Trying To ID My Father's Bike

[Dalez]

A lot of the picture I look at the bikes have a side cover down low on the right side near the passengers footrest. This one does not. What did that cover and I imagine that is a worthwhile clue?

 

[Bloodknot]

A lot of the picture I look at the bikes have a side cover down low on the right side near the passengers footrest. This one does not. What did that cover and I imagine that is a worthwhile clue?

Can you show us an example? Most unfaired classic bikes looked similarly handed each side. The “covers” being an oil tank on one side and a battery/tool compartment on the other side.

 

[Dalez]

Can you show us an example? Most unfaired classic bikes looked similarly handed each side. The “covers” being an oil tank on one side and a battery/tool compartment on the other side.


Circled in red.

 

[Bloodknot]

It is a toolbox/battery case. As you can see on this one which has two of them on the offside of the machine. Note the toggle type latch handle.

 

[Rudie]

A lot of the picture I look at the bikes have a side cover down low on the right side near the passengers footrest. This one does not. What did that cover and I imagine that is a worthwhile clue?

View attachment 53236 has a "rigid frame" - no swinging arm for rear suspension.

Most rigids did not have any rear suspension; however, Triumphs had a "sprung hub" - springs within the rear hub above and below the axle allowed the wheel to move vertically relative to the axle.

Otoh, by 57 (from the tank badge), all Triumphs (except the TRW?) had swinging arm rear suspension, controlled by two coil-over-damper units between the swinging arm ends and the frame under the seat.

Your father's bike is definitely not a TRW, they also had side-valve engines. All other Triumph engines had overhead valves, your photos of your father's bike show the silvery unpainted aluminium alloy OHV rocker boxes above the cylinder head.