Few motorcycles carry the historical weight of the Triumph Model H, affectionately known as “The Trusty Triumph.” Built from 1915 through the early 1920s, it gained enduring fame during World War I as the motorcycle of choice for dispatch riders, with nearly 30,000 supplied to the Allied forces. Its reputation for ruggedness and dependability made it equally popular in civilian form after the war, ensuring Triumph’s place as a leading British manufacturer.
This particular machine, manufactured in 1922, was acquired in 1980 after the owner’s father, who had first encountered it for sale nearly two decades earlier. Remarkably, it remains in largely original, unrestored condition, a rare quality that underscores its authenticity.
The Model H is powered by a 550cc air-cooled, side-valve single-cylinder engine paired with a hand-change three-speed gearbox. Its top speed is about 45 miles per hour, although a more comfortable cruising pace is between 35 and 40. The braking system reflects its early design, with a pushbike-style mechanism on the front wheel and a rim brake on the rear, both of which provide only modest stopping power. The controls are similarly characteristic of the era: an air slide throttle, a valve lifter to ease compression when starting, a hand-operated clutch, and a magneto with manual advance and retard. Lighting is provided by an acetylene system, featuring both a headlamp and a tail lamp, and the frame incorporates fittings for a sidecar.
This motorcycle has not been on the road for many years and is currently not rideable, although a replacement drive belt is available to aid in returning it to running order. Many of its original fittings survive, including the acetylene lamps and license holder, though some non-standard features, such as steel pannier boxes, would originally have been leather.
As an unrestored survivor, this 1922 Triumph Model H is significant both mechanically and historically. It embodies the qualities that made the model a wartime icon and a postwar favorite, and its originality makes it an exceptional piece for preservation or sympathetic restoration.
Guide Price: $12,200 – $14,400
Mike Hawkins talks about this motorcycle shortly before it was exported to the USA in 2008.