British motorcycle enjoys `triumphant' return.(Chicago Tribune)

Byline: Patrick Kampert

CHICAGO _ In Hollywood, the man who saves the world rides a Triumph motorcycle.

That's one facet of the movie "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines," in which the hero, John Connor, rides a mean machine, a Triumph Bonneville to be exact.

But beyond such exalted silver-screen exploits, Triumph is enjoying favor among us mere mortals as well. In a summer in which industry leader Harley-Davidson celebrates its centennial, the 101-year-old Triumph is quietly experiencing a rebirth as the hippest wheels around.

A generation ago, the British-built Triumph motorcycle was the hottest bike in the world. No one sold more motorcycles in the `60s, yet the Triumph was the king of cool as well as the captain of commerce.

From James Dean's classic pose aboard a Triumph to Steve McQueen in "The Great Escape" and Marlon Brando in "The Wild One," Hollywood took a shine to the sleek and powerful U.K. models.

But in 1983 the company went into a fatal skid. The same year, British businessman John Bloor bought the name and set about a seven-year process of retooling the company from the ground up, culminating in new Triumph motorcycles in 1990.