Gavin Hardman - Made in Coventry

Built in the countryside, Made in Coventry and shaping the future at Triumph Motorcycles

From the fields of Lancashire to the design studios of an iconic British motorcycle brand, Coventry University graduate Gavin Hardman has built a career that now shapes the future of Triumph Motorcycles worldwide.

But his engineering journey began far from any production line, with oily hands on his family farm in the Ribble Valley village of Simonstone, where tractors and machinery sparked the curiosity that would eventually propel him into
international leadership.

A childhood spent dismantling anything mechanical, paired with evenings working in local garages restoring classic cars, led him to study Automotive Engineering at Coventry University as one of the first in his family to enter higher education.

That foundation has since powered a global career in which he has helped redesign the iconic Bonneville range, engineered the frame for the Daytona 675 - now regarded as a modern classic - and led electrification work on Project Triumph TE-1, the brand’s groundbreaking electric motorcycle initiative.

Today, as Triumph’s Director – Design (Engineering Services), Gavin is based at the Hinckley headquarters, overseeing teams across the UK, Thailand, India and Spain and driving some of the brand’s most influential engineering projects.

Engineering roots nurtured in rural Lancashire

Gavin said: “I used to take everything apart - anything I could get my hands on. When I was about nine, my dad gave me an old engine and said ‘Take that one apart because I don’t want you taking anything else apart’.

“Doing that helped me understand how they worked and that naturally led to fixing things. Engineering is really about 3D problem-solving and I enjoy that challenge.”

Hands-on engineering shaped raw curiosity into real-world skill

Coventry University’s practical approach had a lasting impact on Gavin, who graduated in 2000, and he says his year in industry at Triumph Motorcycles during his degree helped him get his foot in the door.

He said: “You learn a lot of engineering theory but the value is knowing how to apply it. Coventry University prepared me really well for that. The year in industry helped me take what I’d learned and actually use it properly. I came back for my final year more organised, more driven and much clearer about what mattered.

“Even now I still go back to the basics - solid mechanics, forces, vectors - we genuinely use them and the soft skills too. A lot of my job now is management and the principles we were taught still apply. Group work taught me how to operate as part of a team and that’s been invaluable throughout my career.”

Gavin didn’t just find his calling at university - he also made friends for life.

He said: “The things I remember most are the experiences with my friends. We shared the same interests, got involved in grass-track racing, and I helped a friend prepare and race his car while I was still studying. We’ve all gone on to build careers in engineering and I’m still friends with many of them now.”

Finding his place and passion at Triumph Motorcycles

Gavin’s passion for engineering and for Triumph is unmistakable and his time overseas with KTM in Austria and HeroCorp in India broadened his understanding of global motorcycle cultures - experience he now brings back to the brand he calls home.

He said: “I still remember the first component I ever designed - a small bar-end weight - and the feeling of seeing it on a production bike. That was as satisfying as anything I’ve done since.

“Being responsible for the frame of the first-generation Daytona 675 was a real highlight - as a chassis engineer that’s about as good as it gets. I still own one of those bikes and cherish it.

“Moving into management brought new rewards. One of the most satisfying parts is seeing people in my team grow into senior roles. Opening new global facilities has also been incredibly rewarding."

Core engineering skills still crucial for next generation

Gavin has watched engineering transform rapidly with new technologies but says the fundamentals he learned at Coventry University are still essential.

He said: “Software-enabled vehicles are a major part of the automotive future and working in this space means understanding how electrical, electronic and hardware systems come together in increasingly complex ways.

“But core engineering skills still matter. Solid mechanics, materials and processes don’t disappear - software and electronics can’t function without the hardware people interact with. The real skill lies in integrating both.”

He says the pace of change makes adaptability more important than ever.

He said: “We’re living through unprecedented technical change - from internal combustion engines to electric vehicles - and even in motorcycles there’s now software and hardware integration that didn’t exist when I was a student, so we have to keep learning.

“Even in my role I’m still constantly learning.”

Get stuck in

Gavin’s message to aspiring engineers is clear - get stuck in.

He said: “I’m always looking for engineers with hands-on practical experience as well as academic theory. If you get opportunities outside your lectures - projects, clubs, hobbies - take them. I want to see that you understand things with your hands, not just on paper.

“Engineering has been an incredible career for me.

“It’s rewarding - you get to see what you’ve created, and there’s nothing better than seeing the smile on someone’s face when they ride a motorbike you helped bring to life.”