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HARRIER 1000 Blending the old and new

THE BSA ROCKET 3 AND TRIumph Trident Triples were radical machines when first introduced in 1968, but are little more than dinosaurs today. About 33,000 were produced in England before financial problems set in and production of the popular three-cylinder bikes was halted in 1975.

Englishman Norman Hyde has a soft spot for those now-extinct ma chines. Ex-holder of 13 world records on Triumphand BSA-en gined specials. and an ex-Triumph factory development engineer, he now runs a shop (Norman Hyde Products. Rigby Close, Heathcote, Warwick CV34 6TL. England) in which he develops and sells speed parts for BSA and Triumph Twins and Triples, and which soon is to be home of a limited-production motorcycle Hyde calls the Harrier~ powered by an upgraded version of the Trinle.

Hyde already sold a kit that increased both the bore and the stroke of the 750cc Triple for a total displacement of 973cc, with peak power listed as 75 bhp at 6750 rpm. But modernizing the engine and upping its power really outdated the stock bike’s chassis. So Hyde ordered a Harris frame built to his specifications: 27-degree rake, 4.7 inches of trail, a wheelbase of 57 inches, along with forward engine placement to improve front-tire adhesion in the corners.

Suspension is handled by a 42mm Marzocchi M IR fork and dual Koni shocks. AP-Lockheed dual-piston disc brakes, with l l-inch rotors in the front and an 8.7-inch rotor at the rear, provide strong, modern braking for the Harrier. Eighteeninch Avon tires, front and rear, are mounted on Astralite alloy wheels.

Riders opting for the full-house engine kit should be warned that starting the Triple when cold is a skill requiring experience, brawn and cunning. With no electric starter, it’s best to park the Harrier on the crest of a hill, as bumpstarting the beast is usually easier than trying to kickstart it.

But having persuaded the Harrier to fire, the rider is rewarded with a riding experience that is truly unique, an at-first curious, then beguiling, mixture of old and new, an enticing blend of ancient and modern. That haunting, evocative Trident exhaust howl is still the best-sounding of any roadbike ever produced, although the exhaust sounds fail to cover the rattling of the 20-year-old design’s tappets.

And full-throttle roll-ons from lower engine revolutions remind the rider of the combustion chambers' ancient design, too—the rattle and ping of detonation is common until the tachometer gets past 4000 rpm.

Rolling the throttle open above 4000 rpm results in a power lunge that’s impressive even by 1989 standards. And this 370-pound special will push the speedometer needle past the 140-mph mark before topping out. Twisty roads are a delight; steering is ultra-light, ground clearance is adequate, the brakes are strong and the suspension is smooth and precise.

The Hyde Harrier 1000 is available now in kit form for those who want to convert their own Triple; and complete Harriers, new engines and all, will soon be ready for sale. Who says dinosaurs are extinct?

—Alan Cat heart