At the age of 12 Bruno Rossati began working eleven hour days.
"Now, approaching 91, I find myself reminiscing about my youth, still riding my motorcycle every day.
Letter re Ladetto
Introduced in 1936, the Tiger series was designed by Bert Hopwood and styled by Edward Turner. The project was the creation of Jack Sangster of Ariel Square Four fame, headhunted by Turner to take over management of Triumph, which had not recovered from the economic slump of the early 1930s. The results were spectacular - enabling the company to break even in the first year of his management and enter profit the next, saving Triumph's bacon.
Three models of the Tiger were released, the Tiger 70 & T80, and the T90, OHV singles of 250, 350 and 500cc. All had upswept exhausts and were very similar in appearance. The model names designated their top speed.
They did not appear in the original 1936 catalogue, but were given their own sales brochure in September of that year.
The 1939 catalogue saw the introduction of a 500cc twin, the Tiger 100.
Then came war - the T100 reappeared in 1949, and the T90 name resurfaced in the 1960s as the Tiger T90 twin.
THE TRIUMPH TIGERS
Introducing a new range of genuinely fast O.H.V. Singles which successfully combine high performance with outstanding refinements and reliability. Triumph has successfully re-entered the competitive field.
In the first time out, the "Triumph Tigers" scored instant success, winning the Manufacturer’s Team Prize. Henderson Trophy, and three silver cups in the Scottish Six Days' Trial, and following this the Travers Trophy Trial, and sweeping the board in the Ilkley Grand National.
Presenting a particularly smart appearance, with new Silver sheen and chrome petrol tank, chrome plated wheels, the "Tigers" compel admiration not only because of their beauty of line and finish, but because of the practical manner in which they have been laid out. No detail has been too small to receive the painstaking care and attention which distinguishes the thoroughbred from the model built down to a price.
There are hosts of developments which result not only in a high maximum speed, thrilling acceleration and fine pulling at low r.p.m., but are eminently road worthy and built to give years of faithful service in the hands of hard riding owners.
The new engines develop 20 per cent greater power and are absolutely the newest thought in motorcycle construction. Special cylinder heads with polished ports and modified combustion chamber, each power unit being individually tuned and brake tested. Cylinder barrels are hardened and tempered, reducing wear to negligible proportion. Fly wheels and connecting rods are polished, and the magdyno is gear-driven. Four-speed gear-box incorporates a positive stop foot control. and a variety of refinements which include nickel chrome case, hardened gears, and ground, splined shafts.
Lubrication throughout is brought up to a point of perfection. The handle bars have adjustably mounted grouped controls and long T.T. type brake and clutch levers. An illuminated instrument panel is set in the tank.
The Victorian Triumph Distributors and Melbourne Agents, The Rhodes Motor Company Pty. Ltd. of 401-11 Elizabeth street, Melbourne, are proud to announce the arrival of the early 1937 "Tiger" models as an addition to their wide range of Motorcycles. The models displayed are the Triumph "Tiger" 80, single port O.H.V. 349 c.c., and "Tiger" 90. 497 c.c. 2-port, O.H.V.
Australian Cycling & Motor Cycling September 19, 1936. Trove NLA
