By purchasing through the links, you support this site at no extra cost to you. Learn more >

Triumph Motorcycles: Illustrated History Books & Guides

Explore the best illustrated books on Triumph motorcycles. Discover the history, models and evolution of Triumph motorcycles. Perfect for enthousiasts, collectors, and anyone passionate about Triumph..

The Complete Book of Classic and Modern Triumph Motorcycles 1937-Today

Originally formed as a bicycle company in 1885, Triumph produced its first motorcycle in 1902, which was simply a bicycle fitted with a Belgian Minerva engine. From there, the company, in various iterations, went on to build some of the most iconic motorcycles of all time.

Written by respected Triumph expert Ian Falloon, this luxurious reference covers all of the major and minor models, with an emphasis on the most exemplary, era-defining motorcycles such as the Thunderbird, Tiger, Trophy, Bonneville, and new machines such as the Speed Triple, Thruxton, and Daytona 675.
Detailed technical specifications are offered alongside compelling photography, much of it sourced from Triumph's archives.

"The Complete Book of Classic and Modern Triumph Motorcycles 1937-Today" also features important non-production models and factory racing and speed-record-setting motorcycles that have become integral parts of Triumph's stellar reputation.

Product details

Author:Ian Falloon
Details:272 pages, 12.4 x 10.25 x 0.91 in (31.5 x 26 x 2.3 cm), hardback
Illustrations:many b&w and color photos
Language:English
Publisher:Motorbooks International (USA, 2019)
ISBN:9780760366011
Book cover: The Complete Book of Classic and Modern Triumph Motorcycles 1937-Today | Motorbooks

The Complete Book of Classic and Modern Triumph Motorcycles 1937-Today

Language: English

The Triumph Tiger Cub Bible

This book offers a complete history of the popular Triumph Tiger Cub motorcycle. It serves as the ultimate reference, covering all aspects of these bikes, including 22 detailed model profiles, delivery information, technical specifications, and details about military, police, and competition models. It also explores the full story behind the model's production.

Now available again after a long absence, this Classic Reprint from Veloce is essential for all Triumph Tiger Cub owners and enthusiasts.

Product details

Author:Mike Estall
Details:208 pages, 10 x 8.5 x 0.63 in (25.5 x 21.5 x 1.6 cm), paperback
Illustrations:many b&w and color photos
Language:English
Publisher:Veloce Publishing Ltd (GB, 2020)
Series:Veloce Classic Reprint
ISBN:9781787117341
Book cover: The Triumph Tiger Cub Bible | Veloce Classic Reprint | Veloce

The Triumph Tiger Cub Bible

Language: English

The Complete Book of Classic and Modern Triumph Motorcycles - 1937 to Today (3rd Edition)

This updated and expanded third edition is the definitive illustrated guide for all enthusiasts of Triumph and classic British motorcycles. It presents every Triumph model up to 2024, tracing the company's evolution from its origins as a bicycle maker in 1885 to its first motorcycle in 1902, powered by a Belgian Minerva engine.

Authored by leading Triumph historian Ian Falloon, the book covers both legendary and modern models, including the 1937 Speed Twin, Thunderbird, Tiger, Trophy, Bonneville, Speed Triple, Thruxton, Tiger adventure series, Speed 400, and Rocket III, as well as special racing and record-setting machines.

Richly illustrated with photographs - many from Triumph's own archives - the volume also features detailed technical data and insights into the brand's cultural legacy, from film appearances and famous riders like James Dean and Steve McQueen to Triumph's achievements in racing and land-speed records.

A comprehensive and visually engaging tribute to one of the world's most celebrated motorcycle manufacturers.

Product details

Author:Ian Falloon
Details:304 pages, 12.4 x 10.25 x 1.18 in (31.5 x 26 x 3 cm), hardback
Illustrations:many b&w and color photos
Language:English
Publisher:Motorbooks International (USA, 2024)
ISBN:9780760392171
Book cover: The Complete Book of Classic and Modern Triumph Motorcycles - 1937 to Today (3rd Edition) | Motorbooks

The Complete Book of Classic and Modern Triumph Motorcycles - 1937 to Today (3rd Edition)

Language: English

Triumph : The Art of the Motorcycle

This is the definitive story of Triumph, told through 130 years of its magnificent motorcycles. Created with support from Triumph and with a foreword from CEO Nick Bloor, this work is a celebration of Triumph's most beautiful bikes, and an essential companion for any fan.

With unprecedented access behind the scenes, the book tells the story of Triumph's motorcycles through the years, from the earliest models and much-loved classics to the most recent bikes.

Features include:
- Entries on each of the greatest Triumph models
- Stunning photography throughout - including never-before-seen images
- Detailed technical information
- Early design sketches
- First-hand reports from the people who were there
- Other treasures from the Triumph archives

With insightful, thoroughly-researched text, Triumph - The Art of the Motorcycle is the ultimate history of an enduring icon, told through its greatest machines.

Product details

Author:Zef Enault, M. Levivier
Details:240 pages, 12.4 x 10 x 1.26 in (31.5 x 25.5 x 3.2 cm), hardback
Illustrations:many b&w and color photos
Language:English
Publisher:Octopus Publishing Group (GB, 2017)
ISBN:9781784723712
Book cover: Triumph : The Art of the Motorcycle | Octopus

Triumph : The Art of the Motorcycle

Language: English

Edward Turner - The Man Behind the Motorcycles

Reprinted after a long absence! For the first time, the life of Edward Turner (1901-1973), one of Britain's most talented motorcycle designers, is revealed in full - making this much more than just another book about Triumph motorcycles.
Although seen by many as an irascible man who ran a very tight ship, it is an inescapable fact that his was a highly profitable company. His hugely successful sales campaign after World War 2 stunned American manufacturers, and had long-lasting repercussions on their own home market.

Pages of the book Edward Turner - The Man Behind the Motorcycles (1)

Pages of the book "Edward Turner - The Man Behind the Motorcycles"

As Bert Hopwood once said to the author, Turner was an inventive genius who had the flair for pleasing shapes, an uncanny ability to perceive what the buying public would readily accept, and to produce it at the right price. No one will deny the impact made at the annual Motor Cycle Show by his Ariel Square Four in 1931, his superbly-styled single cylinder Tiger models in 1936, and his revolutionary Speed Twin that dominated the Show in 1937. Even more was to follow with his post-war Thunderbird and Bonneville twins.

Pages of the book Edward Turner - The Man Behind the Motorcycles (2)

Product details

Author:Jeff Clew
Details:160 pages, 9.8 x 8.25 x 0.63 in (25 x 21 x 1.6 cm), paperback
Illustrations:140 b&w and color photos
Language:English
Publisher:Veloce Publishing Ltd (GB, 2017)
ISBN:9781787111417
Book cover: Edward Turner - The Man Behind the Motorcycles | Veloce

Edward Turner - The Man Behind the Motorcycles

Language: English

Triumph : Pictorial history of the Great British marque

Triumph is truly one of the most enduringly popular names in motorcycling. The word itself literally means to win and Triumph the motorcycle maker has, for the most part of its 100-plus years,been a world-class winner.

Author James Robinson, editor of The Classic MotorCycle magazine, delves into the recesses of the Mortons photographic archive to find rare images of beautiful Triumph machines from every era of the company's history - from the early days in the late Victorian age to the Great War, the Vintage period (1918-1930), the 30s, the Second World War, the 1950s boom years, the cool 60s, the difficult 70s, the death and rebirth of Triumph in the 80s and beyond - right up to the present day.

Product details

Author:James Robinson
Details:144 pages, 9.8 x 7.5 in (25 x 19 cm), hardback
Illustrations:many b&w and color photos
Language:English
Publisher:Mortons Media Group (GB, 2023)
ISBN:9781911658580
Book cover: Triumph : Pictorial history of the Great British marque | Mortons

Triumph : Pictorial history of the Great British marque

Language: English

Motos Triumph - Classiques et modernes

For the first time, Triumph motorcycles from 1937 to 2015 are presented in an encyclopaedic and chronological format, with text written by a recognized specialist of the brand, Ian Falloon.

Every model, classic or modern, large or small, is described, from the "street bikes" which formed the basis of the Superbike concept to the racing machines which ruled the circuits of Great Britain, continental Europe and North America for much of the 20th century, from the original Speed Twin to the current Daytona 675.
This book, abundantly illustrated, should be in the library of every motorcycle enthusiast.

Product details

Author:Ian Falloon
Details:256 pages, 12 x 9.8 in (30.5 x 25 cm), hardback
Illustrations:500 b&w and color photos
Language:French
Publisher:ETAI (F, 2015)
ISBN:9791028301170
Book cover: Motos Triumph - Classiques et modernes | ETAI

Motos Triumph - Classiques et modernes

Language: French

Triumph - L'art motocycliste anglais

A pioneer in its early days, the brand with undeniable popular success was once moribund. Today, Triumph shines across a large part of the world, from Europe to South America, from Japan to the United States. It owes its fame in part to an emblematic model: the Bonneville, a true icon of the 1960s and star of the neo-retro motorcycle in the 2000s.

Pages of the book Triumph - L'art motocycliste anglais (1)

Pages of the book "Triumph - L'art motocycliste anglais"

The English manufacturer has always thought of the greatest number, declining its models in multiple versions, paying particular attention to the pleasure and the style. The history of these motorcycles is the common thread of this work. The models are detailed and presented each in their context. The main orientations and the men who made the brand also occupy a large part of the story of the Triumph adventure, where we discover how the past serves the future.

Pages of the book Triumph - L'art motocycliste anglais (2)

Product details

Author:Michaël Levivier, Zef Enault
Details:240 pages, 12.2 x 10 in (31 x 25.5 cm), hardback
Illustrations:many b&w and color photos
Language:French
Publisher:Editions E/P/A (F, 2017)
ISBN:9782851208903
Book cover: Triumph - L'art motocycliste anglais | E/P/A

Triumph - L'art motocycliste anglais

Language: French

Tous les modèles Triumph - depuis 1945

Model by model or family by family, this book presents the complete catalog of Triumph models from 1945 to the present day, designed for the road and trials, all the information at a glance and provides basic knowledge for the two-wheel fan.

The history of the main models is completed by technical sheets and data such as performance, prices, special series, racing machines.

Product details

Author:Jürgen Gassebner
Details:128 pages, 9.8 x 7.3 in (25 x 18.5 cm), hardback
Illustrations:110 b&w and color photos
Language:French
Publisher:ETAI (F, 2000)
ISBN:9782726885109
Book cover: Tous les modèles Triumph - depuis 1945 | ETAI

Tous les modèles Triumph - depuis 1945

Language: French

Triumph - Une passion… Une légende

An English brand born in 1886, which has managed to assert itself, seduce the greatest, rise from its ashes and remain in the hearts of bikers. Characteristic design, intuitive handling and exceptional driving performance: enthusiasts are seduced.
Here is a motorcycle born well before the Harley-Davidson, on a continent where traffic is not practiced as in the majority of countries in the world. At Triumph, it is in particular the famous Bonneville model that will forever mark the glorious English brand.

Triumph is also a name that resonates and is now part of the legend. The Thunderbird 6T was the steel mount of the great actor Marlon Brando in The Wild One (1953), a film that takes place in the United States and which marks the beginning of motorcycle clubs.
Steve Mc Queen was also a fan of the English brand, he marks its speed and ease in the film The Great Escape (1963) with an unforgettable sequence in which he tries to escape the Germans by jumping a barbed wire obstacle.
Yes, as this book confirms, Triumph holds its place in the world history of the motorcycle!

Product details

Author:Albert Saladini
Details:224 pages, 7.5 x 9 in (19 x 24 cm), hardback
Illustrations:many b&w and color photos
Language:French
Publisher:Editions De Borée (F, 2019)
ISBN:9782812923616
Book cover: Triumph - Une passion… Une légende | De Borée

Triumph - Une passion… Une légende

Language: French

Triumph - Englische Motorradkunst

From early successes to the closure of the motorcycle factories and the successful comeback, the British cult brand Triumph has experienced all the highs and lows. After its founding in 1886, victories in the legendary "Tourist Trophy" motorcycle race and models such as the Bonneville presented in 1959 laid the foundation for Triumph's global fame, which reached a temporary high point in the 1950s and 60s. In 1983, wrong company policy led to the temporary end.

But after the bankruptcy, there was a truly triumphant new beginning: in 1990, Triumph returned with John Bloor at the helm. Motorcycle fans were not disappointed: new models such as the Street Triple, Daytona, Tiger and of course the reissue of the Bonneville generated enthusiastic reactions, which were also reflected in the sales figures.
In this comprehensive and lavishly illustrated work, the authors tell the fascinating story of England's most famous motorcycle manufacturer:

For this book, Triumph opened its archives and supported motorcycle journalists Zef Enault and Michael Levivier in their research. They were given access to previously unpublished images and documents on the design and development history of the legendary Triumph motorcycles that had not been available before. This look behind the scenes and the authors' enthusiasm make the book a special gift for all fans of British motorcycles!

Product details

Author:Michael Levivier, Zef Enault
Details:240 pages, 12.2 x 9.8 in (31 x 25 cm), hardback
Illustrations:290 b&w and color photos
Language:German
Publisher:Delius Klasing Verlag GmbH (D, 2019)
ISBN:9783667115881
Book cover: Triumph - Englische Motorradkunst | Delius Klasing

Triumph - Englische Motorradkunst

Language: German

Triumph - Motorräder - seit 1945 (Typenkompass)

Triumph (founded in 1886) finally went bankrupt in 1983, and the second oldest motorcycle-producing brand in the world was on the verge of collapse. The trademark rights went to a British building contractor.

And what nobody had thought possible: The man had a heart for motorcycles, not just for real estate. In 1990, with a completely new company on the market, the success story of the new Triumph is just two decades old - and much more consistently successful than the old ones ever were.

Pages of the book [TK] Triumph - Motorrader seit 1945 (1)

Pages of the book "Triumph - Motorräder - seit 1945"

For each type covered, this Typenkompass book contains a photo, a historical description and technical data.

Product details

Author:Jürgen Gassebner
Details:128 pages, 8.1 x 5.5 in (20.5 x 14 cm), paperback
Illustrations:19 b&w and 100 color photos
Language:German
Publisher:Motorbuch Verlag (D, 2010)
Series:Typenkompass
ISBN:9783613031586
Book cover: Triumph - Motorräder - seit 1945 | Typenkompass | Motorbuch

Triumph - Motorräder - seit 1945

Language: German

Triumph - Motorräder seit 1937

NEW

This illustrated reference book is intended for enthusiasts of Triumph and British motorcycles. Written by respected expert Ian Falloon, it covers all key Triumph models - from early classics to more recent developments.
Special focus is given to iconic bikes such as the Thunderbird, Tiger, Trophy, Bonneville, as well as modern models like the Speed Triple, Thruxton, and Daytona 675.

The book combines detailed technical data with high-quality photographs, many sourced from the Triumph archives. It also includes factory racing machines and record-setting motorcycles.
Covering all Triumph models since 1937, it offers a thorough overview of one of Britain's most successful motorcycle brands.

Product details

Author:Ian Falloon
Details:272 pages, 12.2 x 10 x 1.14 in (31 x 25.5 x 2.9 cm), hardback
Illustrations:300 b&w and color photos
Language:German
Publisher:Motorbuch Verlag (D, 2025)
ISBN:9783613046917
Book cover: Triumph - Motorräder seit 1937 | Motorbuch

Triumph - Motorräder seit 1937

Language: German

More titles on Triumph:

Book cover: Triumph Thunderbird, Trophy & Tiger (1950-1983) | The Essential Buyer's Guide

Triumph Thunderbird, Trophy & Tiger (1950-1983)

Peter Henshaw | English | paperback | 64 p. | 2014

Book cover: Triumph Pre-Unit Twins

Triumph Pre-Unit Twins

Matthew Vale | English | hardback | 192 p. | 2012

Book cover: Triumph Speed Twin et Thunderbird 1938-1966

Triumph Speed Twin et Thunderbird 1938-1966

Harry Woolridge | French | hardback | 144 p. | 2009