Vic Shield’s Trophy 4 Streetfighter, built 28 years ago!
The modern rebirth of the Triumph brand is a storied one. In 1988, a new factory was built on a 10-acre site in Hinckley, Leicestershire, and the first Hinckley Triumphs came to market for the 1991 model year. The Triumph team had developed their new three- and four-cylinder engines in secret, and it quickly became clear they’d done a bang-up job.
Our friend Vic Shield of Vic’s Custom and Classic Motorcycles — builder of the bike you see here — is one of many enthusiasts drawn to these bikes.
“These early Triumphs built at the Hinckley plant in the Midlands were constructed using some of the best parts available. They had to do this to gain a foothold in the motorcycling market and muscle in on the established Big Four from Japan.” -Vic Shield
This build may look like an early Speed Triple, but it’s actually built from a ’94 Triumph Trophy 1200 — the marque’s big 1180cc four-cylinder full-fledged tourer. While the bike made only 108 bhp, it produced gobs of torque compared to the Japanese fours.
“Big, heavy, enormously powerful and quintessentially British. Lovingly crafted from quality components with no heed paid to lightness or to some extent cosmetics. It is over-engineered in the truest sense of the phrase and feels like it’s built to last.” -Motorcycle International
Vic bought the donor bike from a friend all the way back in 1996, paying just £800 for the fairing-rashed machine. He originally planned to repair the bike and keep it otherwise stock…
“This very soon left my mind as I always loved streetfighters and special builds. I also wanted to be able to do long distances and take my wife on the back while being loaded up like a packhorse.”
So Vic built a “Street Triple on steroids” — a four-cylinder streetfighter that could handle loaded-down, two-up riding with ease, while also turning 9.5 to 9.9-sec quarter miles at the strip. Vic has ridden his trusty Trumpet all over France, Scandinavia, and the Isle of Man, and 28 years later, he still loves it.
“Out of all the bikes I’ve owned and sold over the years — which is in excess of 200 now — the old Trumpet 1200 is still my favourite bike.”
Below, Vic gives us the full story on his Triumph Trophy streetfighter, including all the modifications and adventures behind it. You’ve got to love any custom bike someone has been riding for 25+ years, especially one as capable as this Trumpet. Bravo, Vic!
In the Builder’s Words…
Back In 1996 I had the offer of buying this 1994 Triumph Trophy 1200 off a mate. He was emigrating to a sunnier climate and the bike did have a fair amount of fairing damage. I took the bike off his hands and parted with £800 of her majesty’s notes.
At first I wanted to repair it as the bike had less than 10k miles on it and only a couple of years old. This very soon left my mind as I always loved streetfighters and special builds. I also wanted to be able to do long distances and take my wife on the back while being loaded up like a packhorse.
The bike was stripped and the engine removed. There was nothing wrong with the engine and these early Triumphs built at the Hinckley plant in the Midlands were constructed using some of the best parts available. They had to do this to gain a foothold in the motorcycling market and muscle in on the established Big Four from Japan.
The head was removed, skimmed and gas flowed. The carbs were fitted with Dynajet kits and a pair of carbon ART end cans bolted to free flowing headers. I modified a classic Triumph spitfire oil cooler and fitted Dyna coils and leads. That was the engine sorted.
Suspension was beefed up at the front with stiffer springs and a WP shock added on the rear.
At the time I loved the Street Triple but my finances couldn’t stretch to that, so a Street Triple on steroids is what I built. Working with stainless steel during my days fabricating commercial vehicle bodies came in handy, as I cut out a section to use as a light bracket to take a pair of stainless Bates units.
The bodywork was painted and a customer of mine recommended a bloke who was starting to airbrush crash helmets. This was big in the 90s. He painted the George Cross and speed checks on the bike for little more than a night out on the beer. It still stands out 28 years later.
The wheels were powder-coated in a very similar blue to the bike and the rims were polished.
Back on the road after being in pieces for six months I decided to take it to a few run what ya brung quarter mile sprints. I was getting between 9.5 and 9.9 second quarters. This hasn’t a whopping 200 bhp; in fact it’s only 115 bhp at the rear wheel — however, it’s pumping out 89 ft lb of torque.
After I’d scratched that itch I decided to take the old best around France with my wife and a few years later over to the Isle of Man. I couldn’t fault the bike and even fully loaded two-up it still handled and performed extremely well.
Due to work commitments I didn’t use the bike for a couple of years and then an opportunity arose for me to move to Stavanger in Norway and start work at a crash repair centre sorting out accident damaged motors. I decided to dig the old Trumpet out and with my mate and wife following in his van behind me we set off in glorious sun to Scandinavia.
As soon as we hit Denmark I was riding in minus temperatures and frozen fjords. I was there for nearly four years and covered a few miles but missed the motorcycle scene in the UK. My life has been about motorbikes since I was 12 and sadly in Norway it just didn’t rock my boat as they say. Not enough shows and events…no evening bike meets and the weather was miserable, so we came back to England and I set up my custom and classic motorcycle shop.
Out of all the bikes I’ve owned and sold over the years — which is in excess of 200 now — the old Trumpet 1200 is still my favourite bike.
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