The Beginning of Lings

Lings has enjoyed a lengthy and succesful partnership with Triumph over the years, beginning way back in the 1930's.

Peter Ling - grandson of local Blacksmith and cycle repairman William Ling - started the Lings dealership in 1935 after completing an apprenticeship and working with his father at the family garage in Holton, Halesworth in Suffolk. The new dealership, on Trinity Road in Bungay, Suffolk, initially dealt in bicycles, but quickly moved into the market for motorcycles and scooters, taking on classic British makes such as BSA Francis-Barnett, and of course Triumph - then known as New Triumph Co. Ltd. While at the time it proved to be a wise and ultimately fruitful decision, with business quickly taking off, few would have thought that over 70 years later this association would still going from strength to strength.

At the time, Triumph were well known for their contribution to World War One, with over 30,000 Model H Roadster machines supplied to the Allied effort. The bikes extraordinary reliability led to the Model H being nicknamed 'The Trusty Triumph'. After the War, the company moved into exports, supplying huge numbers of machines to the United States. The commitment to British industry by Peter Ling meant that Triumph motorcycles became a hugely important part of the fledgling PFK Ling dealership.

The brands reputation continued to grow with the release in 1937 of the Triumph Speed Twin. While not the first parallel twin released by Triumph, it was the first to achieve widespread popularity. The machine would form the basis for all Triumph models until well into the 1980's - and the 100mph Triumph Tiger T100.

World War II

Triumph continued to support Allied forces during World War II, producing motorcycles from their Coventry factory until it's destruction during the Blitz in 1940/41. Undeterred, the firm salvaged tools and machinery from the devastation and restarted production at a new plant in Meriden, West Midlands in early 1942. It was an early show of the kind of 'British Bulldog' spirit the company remains justifiably proud of.



Post-War

After WWII, Lings and Triumph went back to business. Lings continued its commitment to the British brand, while Triumph itself began producing more and more advanced machines, including such innovations as the Triumph GP and Triumph's first attempt at a rear suspension system on the Tiger 100. Lings continued to support Triumph as they became more popular through the years, reaching a peak when Marlon Brando rode a Thunderbird 6T in the classic film 'The Wild One'.

Rebirth

As one of the most recognised names in British manufacturing, the Triumph name still carried considerable weight, even if cheaper alternatives from abroad had swamped it's share of the market. To that end, as the original business continued to be supported by Government funding, English property developer John Bloor bought the name and manufacturing rights, with a view to re-establishing the famous badge on the motorcycling landscape and recapturing former glories.



To that end, only the traditional Bonneville model remained in production while an entirely new, revamped range of machines was developed. Lings was equally enthused by the prospect of bringing British built motorcycles back to prominence in their showrooms once more, until finally in 1991 a new range of Triumph machines was launched to an overwhelmingly positive reaction from both the press and public.

"Now that Triumph was back, it was a case of building a new secure base in the marketplace"
- Lings Managing Director Chris Jary (Grandson to Peter Ling)



This re-establishment of the brand meant that Triumph became the longest continuous motorcycle manufacturer in the world (since 1902) - a record that continues to grow day by day. Dealer feedback saw Triumph direct their new range toward parallel twins and triples, as well as spotting a trend for 'retro' machines comprised of modern engineering, a trend that continues to this day with the hugely successful Thruxton and the now legendary Bonneville range. While they look, feel and sound like their ancestors, they are built using modern parts and techniques, lending them a 'timeless' quality appreciated by loyal collectors, while in the process attracting a brand new customer base.



It is the 'Triple' that has become the icon of modern Triumph though. The Speed Triple has been almost ever-present in the model line-up since the relaunch, with every revision scoring highly in road tests and becoming incredibly popular among the riding public. This was made ever clearer with the launch of the Street triple and Street Triple R in late 2008. A powered-up version of the famous Speed Triple, the Street triple was named Bike of The Year 2008 by Motorcycle News and has quickly become a favourite with newcomers to Triumph and veteran riders alike.




As Triumph saw past glories refreshed, Lings Triumph has grown to reflect it's increasing stature in the market. The Lings Watton dealership became Triumph exclusive in 1991, while a second Triumph exclusive dealership was openened in 1997 in Ipswich, Suffolk. United under the Norfolk Triumph and Suffolk Triumph banner respectively in 2006, they serve as a continued statement of Lings' support for this Great British Institution.



Lings efforts don't stop there though - our commitment to British-made bikes has never been stronger, and we continue to strive to provide the perfect customer experience for old-hands and curious newcomers alike - to consistently prove that once you've been bitten by the Lings Triumph bug, you'll be hooked.

By John Barkshire