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I think Triumph had an advantage too that they were not ever really gone and had a strong customer base from the start.



True, and also because a whole generation of riders had passed since 1953 and when the original Indian company first went to those "Happy Hunting Grounds".

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I was excited when new Triumphs came into the US again but at the same time disappointed when it was those Honda looking triples.



Yes, I used to get that very reaction occasionally after I purchased my new '95 Sprint, Ian. Old guys would walk up me and say somethin' like: "Well, it's nice to see Triumph is back, but that doesn't look like any Triumph I ever remember.

Oh, and you actually should have said Kawasaki up there, not "Honda", because the first generation new Triumphs were patterned after late '80s Kawasakis and particularly the ZX10 models, because Mr. Bloor has sent his boys to the Kawasaki plant in Japan in order to glean some ideas as to how modern motorcycles are designed, engineered and manufactured.

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Then they came out with the new twins! I remember the first time I saw one in person. I was at an Easyrider Rodeo and saw it from across the parking lot, I walked over to check out the old Triumph as I got closer I realized it wasn't an old Triumph , but, what was it? Once I got close enough I saw it was badged Triumph and the owner was standing there. After talking to him I learned it was a new Bonneville. There are guys like me out there that have always owned Triumphs and have always wanted to see them back in the US. Then also Triumph came back with an affordable line of bikes priced to sell to the general public not a high end elitist bike to depend on for sustainability. Both are important to the success of Triumph. Then they also produced a well made dependable machine to boot.



Absolutely. The new Bonneville has been a total success because Bloor's boys knew enough to play off the heritage factor of the Triumph name. I mean, if they never would have come out with the Bonneville line, then I was always of the mind of why would Mr. Bloor even purchase the rights to the Triumph name if he wasn't going to ever play that "Heritage Card". Heck, he should have just called them "Bloors" in THAT case, RIGHT?!

Yep! Just like a good Single Malt Scotch, you might call me "an acquired taste" TOO.(among the many OTHER things you may care to call me, of course)