Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
What happened to Triumph Motorcycles between the collapse of the Meriden factory and the rebirth in Hinckley? We explore the untold story of Triumph's 'missing years' from 1983 to 1990, and John Bloor's secret plans to relaunch the company.
Please do consider subscribing as it costs you nothing but really helps the YouTube algorithm understand that 3Phils is an established channel with interesting content. Thank you.
If you're feeling generous and fancy leaving us a tip, using the Super Thanks button helps keep our channel going. It takes a lot of time, effort and resource to make these videos so we'd really appreciate it. Thank you.
Channel members benefit from early access to the main 3Phils videos. It costs just 99p per month to become a '4th Phil', just follow this link: youtube.com/@3Phils/join
Don't forget to join us on Facebook too!
facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550349542826
Video Chapters
• [00:00] Intro: The 1983 Collapse of Meriden
• [00:44] Triumph's "Missing Seven Years" (1983–1990)
• [01:30] The 2002 Bonneville Disappointment
• [02:00] Manufacturing Myths & The Thailand Connection
• [02:58] Hinckley Factory & Modern Global Production
• [03:34] Who is John Bloor? The Man Behind the Revival
• [04:34] Outbidding the Giants for the Triumph Name
• [05:06] Building the New Hinckley Factory
• [05:29] Designing Reliability & Modular Systems
• [06:11] The Les Harris "Devon Bonnevilles"
• [06:28] The 1990 Cologne Motorcycle Show Relaunch
• [06:58] Modern Success & Financial Headwinds
• [07:41] Looking Ahead: 2026 Models & Future Plans
• [08:24] Final Thoughts & Outro
Video Link: youtu.be/gMkAJg2VlmE
Credits and links:
2002 Triumph Bonneville T100 - Peter
youtube.com/watch?v=ODvoLhAZN_U
Triumph Motorcycles Facilities in Bangkok Thailand - Yo Ko
youtube.com/watch?v=cMl28gFwqpw&t=2s
Triumph, modell Bonneville Harris T140, England, 1986 - Sajab Vintage
youtube.com/watch?v=udx6Kwbdwto
#triumph #motorcycles #triumphbikes #John Bloor #meriden #Co-operative #britishmotorcycles #triumphbonneville #1970smotorcycles #classicmotorbike
What happened to Triumph Motorcycles between the collapse of the Meriden factory and the rebirth in Hinckley? We explore the untold story of Triumph's 'missing years' from 1983 to 1990, and John Bloor's secret plans to relaunch the company.
Please do consider subscribing as it costs you nothing but really helps the YouTube algorithm understand that 3Phils is an established channel with interesting content. Thank you.
If you're feeling generous and fancy leaving us a tip, using the Super Thanks button helps keep our channel going. It takes a lot of time, effort and resource to make these videos so we'd really appreciate it. Thank you.
Channel members benefit from early access to the main 3Phils videos. It costs just 99p per month to become a '4th Phil', just follow this link: youtube.com/@3Phils/join
Don't forget to join us on Facebook too!
facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550349542826
Video Chapters
• [00:00] Intro: The 1983 Collapse of Meriden
• [00:44] Triumph's "Missing Seven Years" (1983–1990)
• [01:30] The 2002 Bonneville Disappointment
• [02:00] Manufacturing Myths & The Thailand Connection
• [02:58] Hinckley Factory & Modern Global Production
• [03:34] Who is John Bloor? The Man Behind the Revival
• [04:34] Outbidding the Giants for the Triumph Name
• [05:06] Building the New Hinckley Factory
• [05:29] Designing Reliability & Modular Systems
• [06:11] The Les Harris "Devon Bonnevilles"
• [06:28] The 1990 Cologne Motorcycle Show Relaunch
• [06:58] Modern Success & Financial Headwinds
• [07:41] Looking Ahead: 2026 Models & Future Plans
• [08:24] Final Thoughts & Outro
Video Link: youtu.be/gMkAJg2VlmE
Credits and links:
2002 Triumph Bonneville T100 - Peter
youtube.com/watch?v=ODvoLhAZN_U
Triumph Motorcycles Facilities in Bangkok Thailand - Yo Ko
youtube.com/watch?v=cMl28gFwqpw&t=2s
Triumph, modell Bonneville Harris T140, England, 1986 - Sajab Vintage
youtube.com/watch?v=udx6Kwbdwto
#triumph #motorcycles #triumphbikes #John Bloor #meriden #Co-operative #britishmotorcycles #triumphbonneville #1970smotorcycles #classicmotorbike
