Les Harris (businessman)

Leslie Frederick Harris (1939 – 17 February 2009) was an English businessman and motorcycle enthusiast who resurrected the Triumph Bonneville for a few years in the 1980s.

The announcement of Harris restarting Bonneville production was made on 25 June 1985 at Forde House with local member of parliament Patrick Nicolls and motorcycling personalities such as Bert Hopwood in attendance.

[1] In fact, the Triumphs manufactured by Harris were distinct from Meriden-made models in having significantly more German and Italian component parts (such as Italian Brembo brakes, Paioli front suspension and Lafranconi silencers, German Magura switchgear, Varta battery and Merit horn) as the British motorcycle component industry had shrunk massively by the 1980s.

Fitted with a Rotax 494 cc air-cooled engine, there was also a Harris Matchless G80 built with a twin front disc brake and an electric starter.

[7] At his funeral at St Matthias Church, Torquay, six soldiers from the team carried his coffin and provided a 'throttle roar' in his memory.