Need a Triumph Guru

Coyote Chris

Site Supporter
Joined
Aug 25, 2011
Messages
4,386
Location
Spokane
Bike
10 Red NT 14 FJR, 17 XT
Who is our resident Triumph Guru? I need to PM them. Someone gave me a book to read (English book) about all sorts of four cylinder touring and sports bikes that Triumph made 1997-2004 roughly yet I dont remember actually seeing any here in the states. At the time, the US was a pretty small part of the Triumph market share.....I just wondered if any were actually imported...
 

Phil Tarman

Site Supporter
Moderator
Joined
Dec 12, 2010
Messages
9,367
Age
81
Location
Greeley, CO
Bike
2010 Silver NT700VA (ABS)
Chris, I'm a long way from being a Triumph guru, but I do know that there were Sprints and Trophies imported in that tine period. I used to see them at one dealer I went to fairly regularly in Denver. One of the things I always thought was interesting was that they must have bought some parts from the same suppliers that Kawasaki used. Switchgear, and several things were the same on the Trophies as they were on our C-10 Connies.

Dan (vzshadow) has a modern Trophy and Ken (RedBird) had a Bonneville. Artemedes has an X800XCx.
 
OP
OP
Coyote Chris

Coyote Chris

Site Supporter
Joined
Aug 25, 2011
Messages
4,386
Location
Spokane
Bike
10 Red NT 14 FJR, 17 XT
OK, the Trophy was one of them....but how many T-595s, Daytona 600s, Daytona 955s, and Daytona T595s are out there.....back then, Germany was buying 45 percent of all Triumph production, the UK 27 percent, france 11 percent and Greece and Australia were next...not many were going to the US....
Chris, I'm a long way from being a Triumph guru, but I do know that there were Sprints and Trophies imported in that tine period. I used to see them at one dealer I went to fairly regularly in Denver. One of the things I always thought was interesting was that they must have bought some parts from the same suppliers that Kawasaki used. Switchgear, and several things were the same on the Trophies as they were on our C-10 Connies.

Dan (vzshadow) has a modern Trophy and Ken (RedBird) had a Bonneville. Artemedes has an X800XCx.
 
Joined
Dec 21, 2012
Messages
499
Location
Corinth, TX
Bike
2013 Yamaha FJR1300
I can tell you how to build an oil tight 650 cc unit construction engine. Does that count?
 
Joined
Mar 28, 2012
Messages
205
Location
SW Michigan
Bike
Sprint GT, 2010 NT, MS950
Triumphs have been imported into the US since the mid 1990s.

Go to www.triumphrat.net and you'll find very active forums on just about every Triumph you have ever heard of and probably some you haven't. The 900. 955, 1050 and 1200 triples are all there as well as the 1200 4-cylinder Trophys. The Scramblers, Bonnevilles, Thunderbirds, Rocket 3s, Sprints, Daytonas, Speed Triples, Tigers and more are all well represented.

Triumph has come a long way from the old days of Lucas electrics - aka "the Prince of Darkness". They must be doing quite a few things right; Triumph is now the biggest-selling European brand in the U.S. as of 2014, supplanting BMW, KTM and Ducati.

Have fun with your research, but be warned...once you start riding the new Trumpets they tend to get into your bloodstream!

Cheers,
 
OP
OP
Coyote Chris

Coyote Chris

Site Supporter
Joined
Aug 25, 2011
Messages
4,386
Location
Spokane
Bike
10 Red NT 14 FJR, 17 XT
Be for warned, as KazooST stated once you ride a new Triumph you will likely want to own one.
Well, I WILL say this.... If Triumph came up with a shaft drive 900 cc sport tourer, I would certainly consider it.....
 
OP
OP
Coyote Chris

Coyote Chris

Site Supporter
Joined
Aug 25, 2011
Messages
4,386
Location
Spokane
Bike
10 Red NT 14 FJR, 17 XT
Now THATS a good link! Looking at the plethora of Triumph models at the last Spokane Motorcycle show, I must say I am impressed with their return from the dead.......
Triumphs have been imported into the US since the mid 1990s.

Go to www.triumphrat.net and you'll find very active forums on just about every Triumph you have ever heard of and probably some you haven't. The 900. 955, 1050 and 1200 triples are all there as well as the 1200 4-cylinder Trophys. The Scramblers, Bonnevilles, Thunderbirds, Rocket 3s, Sprints, Daytonas, Speed Triples, Tigers and more are all well represented.

Triumph has come a long way from the old days of Lucas electrics - aka "the Prince of Darkness". They must be doing quite a few things right; Triumph is now the biggest-selling European brand in the U.S. as of 2014, supplanting BMW, KTM and Ducati.

Have fun with your research, but be warned...once you start riding the new Trumpets they tend to get into your bloodstream!

Cheers,
 
Joined
Apr 5, 2011
Messages
399
Location
Great Plains
Bike
2010 Silver NT700
Are you thinking of replacing your older Connie?

I don't consider myself a triumph expert....... but the only shaft driven triumphs I know of are the trophy and the Tiger explorer. Both have bigger engines than 900cc.

I wouldn't get too hung up on engine size though. I am very impressed with the 800 triple in my tiger. The engine is actually easier to putt around on than my old NT, and if you let the rpms get north of 5000 rpms hang on! It is so much easier around town than my NT I now take the Tiger out more often than the DR650. When I had the NT I used it for longer trips or trips I knew were mostly highway, and used the DR650 for commuting to work and in town jaunts.

My mileage is great too. I am now averaging above 50 most of the time. On my Spearfish trip I had 3 tanks in a row that were high 50's (56-58). I have become a fan of the triple engines. The Tiger explorer 1200 with a shaft does not quite get the same mileage and they tend to be in the low 40s. I have heard that triumph dealers are very friendly about test rides. You should take out a tiger 800XRx out for a spin. It is lower than my XCx you sat on at Spearfish, and has the allow rims with tubeless tires. the last X identifies the upper scale model with cruise control and other add-ons. I remember talking about your hand and how cruise is a must. On the 2015 Tiger 800s the cruise will only engage in 5th or 6th gear above 40 or 45 mph.

I haven't really looked at the trophy though.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Dec 21, 2012
Messages
499
Location
Corinth, TX
Bike
2013 Yamaha FJR1300
Bad John....Baaaaaad John. No donut for you! :radleak:
Hey! It is not that hard. All it takes is tearing down the engine and reassembling it with lots attention to detail.

artemedes, on my way home from Spearfish. I was on my way home in Nevada and I encountered an older couple (well, my age) on an XCx. They really liked the bike.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Mar 28, 2012
Messages
205
Location
SW Michigan
Bike
Sprint GT, 2010 NT, MS950
Once I get the wifey her new car I'll be looking for a something for my now-much-shorter commute and save the Sprint for the longer tours. I have ridden a couple o the new 800 Tigers and really like them.

So many bikes, so little time...
 
Joined
Mar 28, 2012
Messages
205
Location
SW Michigan
Bike
Sprint GT, 2010 NT, MS950
Are you thinking of replacing your older Connie?

I don't consider myself a triumph expert....... but the only shaft driven triumphs I know of are the trophy and the Tiger explorer. Both have bigger engines than 900cc.
The Rocket 3 is also a shaftie, just in case someone is looking for a 2300cc cruiser with approx. 150 lb-ft of torque.:eek1:
 

Phil Tarman

Site Supporter
Moderator
Joined
Dec 12, 2010
Messages
9,367
Age
81
Location
Greeley, CO
Bike
2010 Silver NT700VA (ABS)
The Rocket 3 is also a shaftie, just in case someone is looking for a 2300cc cruiser with approx. 150 lb-ft of torque.:eek1:
Oh, my! I hadn't even thought about that. Maybe that'll be my replacement for my NT when I've got 300,000 miles on it and turn 80 years old. :)
 

Woodaddict

Site Supporter
Joined
Jan 2, 2012
Messages
894
Age
64
Location
Salisbury,NC
2024 Mileage
005726
Bike
Red NT700V & Spyder RTL
Oh, my! I hadn't even thought about that. Maybe that'll be my replacement for my NT when I've got 300,000 miles on it and turn 80 years old. :)
woohoo phil!!!!! you go phil!!! I saw it 2 yrs ago at motorcycle show, amazing inline 3 cylinders. I think its the biggest production bike of cc's made
 
Joined
Jan 25, 2012
Messages
709
Age
62
Location
NSW, Australia
Bike
2013 DL650/A & CX500 Euro
If you get a Rocket3 stay away from the earlier models as they had a problem with the output shaft bearing failing and it cost around $3,500 to $5,000 to repair (here in Australia) depending on what damage was caused when it failed.

Apparently Triumph released an "upgrade kit" to resolve the problem so hopefully the earlier models have had this fitted BUT in Australia it was at the owners expense.

Seagrass
 
Joined
Mar 28, 2012
Messages
205
Location
SW Michigan
Bike
Sprint GT, 2010 NT, MS950
Phil, I think some sort of self-righting feature for the Rocket would need to be added...the R3 Touring weighs in at about 870 pounds.
 

Phil Tarman

Site Supporter
Moderator
Joined
Dec 12, 2010
Messages
9,367
Age
81
Location
Greeley, CO
Bike
2010 Silver NT700VA (ABS)
Believe me, guys, there's NO way I'd ever try one of these. I doubt if I could lift it off the sidestand.

I was kidding.
 

Phil Tarman

Site Supporter
Moderator
Joined
Dec 12, 2010
Messages
9,367
Age
81
Location
Greeley, CO
Bike
2010 Silver NT700VA (ABS)
There you go, Chris -- you guessed my secret desire.

I remember the first Boss Hoss I ever saw. It almost seems as if it didn't have a sidestand but was just sitting there on it's extremely wide rear tire.
 
Top Bottom