What is a rare object?
A question that often comes up, well maybe it’s an Angus steak undercooked or perhaps a painting or a sculpture, wheather it’s a living thing or inanimate is up for speculation and everyone has differing opinions for instance a set of Nike runners limited edition only 10,000 made!
We will stick to things we know and that’s vehicles namely motorcycles in this instance, limited editions like the Triumph Silver Jubilee in 1977 “one of a thousand” then there was 2,500 international editions as they sold well to collectors celebrating the then reigning monarch, a later Royal Wedding model was built for Charles and Diana’s wedding about 350 models were made, how about a Triumph Hurricane in 1972 well over 1000, or perhaps a Velo Thruxton around 1,100 a Ducati 750SS green frame 250 made so almost common. Vincent Black lightning around 18 Grey Flash over 30, Brough Superior Golden Dream 1 but the Austin engine version 8, you get the synapses.
I’ve owned 2 rare motorcycles Phil Irving’s Indian-Vincent only one ever built and now a Triumph 350 Bandit number 2 out of 8 that actually ran and 12 in all that were display only and hollow! They were built in 1971 and appeared in the sales brochures the factory geared up for 10,000 units but went bust on the eve of the release to the public, all parts were scrapped, the bikes that survived were on display at dealers and were virtually still born, some BSA Fury’s were also among the remaining bikes and it seems about 6 of each were the only bikes remaining, none came to Australia although a hollow one made it to NZ! This one was imported in 1979 by Doug Fraser and has been in his ownership till last year it had been on display at Mead and Tomkinson”s a Birmingham BSA agent famous for racing a BSA B50 at the 24 hours Bol’Dor endurance race in France in 1971, only 2 got to America and one to South Africa, one to France others are unaccounted for so I reckon this being the only one in the Southern Hemisphere is Rare!
The one in the National Motorcycle museum in Birmingham was burnt to a crisp in their fire but has been restored, the New Zealand model is in the Sammy Miller Museum and was is still hollow, a running Fury exists owned by Dave Holder owner of Velocette, Baxter Cycles USA own a Fury as well so fairly uncommon, my Bandit has clocked 6 thousand miles and it has more miles than all the others left in the world combined.
A brief history at this point may help on the Triumph/BSA Fury/Bandit 350 models, although introduced in 1971 they were conceived much earlier in 1967 by Edward Turner BSA/Triumph had been eyeing the lucrative 350cc capacity and had in that year cancelled production of the Tiger 90 and 3TA model also the ageing BSA B40 models, the 250-350cc market was growing culminating to 90,000 CB350 Hondas in 1968/70 BSA/Triumph wanted a piece of that market, Edward Turner was retired at this time but was employed in a consultancy position, and was encouraged to draw and build a prototype, a small team were assigned to the project with the help of the new R&D department at Umberslade Hall and virtually a free hand to do with a virtually endless resource to turn it into a running machine much to chief designer Burt Hopwood’s disbelief with Doug Hele the famous engineer that produced all the factory triples. A woefully underdeveloped Turner machine was produced and under test broke three crankshafts in under 1500 miles while consuming a gallon of oil every 400 mile, it was immediately sidelined and shelved and required a complete re-design.
BSA after some months went back to Hopwood and Hele and asked if the could develop it into something easier to produce and reliable this was called the P30 project, Hopwood kept the chain driven DOHC, and 5 speed gearbox and scrapped everything else including the frame and forks and mechanical front disc caliper! The new engine had a 180 degree crankshaft instead of Turners 360 degree, it was developed to have a cross over gearbox with the 5 speed have a left hand gearshift and also could have a optional electric starter motor, the engine was vertical split crankcase and unfortunately not 4 valves anyway it got a Rob North design frame from the famous Daytona racing triples and the 1971 contemporary “Power Choice” styling of the 1971/72 BSA/Triumph era being wire guard stays, conical front and rear wheels shortened guards and press steel taillight bracket, the small 60mm instruments directly off its 250c cousins the B25 Gold Star and TR25W Trophy.
The initial names were the BSA Apollo and Triumph Tiger 90 these were later changed to BSA Fury and Triumph Bandit 350 which were surprisingly back the front as Triumph Fury and BSA Bandit sounds better, both machines could be supplied as SS specifications being QD headlights and high level pipes.
The launch at the Grosvenor Hotel In London and subsequent two independant press road tests were very favourable, the bikes were tested at MIRA Motor Industry Research Association circuit and peak revs were 10,000 rpm and 110 mph embarrassingly quicker than the 650 Bonneville and Lightning weighing in at 157 pounds it was light and braking from the 650/750 triples were reported as adequate, electric start option was a bit dearer but in those days it was shunned by die hard British bike riders, the cost was mooted at $900USD so dearer than a Honda but the name Triumph carried a lot of weight those days, I have ridden plenty of CB350 Hondas and this bike would blitz it under all conditions! The 60mm Smith's speedo and tacho were woeful and for that matter the 5.3/4 Lucas headlight fitted was inadequate but the good traits of 180 degree vibrationless crankshaft, 10,000 rpm rev limit and 175 kph top speed really placed it on the map
Well then what happened?
The bike still required more development, it needed larger instruments, it was lacking in battery technology, the gearchange travel to long, the left kickstart lever was not liked, the engine was very quite and easy to work on but it needed a electronic ignition as points failed on the experimental versions, front brake was weak on a 350 but considering it was fitted to the rest of the range from 250cc-750cc it would have been addressed in 1973 when disc brake versions in that period were developed, so to the Power Set 1971/72 styling would have had it looking more British and a regular l/hand hinge seat and a l/hand foot on the centrestand instead of the right, the colours would have been more regulated as well the Jealous Green thats on this Triumph or the Plum Crazy on the BSA Fury with a dove grey frame made the BSA variant I think uglier. The modular 500-650-750 versions that would have came may have changed Triumph's demise but again who knows?
Phil Pilgrim 2026