Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge Holy motorcycles batman! more triumph plants?

Was on Triumphrat.net not to long ago and read some news about a new Triumph plant starting opperations and that another one was planed but were the next one will be and when was not known.Any body got or heard more info on this?

This was a news item on trat.net 6 weeks ago. It looks like Triumph are opening another production facility in Thailand. The plant was already there producing parts for Triumph which were then shipped to England.

There were quite a few people upset about this. Their reasoning was that one of the reasons they bought a Triumph was because it was made in England. I think it takes some of the lustre off of buying a Triumph, but as long as the quality is maintained, we might as well get used to it. If they were going to open another plant though, I'd have liked to see them at least build it here in the states, their largest market. But the labor is cheaper over in Thailand, and I'm sure that's what ruled the day.

Commerce does rule the day, unfortunately.

One arguement was that people would not but a Brit bike made in Thailand.
Would they still buy the bike if a Thai guy was working on the production line at Hinkley?

Same bike, same bits, same name on the badge ...

I don't want to see Brit jobs lost to go out to the far east (unlike that POS Dyson) as long as the majority of the assembly is done here.
Another reason might be to increase production or introduce new models.
The Hinkley plant can only run at it's capacity and no more.
Surely corners would be cut if they try and push assembly too much on the one line?

I'll stand to be corrected here but I think John Bloor is a stand up bloke.
He's a builder (OK, he's also a business man ...) and I work with builders and what you see is usually what you get.

Triumph "Made in England" - I own them. I won't buy one made in Thailand. That would just be a knockoff with no soul.

Does that make sense to anybody, nope, but thats the way I feel. When you buy a Triumph, you buy more than a bike. You buy the heritage that goes with that badge.

I just read the article, and it wasn't well written at all to fully explain whether entire bikes or just components will be made in Thailand and shipped over to the UK for assembly. I don't have a problem with components being made in Thailand as long as they meet Triumph quality standards - which most of us have to admit can be better in some respects. The fact is that it probably makes good enough business sense to have some components manufactured in places like Thailand. If you want a bike made entirely in the UK, then are you prepared to pay the additional costs for UK labor? I don't think Triumph could maintain production levels or increase sales if they were entirely "Made in Britain." I trust Bloor to make the right decisions, and we live in a global economy. Learn to live with and accept it.

BTW, HD is opening a plant in China.

Lastly, NanJing Motors (a Chinese company) has purchased the MG name and will be opening a plant to produce the cars in - Ardmore, Oklahoma.

I overheard a conversation last weekend at the Kootenay Raid that most all Triumph engine cases are (and have been) manufactured in Asia for quite awhile now. According to the conversation it is mainly due to air quality standards allowed in Asia versus UK. Cases are shipped and the final machining done in the UK.

Then again it could all be conversation

I am going to trust John Bloor on this. He has brought Triumph back to full life with quality and style. If the bike says Triumph on it, then it is a Triumph.

Like Ade said, it could help quite a bit with being able to produce a wider range of models.

Soren

MG. Moaist Garage? All these years I thought it was Morris Garage! Joke's on me.

Yes, MG is a very well known name here. Depending on the cars they come out with (retro is very in, so an MGB style would be very hot) they will do very well.

Soren

JB,
I was born and raised in Ardmore, Oklahoma. They are just going to make parts for shipment to UK and China for assembly. I guess Ardmore is the new Thialand for China. My hometown rag says the plant will employ only around 600 people. Not nearly enough to make up for the closing of the GM plant in OKC. Also, OKC (Oklahoma City) will be the American Headquarters for MG USA.
Mark

I'll throw in on the parts made elsewhere bandwagon... as long as final assembly is in England. For me, I would gladly pay more to ensure we're still getting bikes from the UK. By the way okie... we do alot of fox hunting up here in the Commonwealth. I can't wait to do some road whipping this season for our hunt on my bike!

If its just a matter of a good dependable bike, I can buy U.S. built bikes like Polaris and Honda. Style and dependability are only a few pieces of the puzzle for buyers. Legendary bikes from England is the other ingredient. Take out the legendary bikes from England and you lost a lot of the formula.

In the gofast sportbike area that would work. Those buyers are simple. How fast does it look and how fast does it go. The cruisers are a different story.

If it did happen, line up the bikes in a showroom. Label them built in Thailand or built in Hinkley England. I wonder what bikes would sell out first. To me thats a no brainer. Reduce the bikes made in Thailand by 10% and I believe the Hinkley bikes would still outsell the Southeast Asian built bikes.

I hope they are only gonna do parts.

About 10 years or so ago, i had been using Guild acoustic phosphor bronze strings on my acoustic guitar. I had tried every brand and type you could imagine but on this guitar they just sounded superior to anything. One day i needed new strings so i went and bought my usual set of guild strings, but when i put them on it sounded like crape. I couldn't figure it out till i noticed something. Thats was right after fender had bought guild guitars. Fender had been making certain things in mexico plants for a while by then. I looked at the package and there was one thing that had changed......they no longer said "made in usa". they now said "made in mexico". I found some stores that had some old stock of the USA stings and bought them all. They sounded great as usual. But when i ran out i had to go with a mexican set and once again they sounded like crape. At that point i just went with a different brand that wasn't as good sounding as my old favorites that no longer existed, but much better than the new mexican version of my old favs.

I'm not saying this will be the case with triumph. But i've seen this same thing happen time and time again. And unless triumph is the exception it could well be that over time as they do more and more of this kind of thing the quality will go down. Theres at least a very good chance this will happen to one degree or another IMO. I think it's really sad after Bloor's triumphant comeback of the triumph name. Our current bikes just may become valuable.

I agree. I bought a Triumph because I like UK built motorcycles. I drive 60 miles to a small Triumph dealer. I paid more for a Triumph. I live almost across the street from one of the largest Japaneese bike dealers in Alabama. They are loaded down with Hondas, Yamahas, Suzukis, and Kawasakis, most of which are cheaper. But why would I want one? And, why would I want an Asian built Triumph? I sure hope they are designed and assembled in the UK. Heritage says a lot.

Harley's should be made in TOYLAND !

I understand the sentiment Saxtron, but sadly globalism rules the day. Now that BMW is made in South Carolina (how many die-hard Bimmer lovers swore off BMW the day that plant opened, but now Germans in Munich (the very heart of the BMW Universe!)are driving around in Z3 and Z4's built in Spartanburg instead of off of Leopoldstrasse, it's all fair game anymore. Same goes with Mercedes, "What, me buy a Benz that wasn't built in Unterturkheim or Sindelfingen, are you out of your gourd?!" Sorry guys, I love my Triumph as much as the next guy, and am glad I got one built in England, but the truth is (hope some of you are sitting down for this), they don't sprinkle the sainted ashes of Richard the Lionhearted over each bike as it rolls off of the line. So long as they maintain the same quality standards, and the designs and inspiration come out of Old Blighty, I think that's the best we can hope for! Now I have heard however, that they are putting great gobs of water from the Ashby De La Zouch Canal into barrels and shipping it to Thailand to use to quench any parts that are heat-treated, and to wash the bikes down afterwards...

I know you are right Greg but I won't be buying one of them. My next bike will be a Victory Vegas next year. Will keep my "Made in England" Triumph though.

Triumph - made in England - is cool lol

Would like to add to this discussion. Don't understand the Hissy fit over this. My angle on posting this was that it was nice to see Triumph grow to having multiple plants. Our bikes are not 100% British any way. The Bonneville line up has carbs that are made in Japan and some of the electrical parts that are made in Germany. There are very few things that are made 100% from any country any way, including Japan. As long as Triumph maintains it's British stlye and tradition I'll keep on being a Triumph Man.

You are right khatt, the fact they need and are doing a new plant is great for the company.

Your thread should never have been taken over by crybaby rants about it. I am sorry. I am a situational a$$hole which means in any given situation I have the potential to be one.

If you look close you will see on your own bike and this is off the top of my head,,,Nissian breaks, sunstar sprockets, Mikuni carbs,,,mmmmmwhat else,, DID chains ,,,,, Bloore has out-sorced every bike they make. As someone said, the engin cases have always been built over seas and the milling machine bloore bought is the exact same one Honda has. look at the sport bikes,,,,and the original (new) t-bird bikes,,, the in-line 3's look like a KZ1000 or a honda. check out the cam cover design. looks hauntingly like a CB or a KZ. we shouldnt worry till there is something to worry about.

I hate all of the 'outsourcing' especially since it took my job, but there are some undeniable reasons all global companies are going to make more parts of products in more countries.

I live in Austin, Texas and have seen Dell computer increase over 30,000 in the Pac Rim in three years while Austin is gutted so I'm very sympathetic.

However, there are three big reasons products are going there: 1. Labor cost(That's temporary as their standard of living rises, their labor rises. See Japan)

2. Import taxes in these countries (US, England not excepted) can be high.
3. These emerging countries are where the markets are. The western world can only buy so many of any thing.

Look at the bikes now and where the parts come from: all over the world. In cars a big Ford LTD is actually made in Canada. A Honda Accord is made in US. Its the future.

I guess now is a good time to say this as it has been on my mind for a while and I was too scared to say it. Some guy stopped buy on an older Triumph before Hinkley. Starts commenting on the look and things an so the guy says " that's not really a Triumph". And I say what!!. So he points to the tank badge and says " see how it's been changed". So I said this bike is made in Britian and your saying this is a clone!! He just shrugs his shoulder and tilted his head. I did not say another word. He gets on his bike and I couldn't help but laugh because he could not start it for about 5 min. Kicking it over and over not realizing his fuel line was shut off. What do you call this kind of person. Cutting down a make of bike that he owns himself.

Quote:

---

What do you call this kind of person

---

I know thew answer to this. But this web program always edits the words i was thinking of using out.

I won't buy a BMW made in America... I won't buy a Landrover not made in Solihull and I absolutely will not... ever... buy a Triumph made anywhere but in England!

Take away the sense of place, the legends, the traditions... it's just another motorcycle. Some things are worth more than money. I hope... I "trust" the good folks at Triumph know that.

I know this will not make sense...(I deleted this post of mine 'cause I was right after reading it later, it did not make sense)

Hey BikerT,

Just after I bought Raven, I was researching constantly trying to find out as much as I could (and how I found here! ).

What I found was an extreme prejudice against the TBA by the Bonneville, Legend, Thunderbird, etc riders. Said the TBA was not a true Triumph due to the styling, the 270 crank, and on and on... You'd have thought someone had just shot their dog. Jeez.

Phil you didn't ask me . My TBS is delighted with it's 270 degree garage mate. Some people are just so enamored with thier own, that they need to put down anything different. My brother-in-law is one of them. When he had a Yamaha, my Suzuki was inferior. When he had a 1200 Sportster, my faster Speedmaster was imported junk. And now his $22,000 Softail Springer Heritge Classic(long name=big $) rides better than mine. He's happy so I don't care. Let them enjoy themselves and know they will never be as happy as us.
Mike Sr.