The Myth of the Elvis Presley Lost Triumphs Gives Way to a Very Special T120 Bonneville

It seems to have originated from inside the Memphis Mafia but could never be proved beyond that person's account since all the nine Triumphs apparently vanished. If you know anything of Presley collectibles, whether bikes or cars, you know that losing track of one isn't unheard of. But losing track of so many of them at once is.

Me and a guy named Elvis (who liked to buy motorcycles)

The "myth" of the nine Triumphs originated with Jerry Schilling, one of Elvis' Memphis Mafia members. Unlike the name suggests, the Mafia was a group of close friends, family members, and associates who, as per their own words, formed a protective shield around the most famous man in the world at the time, effectively shutting everyone else out.

Schilling was one of those people, and in 1965, he lived with Elvis at the Bel Air compound he rented out. Elvis was already a diehard rider with an impressive collection at the time, but he seemed to favor his Harley-Davidson Electra-Glide. Schilling, on the other hand, was only toying with the idea of buying his first motorcycle, though he resented getting into debt for it.

One night, he gathered all his savings and went to the Robertson & Sons on Santa Monica Boulevard and bought a T750, as he recalled in the book Me and a Guy Named Elvis: My Lifelong Friendship with Elvis Presley. He rode the Triumph back to Elvis' place, knowing the star would want to try it out and compare it against his Harley, and he wasn't wrong.

Presley loved the Triumph so much that he decided all nine men would get one that same night. Schilling wrote in the book that, even though the dealership had only a couple of them in crates, they worked through the night and delivered nine of them to Elvis' doorstep by the time the sun rose the next morning.

Presley and his friends started going out regularly on drives whenever they got the chance, though he would still be on his Harley. When the homeowners' association complained about the noise ten bikes would make as they rolled out, Presley rented trailers and trucks that came and took the bikes out of the gated community with as little noise as possible – and did so whenever they felt like riding.

Triumph confirms the myth and asks for help

Until recently, this outrageous anecdote was considered a myth despite the fact that it sounded very much like something Elvis Presley would do. With no documents to confirm the transaction and no other type of evidence to confirm the existence of the nine Triumphs, the story was chalked up to "possible, but unlikely."

Triumph is now confirming it, having worked with the Elvis Presley Estate and discovered the checks Presley wrote for the nine bikes, including the one Shilling had planned on buying on his own with a downpayment and monthly installments over the next few years. It also reveals that Schilling's T750 was actually a T120 650 Bonneville, and yes, Elvis paid it in full after paying for the others.

Triumph also learned that, despite Presley's insistence that the bikes be delivered that same night he ordered them, the dealer could only send over seven. The other two arrived two days later. The bikes were most likely 1964 models of the 650 TR6 and 650 T120, so they came in "Hifi Scarlet and Silver Sheen" with gold pinstriping and Gold and Alaskan White livery, respectively.

All nine bikes have been lost to time, and Triumph is asking motorcycle enthusiasts and Elvis Presley fans to chip in and help track them down. As the saying goes, strength is in numbers, and, in this day and age, you can never go wrong when two huge fanbases work together towards the same goal.

A very special Bonneville

To celebrate the confirmation of the myth of the Memphis Mafia Triumphs and the collaboration with the Elvis Presley Estate, Triumph has created a very special Bonneville. It's a custom one-off, and it will be crossing the auction block with Graceland later this year, with proceeds going to Goodwill Homes, Presley's favorite charity.

The custom bike is based on a new T120 model and stands out for the livery done by custom artist J Daar. It's a tribute to all things Elvis, as expected, including notes of the red and silver Triumph 650 Bonneville "Desert Sled" Elvis rode in the 1968 film Stay Away Joe, his iconic 1968 Comeback Special look, and the 1964 Memphis Mafia bikes.

Subtlety is not a descriptor that comes to mind with this bike. It features gold block lettering, Elvis silhouettes against a red background, and the iconic "Taking Care of Business" logo Elvis created in the early '70s for the Memphis Mafia. It's a bike Elvis himself would have probably approved of, so it's outrageous, eye-catching, and shiny. Triumph doesn't say, but it's probably stock underneath all this.

Unveiled at the 2023 Barber Vintage Festival (October 6-8, 2023), the custom bike will go under the hammer with a matching, one-of-a-kind Les Paul guitar by Gibson. You can't rock or roll without one.