Triumph Sprint GT

Joined
Mar 28, 2012
Messages
205
Location
SW Michigan
Bike
Sprint GT, 2010 NT, MS950
After about 16 months and 16000 miles, the red NT and I have parted ways. My needs have changed and after looking and test-riding bikes for the last month I pulled the trigger on a low-miles 2011 Triumph Sprint GT. The riding position and overall feel of the bike are more relaxed than my Sprint ST, the engine and suspension are uber-smooth and refined, and the bike has the same onboard luggage as the new Trophy. The bags can be removed in about 5 seconds each.

The Sprint and the NT have something in common, though - neither one are incredibly popular with the aftermarket! I guess I'm just attracted to the misfits of the motorcycle world. :p

I want to thank everyone here for sharing their experiences, trials, upgrades, insights and impressions relating to the NT. You all definitely made owning mine a lot easier and helped me make a great bike even better. I'll still be popping in from time to time to catch up with your latest adventures.

Here are a couple of pics:
 

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Joined
Oct 6, 2011
Messages
251
Location
New Mexico
Bike
KLR650, Red NT700V, YZFR3
Looks like a fun ride, don't go away looking forward to your impressions on your new ride.
 

Phil Tarman

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Dec 12, 2010
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Greeley, CO
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Nice-looking, indeed. We do look forward to hearing more about. Not too many of us are bike snobs -- we like everything that works for its owner.
 
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KazooST
Joined
Mar 28, 2012
Messages
205
Location
SW Michigan
Bike
Sprint GT, 2010 NT, MS950
Well, the GT is definitely a more European style of sport tourer. At 590 pounds wet it's a bit heavier than an NT but much lighter than the larger sport touring bikes like the FJR, ST1300 or Concours. After 600 miles I'm quite pleased; it is one of those bikes where you just give it a suggestion and off it goes. A light hand on the throttle is a must, but the power comes on very smoothly, so I am not having any trouble keeping it under control. Twist it hard, though, and you zip past 100 mph quicker than you can soil your undies. :eek1:

The suspension is spot-on for touring and eats up road imperfections beautifully; expansion joints on the freeway give just a hint that they were there at all. It handles a lot like a sportbike, with the steering quick and light, but also very stable at speed and through sweepers. I'd say Triumph did a great job with it. Fork dive when braking hard is non-existent. The brakes are quite powerful and equipped with ABS.

Seating position is definitely sportier than the NT, but the seat is much improved over the Sprint ST and gives a lot more room to move around. Legroom could be better, but I was looking for a bike I could ride on the balls of my feet so that worked out well. My first farkle, installed yesterday, was a pair of 30 mm lowered pegs, though! The GT doesn't have an adjustable windshield, so I will probably end up with three or four in the garage that I can swap out as the weather and ride dictates. The stock shield is pretty good, with a smooth airflow that hits me around mid-chest. The downside is having to clean the bugs off of my helmet a lot more often.

On the slab 4300 rpm yields a very smooth cruise at 80 mph in sixth gear. Range is good; she has a 5.2 gallon tank, the same as the NT, and I'm getting right around 49 mpg, so I have been filling up with about 4.4 gallons of 89 octane or better at the 210 - 220 mile mark. I'm pretty sure that I could get up around 55 mpg if I tried. One of the things I missed is having a really good fuel gauge, and this one seems accurate throughout the range

The stock luggage is very good and HUGE. The side cases are 31 liters each and the topbox is 55 liters. Each sidecase can hold an XL full face helmet and the topbox can accomodate two. Grocery run anybody? One feature I like is being able to unlock a lid and take the key out. The lid will still close and latch but not lock, which may come in handy when camping.

The lights are so-so. The low beams are better than the projectors on the Sprint ST, but the high beam may as well not be there. I'll be adding some Denalis for sure.

I like having a chain again. It's an x-ring that should last for 25,000 miles or more without much hassle, and not having a shaft makes the bike a lot easier to push around the garage. I hadn't realized how much effort the NT took to push until the first time I backed the GT out.

Overall, the Triumph Sprint GT gives me a lot to be happy about with very few quibbles. It hits a 9 out of 10 in most areas, and really rules in one big one: you can pick up a good, low mileage example for well under $10,000. I scored an exceptional deal on mine; I could have bought the Sprint and Mellow's V-strom for less than a new FJR.

I'm pretty happy!:D
 
Joined
Dec 12, 2010
Messages
717
Location
Buzzard's Breath, Ohio
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Bonneville T120
Patrick,
Triumph does a good job. I know what you mean about the handling and suspension as the Trophy is very similar.

I test drove a Tiger 1050 which I think has the same triple engine that you have. It was in the spring and there was still sand on the roads from winter maintenance. I found that I was spinning the rear wheel every time i shifted gears, a bit unsettling. So the light throttle hand is a must.

I rode the Sprint ST and found that the seating position was too aggressive for this old man. It's a real shame that Triumph has phased that engine out of the current lineup. It's beautiful, but their line up was too crowed with the 800s, 1050s and 1200s. Something had to go.

I hope you keep enjoying that bad boy!
 
Joined
Oct 29, 2011
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1,231
Location
oregon
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2011 NT, 01 Ultra, 04 VLX
Patrick,

Thanks for a very nice report. I am sure you will enjoy this bike! I used to have a fond spot for the old British iron except for the prince of darkness. I know he is long gone from todays worl. I think one of these could finde a home here with me if the right one came along , although it would probably be the clone to the old vintage machine's in appearance.

Enjoy your new ride!

Eldon
 
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KazooST
Joined
Mar 28, 2012
Messages
205
Location
SW Michigan
Bike
Sprint GT, 2010 NT, MS950
Patrick,
Triumph does a good job. I know what you mean about the handling and suspension as the Trophy is very similar.

I test drove a Tiger 1050 which I think has the same triple engine that you have. It was in the spring and there was still sand on the roads from winter maintenance. I found that I was spinning the rear wheel every time i shifted gears, a bit unsettling. So the light throttle hand is a must.

I rode the Sprint ST and found that the seating position was too aggressive for this old man. It's a real shame that Triumph has phased that engine out of the current lineup. It's beautiful, but their line up was too crowed with the 800s, 1050s and 1200s. Something had to go.

I hope you keep enjoying that bad boy!
The rode the Trophy - great bike, but out of my price range at the moment. The GT is about halfway between the ST and the Trophy; sporty, but with some smart changes to make it a better tourer than the ST.

The Tiger has a de-tuned version of the 1050, but it's also 150 pounds lighter. It was on my short list but would have required a luggage replacement, and the people that have them don't seem eager to let them go. The new mapping on the GT really refined the throttle response. It's much more controllable than I remember my ST being - no problems with sand or dirt on the road so far.

I rode 200 miles on the new lowered pegs yesterday. Just right!
 
Joined
Dec 12, 2010
Messages
717
Location
Buzzard's Breath, Ohio
Bike
Bonneville T120
I'm glad you like it. It's a wonderful bike.

I would never have purchased the Trophy except for the ridiculous trade-in that was offered me. $8100 for the NT, which buy the way is still sitting at the Triumph dealership one year later priced at $8150.
 

tawilke46

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Nov 26, 2011
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Baton Rouge, La
I would never have purchased the Trophy except for the ridiculous trade-in that was offered me. $8100 for the NT, which buy the way is still sitting at the Triumph dealership one year later priced at $8150.

Bet they won't do that kind of a trade again!
 
OP
OP
KazooST
Joined
Mar 28, 2012
Messages
205
Location
SW Michigan
Bike
Sprint GT, 2010 NT, MS950
...I would never have purchased the Trophy except for the ridiculous trade-in that was offered me. $8100 for the NT, which buy the way is still sitting at the Triumph dealership one year later priced at $8150.
Sheesh! Remind me to take you along the next time I go bike shopping.:doh1:
 
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