[4] Doug Hele stated that the model was dropped because design doubts such as the rapid wear of contact breaker points, did not justify the 'real money' cost of dies for components such as cylinder heads, the company then being in 'real financial trouble'.

[6][7] Hopwood did note that the production release date was constantly delayed from spring 1971 with even autumn 1972 suggested gravely affecting BSA-Triumph's credibility with dealers especially in the critical US market.

Launched in 1971 the 5-speed, 349 cc (21.3 cu in) double overhead cam twin cylinder Triumph Bandit delivered 34 bhp (25 kW) and could reach 110 mph (180 km/h).

[9]The only contemporary road test was by American magazine Cycle Guide in their March 1971 issue upon a visit to the Triumph and BSA factories at Meriden and Small Heath, respectively.

Overall, the review was extremely positive concluding, the Bandit 'will run at 90 mph (140 km/h) all day long' and Triumph would 'sell all they can crank out in the next 12 months' being 'a lot of machine for the money' (US$900).

[12] This Bandit was entered in the 2008 VMCC’s Festival of 1,000 Bikes at Mallory Park where it was reported to have run very well with smooth power all the way up to an indicated 8,000 rpm, and was a match for many bigger motorcycles, with good handling helped by the shallow steering head angle.

Testing the same machine some 3 years earlier, British magazine, The Biker commented similarly as to the performance but instead concluded that the Bandit would merely have been an 'also-ran' against the-then Japanese competition.