1912 Triumph Free Engine Motorcycle

Engine: Vertical, single-cylinder, 4-stroke, air-cooled
Displacement: 499 cc (30 ci)
Bore & Stroke: 85 x 88 mm (3.346 x 3.464 in)  
Power: 2.6 kW (3.5 hp)
Transmission: 3-forward, manual
Weight: 79 kg (175 lb)
Original Cost: C $355

Triumph, the quintessential British motorcycle, was actually founded by two German immigrants. Mauritz Schulte and Siegfried Bettmann produced their first motorized cycle in 1902. The “Free Engine” Model was a great technical advancement for its day. This was the first Triumph to have a clutch, allowing the engine to continue running while the machine was stopped – hence the name Free Engine. By 1912, Triumph had already achieved racing success and would go on to become one of the greatest names in motorcycle history.

Triumph motorcycles were sold in Alberta in 1912 by a dealer in Calgary by the name of Trail and Parr. They were also available through the T. Eaton Company catalogue.

Chronology:

1885 - Siegrfried Betmann started a company selling bicycles and sewing machines
1886 - Changed the name of his company to Triumph
1887 - Mauritz Johan Schulte joined the company as partner and engineer
1902 - First motorcycle produced
1905 - First entirely in-house designed motorcycles
1914-1918 - Production was switched to provide for the war effort, more than 30,000 Model H Roadster motorcycles were supplied to the Allies during the First World War
1922 - Schulte left the company
1923 - Triumph purchased the Hillman car factory and produced a saloon car under the Triumph Motor Company
1925 - Triumph is one of Britain's main car and motorcycle makers
1929 - The Great Depression caused financial troubles for the company and they sold off their German subsidiary
1932 - Triumph sold its bicycle manufacturing plant to Raleigh Bicycle Company
1933 - Triumph is struggling financially and Bettmann retires
1936 - The Triumph car and motorcycle companies were sold off as two separate entities. The car company is bought by the Stndard Motor Company.
1936 - Jack Sangster, who also owned the Ariel Motorcycle Company, bought the Triumph motorcycle division and called it Triumph Engineering Company. Triumph started exporting to US and it became their most important market
1940 - November 14, Triumph factory destroyed in a blitz in the Second World War
1945-1950 - Triumph production continued successfully post-war
1953 - Triumph gained more recognition in the US market, after their 1950 Triumph Thunderbird motorcycle was featured in the 1953 Marlon Brando film, the Wild One
1960s - Triumph introduces two scooters to their lineup
1969 - 50% of US motorcycle market belonged to Triumph but Triumph wasn't keeping up with the technological innovations the Japanese manufacturers, like Honda, were developing, which was starting to affect Triumph sales
1970s - US government mandated that all import motorcycles had to have their gearshift and brake pedals in the Japanese configuration. This required significant retooling in Triumph factories for their US export models
1971 - BSA, Triumph's parent company, went bankrupt
1972-1983 - Triumph was sold to several different companies
1978 - Purchased by Stan Reynolds from Rochester, New York, USA
1983 - John Bloor bought the name Triumph and started Bonneville Coventry Ltd., later renamed Triumph Motorcycles Ltd., and produced the Triumph Bonneville motorcycle
1984 - This motorcycle is donated by Stan Reynolds to the Reynolds-Alberta Museum
1988 - New factory built in Hinkley, Leicestershire
1991 - First Hinkley Triumphs produced
2002 - Triumph celebrates their 100th anniversary