At the start of the World War 2, Great Britain did not have all the technical equipment needed for such a conflict. Many vehicles were ordered urgently to increase their capabilities. Motorcycles, mainly used by the well known DR “Dispatch Riders” for communication between different units, were converted from civilian bikes with small changes, like military colors and the addition of frames for the canvas bags.
Triumph created the model 3HW, based on the civilian “Tiger 80”, with an overhead valve engine and parallel forks. This model served on all fronts where the British Armed Forces fought, such as Africa, Europe, and Asia. After World War 2 these motorcycles were delivered to many other nations, such as Italy and Greece, where the Triumphs served for a long time thanks to their reliability and robustness.