Some truth there ... especially regards the classic brands you mention. But don't forget the final "surge" during the mid 60's to early 70's where Triumph/BSA exported more bikes to the USA in a few years than they'd sold in the previous 10 years. They broke every record. Triumph were a BIG deal here in California ... which sets ALL trends for the whole USA.

You can check the Triumph books by guys like Mick Walker and other historians. The old guard directors at Triumph/BSA group were tired after this "last fling" sending 10's of thousands of bikes to America.

Some of those last runs of bikes were the Triumph and BSA triples and some of the least reliable bikes Triumph/BSA group made. Porous castings, crap electrics, carbs and cams that wore out in 5000 miles.
I owned a '79 Bonneville Special, which was quite good. A rare thing.

By 1970 the Japanese were coming on strong with their CB750 inline four. But Triumph, BSA and Harley still were THE bikes to own ... and thousands in SoCal where I lived DID own British bikes.

But the big bosses at Triumph/BSA no longer cared about motorbikes, about the workers or about their country's industrial future. They drained the companies coffer's and fled into the night, selling off old new stock for pennies on the pound. But this came as no surprise to anyone paying attention at the time. They all knew it was coming.


That's a shame. I'm rather proud of what Triumph have done ... and I'm an American ... but Brit bikes were part of me, heart & soul as a kid.

I don't like every model they've made but seems to me the "new" Bonneville is certainly a good basic bike for relatively cheap transport. And it's 20 times more reliable and long lived as it's predecessors. A bit expensive perhaps but more or less in line with current bikes. I also believe the current Street Triple line are some of the very best and inspirational bikes in motorcycling today. Stunning bikes in every way, IMHO.