1947 Triumph Speed Twin Pictures
The 1947 Triumph Speed Twin descended from a line of lightweight two-cylinder motorcycles originally designed by Edward Turner in 1936. The 1947 model was unique because it offered a sprung rear hub, though riders found this only added problems with inner assembly and hardware. Although this model was not popular in its time, today "pre-unit" Triumphs are highly coveted in the collector market. |
 The Speed Twin carried a speedometer, ammeter, and light switch in the headlight bezel. |
 By the mid-1960s, the Triumph's engine and transmission would be combined into one unit; in the 1947 model, they are still separate. |
 The sprung rear hub, first offered in the 1947 model, afforded only about one inch of wheel travel -- hardly a substitute for a good swingarm suspension. |
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