1979 Triton (Norton/Triumph) T120 650

This bike was hand-built by Garry Laurence, whose name appears on the dials. He decided that he wanted a Triton that would pass for a complete manufactured product, and from what we saw during the photoshoot, he succeeded in his vision. The accompanying Classic Bike article explains in great detail how Garry built the bike, including his five-hour decision of where to place the rear number plate. 

The current owner has had the pleasure of being the custodian of this bike since 2005. In their ownership, they have treasured this bike. 
They have personalised the bike slightly by replacing the original rear shocks in favour of a set of Falcon shock absorbers (currently set up for an 11 ½ stone rider) and this has made a marked improvement to the handling and rideability of this classic motorcycle. 
The bike has also been recently serviced with new oil, spark plugs, filters, and HT leads. It started up on the day and idled well. 

You now have the opportunity to add to this custom Triton’s history as we move forward in 2024 and beyond.

Doesn’t this Triton just look stunning from every angle? The black frame twinned with silver/stainless steel makes for a very classy-looking motorcycle. During the photoshoot, everyone who walked past looked over and paid it a compliment. 

During the build, a large TT-style 5-gallon tank was fitted. Embellished with the Norton logo it looks resplendent in its silver paint with black accents. There is a slight repair to the base of the tank, roughly the size of a 5p coin. This is the only area of the exterior that is not superb. 

Garry was very specific with what look he was after when he built this bike. He mentions in the article that he is not a fan of the exhaust style on several of these Triton bikes, so he kept the original Triumph downpipes with corresponding silencers. These shine up nicely and at the top of the headers you can see the colour change in the metal thanks to the heat cycles.

The bike sits on a set of 19-inch alloy rims with stainless spokes. Its wheel hubs are a Manx-inspired conical type, presented in black these enamelled parts have racer-style ventilating holes with stainless mesh to keep out anything that shouldn’t be there. You’ll also find a set of alloy brake cooling rings tightly shrunk around the hubs to effectively pull heat out of the drum. 

Other lovely exterior features include the knurled metal foot pegs, shocks, and singular headlight which proudly sits at the front of the bike. 

Overall, the exterior of this Triton is in great condition. It photographed beautifully and only looks better in real life. 

The tactile parts of this motorcycle that you will interact with are all in amazing condition. From the photos, you can probably tell that not only has this bike been custom-built to a professional standard but has also been preserved incredibly well since the day it was finished. 

Its black seat looks like it has a lot of cushioning and should cradle you nicely on those rides out. The material used is also presented in great condition, there are no rips, tears, or other damage to it. All of the stitching looks exquisite and doesn’t appear to be fraying anywhere. 

Upfront the handlebar and instrument section look amazing. The handlebar grips are both in good condition, as are the two levers in front of them. Interestingly, Garry took great steps to hide the front brake and clutch cables, they run through holes drilled into the pressed steel headlight brackets.
The bespoke dials fitted to the handlebars, are all presented with crystal clear glass and are easy to read. You’ll also find an ampere meter on top of the headlight. 

Overall, this section of the Triton is in great condition. All that you need to do now is swing your leg over and enjoy everything this bike has to offer. 

When this bike was built by the previous owner no stone was left unturned. It has an entire mechanical rebuild and has been subsequently looked after mechanically. 

During the creation of this bike, the previous owner threw away a lot of the previous work. About all that was left was the frame and the engine. Every bearing and seal in the engine was changed. The castings were then bead blasted and after they were washed a dozen times in thinners and heated in an oven to release and embedded beads. No attempt was made to tune the T120 engine. 

The current owner recently gave the bike a service which included new oils, filters, HT leads, and spark plugs. On the day of the photoshoot, we were able to see this bike fire into life, it took a few kicks of the start, but it did start, idle, and rev as you would expect.

Overall, the mechanical parts of this Triton all look to be in great condition.

Sometime in the past, one of the previous owners decided that they wanted a Triton, so a Triumph T120 engine was sourced to fit into the Norton Wideline Featherbed frame. It wasn’t until it reached the previous that the bike was transformed into this beautiful motorcycle. 

Throughout this description, we have listed little parts that have been changed in their corresponding sections. However, in a nutshell, this rebuild by the previous owner was completed to the highest standard. As such we are presented with a bike that looks like it has rolled off of a production line. 

This bike's paperwork consists of an up-to-date V5c, a small invoice, a list of all of the parts fitted, and the magazine it featured in back in 2002. 

If you wish to know the specifics of the bike build you can reference the below section, written by the man who built the bike 

Engine:  The primary drive is a Tony Haywood belt drive four spring clutch with SRM needle rolled conversion. The engine pushrod tubes are alloy with elephant foot tappet adjusters. The carbs are Mikuni, with Boyer electronic ignition and power box. The battery is a small 1.7-amp battery found under the seat. The ignition is fully advanced until it's excited by the alternator or in this case the battery when the ignition is switched on. The battery is fitted to stop the engine from kicking back. Timing is all standard Triumph. 

Front Brake: Triumph conical hub with 1970 brake plate. The brake plate and shoes have been machined to suit. The only item that will need modification when renewing is the shoes, which will need milling down to fit. They suggest that you have the existing shoes relined as and when. 

Swinging Arm: This is by PMS Ltd. and is on Manx needle roller bearings. This should last years with no maintenance 

Lights:  They are Quartz halogen. The brake light switch is in the front brake cable

Ignition:  Boyer ignition box and coils. Can be found under the tank, with the power box under the seat. 

We’re offering you the chance to get behind the handlebars of a rare motorcycle. As you can probably tell by now, this beautifully crafted Triton is presented in amazing overall condition and will become the centrepiece of your collection. 

You don’t see many Tritons hit the market, but when they do, they don’t all look as good as this example. This Triton has been properly built and will continue to deliver its characterful thrills for a long time to come. So why don’t you make this bike part of your future? We estimate that it will sell for £7,000-£11,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located with the vendor in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. Viewings are strictly by appointment. To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.