Les Harris (businessman)

Les Harris
Born	1939 UK
Died	17 February 2009
Residence	England, UK
Nationality	British
Occupation	Motorcycle Manufacturer
Spouse(s)	Shirley Harris
Children	Carole, Debbie, Angela and Chris

Leslie Frederick Harris was a Torquay businessman and motorcycle enthusiast who resurrected the Triumph Bonneville. Born in 1939, he was described as the "saviour of the British motorcycle industry". Invited to Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament, in 1987 he was visited by the then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. He died in February 2009, aged 69.

Les began his own business in 1974 manufacturing and selling spare parts for classic motorcycles. As the leading British manufacturers such as Norton Motorcycles, BSA and Triumph went out of business, Les Harris bought as many spare parts as he could and set up L F Harris International Ltd at a warehouse in Newton Abbot. The venture was a success and he expanded by purchasing an engineering company in Leighton Buzzard and a retail shop in Paignton, Devon.

When the Triumph motorcycle factory closed in Meriden in 1983 Les bid for the rights to the Triumph name and the opportunity to build the Triumph Bonneville T140 with the former Meriden Triumph engineer Brian Jones as well as a number of former personnel from Meriden.

Instead, under a renewable five year licence starting from 28 November 1983 granted by the successful bidder, John Bloor, the new owner of Triumph, Les Harris manufactured 750cc Bonnevilles (and some of the 750cc single carburretor TR7V Tiger models also used by the Royal Signals Motorcycle Display Team) until 1988.

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