Triumph

Triumph 1200 Trophy

Launched as a sports tourer, the four-cylinder Trophy 1200 was an oddball in the three-cylinder Triumph line-up until the TT600 arrived. The big change came in 1996 when the massive two-valver was reborn as a pure tourer, with power reduced from a claimed 125 to 108PS.
Still capable of over 130mph, the fully-faired Trophy is a classy British alternative to the more expensive Honda Pan European, a Kawasaki GTR1000 or BMW. The Trophy has a relaxed riding position for two, efficient weather protection, adequate integral luggage capacity, brilliant lights and a grand tourer's clock and fuel gauge. A clearly defined character, the 1200's twin-headlight fairing and oval louvred fairing vents make the Triumph instantly recognisable. Unlike many touring bikes, the Trophy's suspension isn't softly damped.
Firm damping and excellent weight distribution kills BMW-twin wallowing or weaving. The four is simply amazingly stable at speed, fully laden. Best thing about the six-speed Trophy is its smooth, torquey engine, a very reliable unit. Post-1996 models are the best buy because they have better ground clearance thanks to a re-routed exhaust system. These bikes are also narrower at the rear, useful in traffic, because the panniers are tucked in more tightly.
A touring bike is made or marred by its comfort and accessories. Triumph extras to look for are a final drive chain cover, rear mudguard extension, a taller screen with a reversed curve, a cast alloy back rack, soft bags inside the hard cases and heated handlebar grips.

Triumph 955i Daytona

Triumph's fast and sophisticated Daytona 955i flagship provides a unique blend of searing performance, real-world practicality and three-cylinder character with an awesome exhaust noise.
Launched in 1996 it was the first Hinckley-built machine to move away from the modular design concept that had been used to re-establish the Triumph name. Since then styling and detail revisions, including a shortened wheelbase and revised fuel-injection system, have further enhanced the refinement and all-round appeal of a superbike that continues to excite riders and turn heads wherever it goes.
The Daytona 955i's performance and character stem from its liquid-cooled, fuel-injected three-cylinder engine, which was designed at Triumph in collaboration with Lotus to optimise the port and combustion chamber shapes and cam profiles. The 12-valve unit's impressive 128bhp, generous midrange torque and soulful exhaust note combine to give high performance with a distinctive edge. Top speed is over 160mph.
Handling and roadholding are first rate, thanks to a chassis based around a rigid tubular aluminium perimeter frame, multi-adjustable suspension and wide-section 17-inch wheels.
With an impressive blend of control and comfort, the 955i is a bike that is as happy being ridden hard on a racetrack as it is on the open road. The seat is comfortable and low footpegs, narrower fuel tank and higher bars make the latest 955i even more comfortable than the original T595i.
Triumph's excellent build quality and enviable reliability add further to the Daytona's all-round appeal.
If you're one of those sportsbike riders that can't decide between an Italian twin and a Japanese four, stop torturing yourself. This bike is the answer to your dreams - and it's British!

Triumph 955i Speed Triple

If you really want to stand out from the crowd of race reps but still want the performance, take a look at the Speed Triple. The sheer attitude of the bug-eyed twin headlights means there's no mistaking the aggressive profile of this definitive factory streetfighter, and it'll give a race rep a surprise on a trackday as well.
Equipped with the 120bhp second-generation three-cylinder Daytona 955i engine tuned for towering mid-range performance, the Speed Triple is the most powerful machine in its class by some margin.
The chassis is a blend of light weight, strength and agility with a compact 1429mm wheelbase and a responsive 23.5-degree steering angle. With the same 320mm discs and four-piston calipers as the Daytona, the braking performance is pretty awesome.

Triumph Bonneville 800

Triumph has finally brought out a bike bearing the marque's most famous model name. But the 2001 Bonneville has little in common with the original Coventry-built T120 Bonnie of the Sixties on which the styling is based.
The 'mouthorgan' tank badges are back - as is the classic plum red and silver colour scheme (green and silver is an option). And the all-new 790cc engine uses a 360 degree layout just like the old bike - the pistons rise and fall together, but one is on the compression stroke while the other is on the exhaust stroke.
But the air-and-oil cooled Hinkley Triumph engine is brought into the 21st century with four valves per cylinder, twin overhead camshafts and a pair of balance shafts to smooth out the vibes.
The cylinder head's oil drain tube at the front of the engine was designed to look like the pushrod tube on the original Bonneville motor. The final drive chain is on the right side, unlike the rest of the Triumph range and most other modern bikes, so that more traditional looking engine covers can be used. And you only get an electric boot - no kickstarter is fitted.
Top speed is 110mph, and you can cover a standing quarter-mile in 14 seconds, making the new Bonnie quicker than a 1200 Harley Sportster. Expect to get at least 40mpg in daily use.
The new Bonnie is reasonably priced, looks good, is easy to handle and is built to last. Don't think road-burner - think Cruiser. Think style.

Triumph Speed Four

Triumph's naked 600 is up against some stiff competition in the shape of Honda's Hornet, Yamaha's Fazer and the new 620ie Monster from Ducati.
But while these three have budget suspension and a price to match, the Speed Four has fully adjustable suspension and an aluminium beam frame. That helps explain why it costs about a grand more than the competition - and why it would make a good track tool as well as an A-road scratcher.
Packing a fuel-injected, state-of-the-art 96bhp four-cylinder motor, tuned for maximum mid-range punch, the Speed Four takes Triumph's trademark factory streetfighter look into a whole new arena.
It shares the same chassis as the TT600, so from the outset you are assured of superb handling and agility. The lightweight aluminium frame and swingarm impart strength and stiffness while the fully adjustable front and rear suspension enables you to choose settings to suit your own riding style. Twin 310mm fully floating front discs and the single disc rear provide impressive stopping power.
Sharing the same distinctive twin headlamps, the bold styling clearly draws inspiration from its brutal bigger brother, the Speed Triple. The air intakes, which force-feed cold, dense air to the engine, are neatly tucked in; the aerodynamic headlamp fairing deflects the brunt of wind resistance away from the rider and the colour matched seat cowl finishes off the machine when riding solo. The compact instrument console features an analogue tachometer, digital speedometer and digital twin trip meters, clock and temperature gauge plus a low fuel warning light.
With its sorted TT600 engine, top suspenders and wacky looks the Speed Four has all the right ingredients for a streetfighter with attitude.

Triumph Sprint ST 1000

A basic design concept that was right first time, and a series of thoughtful touches that elevate this machine from the ordinary ensure that the Sprint ST remains one of the most well-rounded and adaptable machines in its class.
So say Triumph, and it would be hard to disagree. Triumph claim class-leading power and torque figures for the ST, specifically 118bhp @ 9100rpm at the crank, and a healthy 74ft-lb of torque at 5100rpm.
A glance at the range of optional extras available for the bike hint at which class it is Triumph claim to be leading - sports-touring. There's soft luggage, colour co-ordinated hard luggage, gel seat pads. You can also choose from heated grips, a higher screen, an integrated alarm and a performance system.
The twin-spar aluminium chassis and single-sided swing-arm offer responsive and stable handling. At the ST Sprint?s heart lies Triumph's 955cc three-cylinder engine. Sagem multipoint sequential electronic fuel injection makes sure the motor gets what it wants when it needs it, and is widely reckoned to be one of the most sophisticated EFI systems out there.
Powerful brakes (two 320mm discs with four pot calipers up front and a 255mm rear with a two pot calliper) and adjustable suspension that can accommodate the rigours of two-up trips as well as the different demands of solo sprints, mean that the Sprint is more than a one-trick pony.
The two-position exhaust can be either fixed high, for extra cornering clearance, or positioned on its lower setting to allow room for fitted luggage. Sports or touring, sir? Take your pick.

Triumph Thunderbird 900

Here's a name to conjure with. Whether it's Marlon Brando's character Johnny and his old Triumph Thunderbird in the 1950s cult classic movie The Wild One or record attempts on Bonneville Salt Flats in Thunderbird engined streamliners in the Fifties, the name Triumph Thunderbird has passed into motorcycling lore.
Since 1995 the reborn marque's traditionally-styled Thunderbird has appealed to riders looking for the Triumph triple experience in a classic package, and the retro heavyweight still delivers if this is the look you're after and unhurried performance is your thing.
The 885cc three-cylinder engine delivers 69bhp, while a fat torque curve ensures the T-bird is never short of drive whatever revs the engine is turning at. Couple the unhurried power characteristics with a low seat height and relaxed riding position and it's easy to see why Hinckley's first classically styled machine, still the only three-cylinder retro available, has such a strong following.
A substantial chassis adds to the imposing looks and makes the Thunderbird a stable performer on the open road while offering light, responsive steering at slower speeds and exceptional comfort.
With the triple sound barking out of stylish "peashooter" pipes and that classic badge shining from the duo-tone painted tank it's easy to see why the Thunderbird turns the heads of old and young alike. At-a-glance retro chic with modern reliability - and performance falling somewhere in between.

Triumph TT600

When Triumph launched the TT600 into the most competitive sector of the market in 2000, it had high hopes for the all-new dohc in-line four. But although the handling was superb and the brakes brilliant, the fuel injected motor suffered from flat-spots at low revs. Triumph tried to cure the problem by re-mapping the computer, but never completely cured the problem.
Now Triumph has updated the TT600 for 2002 with a fuel injection system that seems to have sorted it out at last. You also get new colours and graphics. The TT600 is now a fast, supremely agile machine that is equally at home on road or track. Its 16-valve, liquid-cooled four-cylinder engine produces a competitive 110PS (108bhp) with impressive midrange torque for a middleweight.
On its introduction the six-speed TT600's sophisticated fuel-injection system was a first for the class. The latest refinements to the Sagem MC1000 electronic engine management system, which has automatic cold start compensation and self-diagnostic capability, have optimised response right across the rev range.
Chassis design is based around a hugely rigid twin-spar aluminium frame, which holds top quality suspension. Front forks are Kayaba 43mm cartridge units with adjustable spring preload, compression and rebound damping. The Kayaba rising rate monoshock rear suspension is adjustable spring preload, compression and rebound damping.
The result is a bike that has won praise for its stunning blend of quick-steering agility and remarkable high-speed stability. Specially designed, ultra-lightweight cast aluminium wheels also contribute to outstanding cornering ability, while twin front disc brakes and four-piston calipers lifted from the Daytona 955i provide fierce yet supremely controllable stopping power.
Top speed from the TT600 is a touch over 140mph. If only Triumph could do something about the bland styling it could be a contender.