I love it because it has a three cylinder engine of over 2 litres. I love it because it has lots of chrome. But most of all I love it because it represents a company that fought back against foreign competition and has carved out a place in the world as a supplier of unique motorcycles.
Our motorcycle industry was all but wiped out by the Japanese motorcycles of the 60's and 70's. Only Triumph survives as a major manufacturer and it survives because of the vision and determination of one man. A property developer called John Bloor who had a vision and quietly developed it into a company capable of producing the Rocket 3 motorcycle.
There are so many fields in which we have given up as manufacturers. I used to run photo processing businesses. When I started in the 70's it was possible to equip a laboratory with British equipment. After the Conservative government of the 80's and 90's, they were all gone and everything had to be sourced from outside the UK - mainly from Japan. Again, it's a legacy you need to remember when it's time to cast your vote.
But back to Triumph, why did it survive and become the success it is today? Two things, a vision for what could be and the supply of enough capital to make it happen. In Triumphs case the capital came from another successful business, but this is not always possible. It comes back to the banks, their role in our recent collapse and the role that they should be playing in the future recovery.
