Triumph 'Texas Ceegar'

The Texas Ceegar from British motorcycle maker Triumph powered Johnny Allen to a 214.4 mph world record in 1956, mere days after NSU and Wilhelm Hertz had set the 211 mark. There was controversy surrounding the record because the International Motorcycle Federation (FIM) refused to sanction it despite the fact that all equipment and proceedings were up to regulation. NSU, however, capitulated the record to Triumph and Allen. The bike featured a modified 649cc, air-cooled overhead-valve twin Triumph Thunderbird engine mounted behind the driver’s cockpit paired with a  four-speed, chain drive transmission. Estimated output was 65 bhp. The cigar-shaped streamliner used an all-welded space frame with an exceptionally long wheelbase (9 ft. 2 ½ in.) Despite the controversy around the record, Triumph created a model known as the Bonneville a few years later in 1959, which went on to become its most famous bike.