Actually I don't know what it is.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/V4-TRIUMPH-NORTON ... 0605590971

A couple of Tiger 100 (pre-unit all alloy Triumph twin 500cc) motors couple up to a custom crankcase. In this case the rear motor has its drive side in common with the front but the head in reverse. Easy to do as the symettrical head, barrel and camshaft design allows the reversal of the head. The Poms got into this double up of Triumph motors in the '70s. Probably a national pride psychosis against the onslaught of Jap multis. "Ee bah gum lad, we're as good as them, av a look at wot i've done in shed, it'll clear them off" . One was a pair of T100's set side by side as an inline 4. There's another less xenophobic nutter who married up Kawasaki 4s into a V8 and triples smokers into a V5 (the triple having one cylinder omitted). Quality of workmanship was excellent and remarkable performance. Resale value next to nothing!

Mick

ML wrote: Resale value next to nothing!

Mick

I wouldn't call £12.5k next to nothing!

swooshdave wrote:

ML wrote: Resale value next to nothing!

Mick

I wouldn't call £12.5k next to nothing!

No bids and not worth anything until there is one (if ever)

Yep, value is in the eye of the beholder. The owner of course has probably spent 3 times that amount in building this rather attactive machine, but ran out of dosh or time or interest when it came to the finishing paint job. No different to dozens of hot rods and custom hogs that never return the investment.

Seriously this pair of T100 motors are worth their weight in gold to a Triumph restorer. The frame looks like either Vendetta or Seeley and has nice running gear. As it stands united its unlikey to get a buyer as when its divided.

Mick

Could that be a Ducati frame?

I bet it leaks more oil than that oil spill in the gulf of Mexico .
Looks like he stripped his kids bike in the back for parts ..

ML wrote:A couple of Tiger 100 (pre-unit all alloy Triumph twin 500cc) motors couple up to a custom crankcase. In this case the rear motor has its drive side in common with the front but the head in reverse. Easy to do as the symettrical head, barrel and camshaft design allows the reversal of the head. The Poms got into this double up of Triumph motors in the '70s. Probably a national pride psychosis against the onslaught of Jap multis. "Ee bah gum lad, we're as good as them, av a look at wot i've done in shed, it'll clear them off" . One was a pair of T100's set side by side as an inline 4. There's another less xenophobic nutter who married up Kawasaki 4s into a V8 and triples smokers into a V5 (the triple having one cylinder omitted). Quality of workmanship was excellent and remarkable performance. Resale value next to nothing!

Mick

Actually, the first twin-engined Triumph was Boris Murray's drag bike. This one also looks to be made of two older, non-unit Triumph with a coupled primary drive and stock cases. Murray's double-engined Triumph, btw, was the inspiration for T.C. Christensen's Norton double "Hogslayer" which now resides in the British National Motorcycle Museum.

ML wrote:A couple of Tiger 100 (pre-unit all alloy Triumph twin 500cc) motors couple up to a custom crankcase.

Do you mean chaincase?

[quote} The Poms got into this double up of Triumph motors in the '70s. Probably a national pride psychosis against the onslaught of Jap multis. "Ee bah gum lad, we're as good as them, av a look at wot i've done in shed, it'll clear them off" . One was a pair of T100's set side by side as an inline 4.
[/quote]

I'd say these sorts of mad specials were culturally more of a sixties thing, before you could buy proper fours, although many were built in the seventies after Brit bikes became instant nostalgia.

The only inline four with side by side pair of 500 Triumph twin engines I saw pics of was made by an Australian. The drive side crankcase was in backwards. The drive sides of both cranks met in a middle sprocket, driving a countershaft above and behind the drive side crankcase, the other end of which drove the clutch from overhead.

Triton Thrasher wrote:

ML wrote:A couple of Tiger 100 (pre-unit all alloy Triumph twin 500cc) motors couple up to a custom crankcase.

Do you mean chaincase?

[quote} The Poms got into this double up of Triumph motors in the '70s. Probably a national pride psychosis against the onslaught of Jap multis. "Ee bah gum lad, we're as good as them, av a look at wot i've done in shed, it'll clear them off" . One was a pair of T100's set side by side as an inline 4.

I'd say these sorts of mad specials were culturally more of a sixties thing, before you could buy proper fours, although many were built in the seventies after Brit bikes became instant nostalgia.

The only inline four with side by side pair of 500 Triumph twin engines I saw pics of was made by an Australian. The drive side crankcase was in backwards. The drive sides of both cranks met in a middle sprocket, driving a countershaft above and behind the drive side crankcase, the other end of which drove the clutch from overhead.[/quote]
That sounds wild! Anyone seen a pic? I'd love to lay my eyeballs on that.

Danno wrote:That sounds wild! Anyone seen a pic? I'd love to lay my eyeballs on that.

If I remember the mag article correctly it was very neatly finished. The owner claimed it was narrower and lighter than a Honda Four, which was his object (don't ask me why).

A Trident (or Rocket III) was more or less a 500 Triumph twin with another cylinder tacked on. The center cylinder always wore out before the outers. I guess a 1000 4 (two side-by-side 500s) would burn up the two inners before the two outers.

The Triumph factory made a once off development 1000cc in-line 4 based on the T150 with an extra cylinder. It was called the Quadrant and is on show at the British National Motorcycle Museum. It was quite well done, and it actually ran and was road tested quite a few years ago. Also on show was the T160 Trident motor in an Isolastic frame. Why I don't know, NVT was getting a bit desperate in those days. Remember the Norton 76? The Norton Wulf 2 stroke? At least the Wankel project turned into something useful.

The in-line double T100 custom special I saw at the Isle of Man in 1980. It was also featured in Classic Bike mag. Never saw the Aussie version, but there was bloke in Sydney called Rick Kinzebrunner who stuffed a Ford Cortina 1600 4 engine into a Featherbed. It went amazingly well. Got to give the Featherbed the Oscar for the best all round frame filled with just about everything from auto, air, marine, locomotive and lawnmowers.

Mick

Thats a Rob North Trident F-750 copy , FRAME. the Cranks are a bit high for my likeing.

Was a 'Pom ' hailed as ' Stomin Normin ' The Raceing Grandfather , about 70 , Twin Triump 650 Drag bike,
back in the 4 in M&S slick days . Smoking of the line.

' NORTINA ' ended as Turbo 1600 Cortina Fetherbed , thru torque converter.He found gears 'unnessesary '.
Theres been Rover and Leyland 215 & 269 cu. in. alloy V*s slotted in Wideline's too.

Having held Katana 1100s on a Tight track on a home built alloy 500 Triton , I dont doubt that thing would
have a bit of sauce, about 100 British Horsepower . or 300 Jap ! (measured at spark pugs in computor ) .

Were a few Street Bonnevilles around , Sq. 4 layout, both sides of the Atlantic.Turner designed the Sq.4,

swooshdave wrote:Actually I don't know what it is.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/V4-TRIUMPH-NORTON ... 0605590971

I've certainly seen either photos or an article of that bike in either a book or one of the classic motorcycle magazines, maybe it was in Classic Bike, but it would have been a long time ago.