1972 Tiger TR6R 650 Offers Vintage Triumph Style and Handling
Motorcycles & ATVs
Motorcycles
Nothing in the world handles like the Triumph. Nothing. (And isn’t handling what motorcycling is all about?)
That’s how Triumph advertised its Tiger motorcycles in the 1970s.
The clean 1972 Triumph Tiger TR6R 650 recently listed on eBay is all original. It has a clean title with matching numbers. The motorcycle is one of about 3,500 Tiger units produced in 1972. That makes it rare, but not so uncommon that you can’t find plenty of replacement parts on eBay - opens in new window or tab..
Oil in the Frame
The TR6R, with its low-slung chrome exhaust pipes, was the Triumph’s standard Roadster model. The Tiger lineup is nearly identical to the Bonneville, but there are important differences. For example, the Tiger uses a single carburetor.
The single Amal-branded carb - opens in new window or tab. feeds the bike’s 649-cc air-cooled, four-stroke parallel twin-cylinder engine.
These bikes had some nifty features, such as replacing the oil tank with an oil-in-frame setup. That’s right—the frame itself contains the oil for the motorcycle. Very few motorcycles took this approach, which was hotly debated in the early 1970s.
By 1973, Triumph switched a new engine, the 744cc twin.
The clean lines combine with the chrome accents for a spot-on British style. The chrome Triumph logo adorns the polychromatic blue-and-white tank, which still sports the original paint put down in 1972. It has just a bit of patina, showing how its owners gave it love over the years.
Everything on the motorcycle appears to be in excellent condition, even the original seat.
Vintage Style and Handling
These bikes are relatively light, weighing in at about 420 pounds. However, its ample 4.76-gallon tank can get you where you want to go. The 650cc engine boasts 47 hp at 6,700 rpm—with 37 pound-feet of torque. It has an 8.5:1 compression ratio but still provides ample power for zipping around town.
The bike is on the small side—measuring 87.4 inches in length with a seat height of 31.1 inches. That provides evidence about its handling advantages, as advertised in the 1970s.
A half-century later, this 1972 Triumph Tiger TR6R 650 is offered with a Buy-It-Now price of $4,995.
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