Lot 459: Triumph 490cc T100SS

Introduced for the 1960 season, the Tiger 100A was the first sports version of Triumph's unitary construction 500 twin, the 5TA. A raised compression ratio and 'hotter' cams helped the Tiger to a top speed in the region of 90mph, while the retention of a single carburettor meant that fuel economy did not suffer unduly. The T100A's replacement, the Tiger 100SS built between 1961 and 1970, featured an abbreviated rear 'bathtub' enclosure in its first incarnation together with larger-diameter wheels and a slightly more powerful engine equipped with coil ignition. By the end of the 1960s, changes to the Tiger 100 had included an improved frame with stiffened top tube, 12-volt electrics (along with the rest of the twins) and the adoption of a twin-leading-shoe front brake.