Triumph Bonneville T140 - Late Models 1981-1983 - T140LE Royal Wedding

T140LE Royal Wedding

The T140LE stood for 'Limited Edition' and each came with an owner's certificate signed by the dealer and chairman of Triumph. Just 250 'Royal Wedding' Bonnevilles (with special finishes for the 125 US and 125 UK models) were built to commemorate the 1981 marriage of Lady Diana Spencer and Charles, Prince of Wales. The UK version had a silver-grey painted frame and black finished engine whilst the export version had grey seat top covers and a highly polished engine with silver painted barrels. Whilst both had electric starting, Bing carburretors, ULO turn indicators and Marzocchi Strada gas-oil rear shock absorbers as standard, the UK version also had American-made 'Morris' alloy wheels and twin front discs. Both versions' petrol tanks were chromed but finished differently: the 4 gallon UK tank featured a plain Triumph badge with black scallops echoing the side panel colour; the 2 gallon export tank had the old 'picture frame' Triumph badge and had gold-lined, 'smoked' blue scallops that matched the side panel colour. The fixing point for both types of tank to the frame was covered by a badge that read "Royal Wedding 1981" whilst both side panels bore the legend, 'Bonneville', 'Royal' and '1981' with stylised Prince of Wales's feathers, symbol of the Prince of Wales .

There were also Royal Bonnevilles exported to the USA to the specification of Triumph Motorcycles America. These were like UK Royals but with black frames and gold-lined, black tanks. The stylised Prince Of Wales's feathers on their side panel badges were retained next to the word 'Royal' but the '1981' date was deleted. Their engines were finished in black like the UK version but with polished covers like the US version.