2011 Triumph 865cc T100 Bonneville
Registration no. WW11 POW
Frame no. SMTTJ9157GB469435
Engine no. 470239

• Inspired by 'The Great Escape'
• Uniquely customised
• One owner
• 8,500 miles from new

Ever since the re-emergence of newly revitalised Triumph in 1990, enthusiasts had been eagerly awaiting the revival of the Bonneville brand, one of the most evocative names in motorcycling history. Ten years would elapse before Triumph felt ready to do so. The design brief for the new Bonneville was to emulate the classic style of the late 1960s version while incorporating the best of modern technology. The need to recapture the sound and feel of the original meant that the power unit had to be an air-cooled parallel twin with 360-degree crankshaft, while applying similar criteria to the cycle parts dictated wire-spoked wheels and a twin-shock rear end. At 790cc (initially) the new 8-valve engine was bigger than any preceding Bonneville while a balancer shaft, something the original could have done with, was deemed essential to dampen vibration inherent in the traditional engine layout. The new Bonneville debuted to critical acclaim at Munich in 2001 and before long the concept had been expanded to include cruiser-style Bonneville America, super-sports Thruxton and various other models such as the T100.

First registered in March 2011, this unique one-owner T100 has covered only 8,500 miles from new. It was inspired by the Triumph motorcycle used in the 1963 motion picture 'The Great Escape', which was ridden by the charismatic loner played by Steve McQueen, although his great friend Bud Ekins performed the stunts.

In 2011, nearly 50 years after the making of this iconic movie, a group of ex-servicemen and policemen, many of whom had family members linked to the actual escape from Stalag Luft III or had served elsewhere in WW2, decided to pay tribute to their forebears and at the same time raise money to help today's servicemen and women in need. On a group of motorcycles, they travelled over 3,000 miles around Europe's battlefields and POW camps, paying homage to both the men involved and enjoying their own identification with the movie in the process.
One of the motorcycles used was this Triumph T100 Bonneville, which was given the unique registration 'WW11 POW' and transformed by Laguna Motorcycles in Kent, with Triumph's blessing, into a one-off replica with a modern twist. Noteworthy features include Hagon shock absorbers, wider handlebars, concealed indicators, modified mudguard, solo seat, Triumph performance exhausts, and 'military drab' paintwork. The machine is offered with a V5C document, MoT to October 2016, and its original Triumph wallet containing the manual and service booklet.