http://www.servicepub.com/motorcycle.htm
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  #11  
Old 19-11-10, 00:32
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Jon Skagfeld Jon Skagfeld is offline
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Default TRWs

What a memory jog!

I was a Dispatch Rider in the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals.

My assigned bike was 56-90674, sometimes 56-90673.

500cc, twin valve, one down, three up, no neutral finder like the Enfield had.

In addition to message handling, we were responsible for convoy/traffic control. By using 6 bikes in a leapfrog manner we could escort a convoy out of Toronto by holding up civilian traffic at lights and waving the vehicles through.

This was in the early 60s, in a kinder gentler Toronto which still vividly remembered WW 2 and respected the movement of military vehicles. As a matter of fact, at that time, it was illegal to interfere (i.e. to enter into the stream of military vehicles).

Thanks for reminding me the "good ol' days".

PS Bruce Parker owned an ex MP TRW. I rode it during a TV production done by Peter Feniak and Anne Rohmer called "That's Life". Jeez...related TRW events keep popping up!
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Last edited by Jon Skagfeld; 19-11-10 at 00:41. Reason: Add PS
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  #12  
Old 19-11-10, 00:54
rob love rob love is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by servicepub View Post
If you're into Canadian motorcycles then you may be interested in my book.
http://www.servicepub.com/motorcycle.htm
Clive
The book is on my wish list. I'm hoping to pick one up off Marway militaria during the gun show circuit next month.

Here is a challenge for the fellow collectors. Does anyone have any suggestions for the British Bronze green? I was talking to Derk Derin who told me when he tried to get some mixed, the paint shop couldn't seem to match that color.
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  #13  
Old 21-11-10, 15:49
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rob love View Post
Clive
The book is on my wish list. I'm hoping to pick one up off Marway militaria during the gun show circuit next month.

Here is a challenge for the fellow collectors. Does anyone have any suggestions for the British Bronze green? I was talking to Derk Derin who told me when he tried to get some mixed, the paint shop couldn't seem to match that color.
I seem to recall that colour being referred to as "English Racing Green", or "English Race Car Green".
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  #14  
Old 21-11-10, 18:11
Lynn Eades Lynn Eades is offline
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Default Jon

"British " racing green, a bit like "Army green" about a million variations.
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  #15  
Old 21-11-10, 23:14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dean (Ajax) View Post
I have the front plate with a CFR still on it as well as a mint unissued Manual for the TRW.

Dean
Dean: When you write..."with a CFR still on it"...do you mean the CAR i.e.90674 or is it an Ontario F plate, i.e. white on brown as in F 123?

Answering my question in a way, during the service life of TRWs, I never saw anything other than F plates.
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  #16  
Old 22-11-10, 00:10
Dean (Ajax) Dean (Ajax) is offline
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The front plate..which mounts on the front fender is green with white numbers...I have not found it yet as I moved a couple of months ago and am slowly unpacking the basement...however I remember the first 2 numbers were 56- foget the rest..they were stenciled on in white paint..the green plate was the same paint as on the rest of the bike.

Dean
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  #17  
Old 22-11-10, 02:47
DanJahn DanJahn is offline
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Default TRW's

Hi Group

I currently have three Triumph TRW's. In fact I now own the one that Rob Love mentions half way through this thread that used to belong to Bill Hicks. Ironically it now resides in our museum on the former Chilliwack army base where it was bought surplus some thirty years ago.

Rob, I was communicating with the seller of the TRW you just bought when he sent an email indicating that it had sold 20 minutes earlier. That's okay I really didn't need a forth.

I'm looking for a Canadian Harley MT500 if some one wants to do a trade for a TRW.

Dan

Canadian Military Education Centre

www.cmedcentre.ca
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  #18  
Old 22-11-10, 02:52
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Can't help with an MT500 but would trade a Cdn Mil CanAm and one of the two Honda Trail 90s bought by the Cdn AB Regt for one of your TRW.
Clive
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  #19  
Old 22-11-10, 03:16
rob love rob love is offline
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Dan
I learned long ago not to use my hindsight....it doesn't net me much. I talked to the seller, got some pics, and asked him what his bottom line was, which was perfect for me. I drove the 1100 kms the next day and picked it up. Apparently he had been trying to sell it for several months on the buy and sell, but was only getting lowball offers of $500. He is leaving the country soon, and was ready to give it to the Reynolds museum rather than give it away.

I have been after one of these for years, but any that I saw for sale were either 6K, or else they were on the other end of the country.



Quote:
Originally Posted by DanJahn View Post
Hi Group

I currently have three Triumph TRW's. In fact I now own the one that Rob Love mentions half way through this thread that used to belong to Bill Hicks. Ironically it now resides in our museum on the former Chilliwack army base where it was bought surplus some thirty years ago.

Rob, I was communicating with the seller of the TRW you just bought when he sent an email indicating that it had sold 20 minutes earlier. That's okay I really didn't need a forth.

I'm looking for a Canadian Harley MT500 if some one wants to do a trade for a TRW.

Dan

Canadian Military Education Centre

www.cmedcentre.ca
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  #20  
Old 25-11-10, 21:22
45jim 45jim is offline
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Default TRW bits and Pieces

Rob,

Earlier this year, I picked up four very nice TRW's. One is now complete and a runner in original MOD green (not racing green or any other type of green). I also got a horde of NOS parts including fenders, internal engine parts, tanks, seats, rims, electrical stuff, an unused engine and a bunch more (2 trailers full). Send me a list of what you need, I may have it or be able to put you on the path. The hardest parts to find are the proper aircleaner, the rubber elbow from the carb to air cleaner, the large voltage rectifyer and the dash switch. Almost everything else is the same as a civilan TR5.The carriers for the panniers and the canvas panniers thermselves, are available as repos from British Cycle Supply in Nova Scotia.


Some points of interest on the Canadian TRW's I have discovered, if you have holes on your front fender for a licence plate then the CFR was not painted on the tank it was on the plate. The blade type licence plate is black with white hand painted letters. Likewise a non-perforated front fender had the stencil CFR on the tank. One of my bikes had the CFR stamped on the frame (like a WLC) check the rear downtubes by the seat.

The paint used varied. I have lots of NOS parts that are what I would call a "forest green" but the bikes themselves are the bronze green 1950's UK "MOD Green, Gloss". I have had luck in the past (with a Ferret) using Sherwin Willams, but I no longer have the code.

I am putting another together for Charlie Fitton and would be happy to supply a TRW to anyone who wants one.
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  #21  
Old 25-11-10, 21:36
rob love rob love is offline
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Thanks for the offer Jim, I'll PM you a list of what I am looking for later today.

I was wondering about that front plate. Seems like half the Cdn bikes I see have them, and half do not.
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  #22  
Old 25-11-10, 21:42
45jim 45jim is offline
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Default Canadian TRW Pictures

I will try and post a few photos of the bikes I have, here goes.

Jim
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  #23  
Old 25-11-10, 22:51
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Getting back to CAR numbers:

The only bikes I ran across (Signals, Service Corps, Provost, all in the Toronto area) had their CAR stencilled in white on the upper gas tank, under the map holder grill.

The black blade on the front fender had 2 small F plates bolted together over the blade itself. A single F plate was mounted low on the rear fender.

Could this have been an SOP within each of the Commands?
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  #24  
Old 25-11-10, 23:52
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Is it possible that those bikes that had the number plate mounted on the fender were used in Germany and thjose that never went overseas had the CFR painted on the tank?
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  #25  
Old 26-11-10, 04:33
rob love rob love is offline
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My bike has the holes on the fender for the number plate.

I also noted that on a U-tube video of a brand new Cdn triumph being opened up to be assembled for the first time the CFRs had been painted onto the tank. So at some point supply must have opened the crates to mark them. The crate was triumph marked, so it wasn't a repack.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Du4m7_vme20
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  #26  
Old 26-11-10, 18:33
45jim 45jim is offline
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Default TRW CFR's

I am pretty sure the CFR was added in Canada during incomming inspection and not in the UK. None of my bikes have the CFR painted on the tanks and all are 1956 or 1957's. Perhaps there were several shipments and only the later bikes were marked and left in their crates?

I did see the TRW in the crate in the surplus store in Calgary (when he had his museum open) and it had the CFR painted on the tank (no fender plate) and the Strathcona museum had one, before being traded for a WLC, that was again marked on the tank (again no fender plate). Some of the pictures in Clive's book are also very interesting. I had never seen a photo of a TRW in flat paint with tac signs on the tank rather than the shiny Triumph plate.

Burton Bike Bits in the UK also has alot of NOS parts including carb kits that include new fuel lines (they leak like crazy).

My NOS engine also has a CF repair tag attached showing a serial number and stating that all wear surfaces were 0.00".

Below is a photos at the Canadian Warplane Heritage showing a TRW in original paint with no CFR and no fender plate. It also has a blackout shield that I've never seen before. The sidecar was a joke, it would have a top speed of about 5 kph. These things are slow! The second photo is one that was for sale recently in Ontario, it has a repainted tank and no fender plate. The third and fourth photo show the same bike but with a pretty rare triumph bike cover (it was in the crate originally). Notice that this bike has both the CFR on the tank and the fender plate. The last photo is the original tool kit (as I was told) but it is missing the special valve adjusting tool.
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  #27  
Old 26-11-10, 20:25
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Borden has a TRW in the original Triumph crate and the CFR is painted on the outside of the crate - but an obvious add-on. They ran a camera into the box and saw the CFR on the tank so I think that some of them were numbered at the factory as part of the contract and the crate had this added also.
Clive
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  #28  
Old 26-11-10, 21:09
rob love rob love is offline
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I would think that if Triumph numbered them, they would have been done a lot nicer than a poorly done stencil. My money says the crates were opened by a tech inspector somewhere in the supply depot, numbered, then resealed.

Are there front fenders out there without the two holes for the number plate?
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  #29  
Old 27-11-10, 02:50
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 45jim View Post
I am pretty sure the CFR was added in Canada during incomming inspection and not in the UK. None of my bikes have the CFR painted on the tanks and all are 1956 or 1957's. Perhaps there were several shipments and only the later bikes were marked and left in their crates?

I did see the TRW in the crate in the surplus store in Calgary (when he had his museum open) and it had the CFR painted on the tank (no fender plate) and the Strathcona museum had one, before being traded for a WLC, that was again marked on the tank (again no fender plate). Some of the pictures in Clive's book are also very interesting. I had never seen a photo of a TRW in flat paint with tac signs on the tank rather than the shiny Triumph plate.

Burton Bike Bits in the UK also has alot of NOS parts including carb kits that include new fuel lines (they leak like crazy).

My NOS engine also has a CF repair tag attached showing a serial number and stating that all wear surfaces were 0.00".

Below is a photos at the Canadian Warplane Heritage showing a TRW in original paint with no CFR and no fender plate. It also has a blackout shield that I've never seen before. The sidecar was a joke, it would have a top speed of about 5 kph. These things are slow! The second photo is one that was for sale recently in Ontario, it has a repainted tank and no fender plate. The third and fourth photo show the same bike but with a pretty rare triumph bike cover (it was in the crate originally). Notice that this bike has both the CFR on the tank and the fender plate. The last photo is the original tool kit (as I was told) but it is missing the special valve adjusting tool.
Somebody's whizzing you about the tool kit. That case was the pouch for a Tool Kit, Lineman, Field.
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  #30  
Old 27-11-10, 10:18
DanJahn DanJahn is offline
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Default TRW quiz

Question: Does anyone know why some/most of the crated TRW's had some mileage ( around 65 miles ) on them even though they were still crated?

I think I know the correct answer but lets see what we get for answers.

Dan
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