New Triumph Trophy.....

[expatbrit]

thanks, but my cousin in Ardmore is good friends with the owner in Bethany, OK, so I figure booking a test ride should be relatively easy come May 11 (my 59th B-day).  Then if I like what I experience on the ride and read on the net, I am planning to get a 2014 for my 60th B-day the next year.

In fact, I have started ear-marking a percentage of my overtime money for the down payment should I decide to actually pull the trigger.

All that said, I have a few questions for those of you already familiar with the Trumph brand and dealers.

Does Triumph ever offer low or no interest rates on their new bikes?

As others have said -- fairly frequently. Pretty sure I got my ST at 2.9%, and that was the think that made me decide to buy it.

Are dealers difficult to work with on warranty claims?

I'm sure that's dealer dependent. I've even had mixed reports on my local dealer, and -- FOR ME -- they've been great.

Is the manufacturer didfficult to deal with on warranty claims?

Are there any recurring problems with the bikes that would become annoying after a while?

No experience for the former, and I bet the latter is also model dependent. Lights were a common complaint on the Tiger and Sprint 1050 models, with a frighteningly sharp cut off on the latter, at least. (You don't need to see when turning, really, honest)

Are there heat issues (for rider/passenger) on the touring/sport-touring models?

The Sprint was /hot/ for rider and passenger (at slower speeds, etc, yadda yadda). I had an '06 with the heat kit and I'm told it helped. I never replaced the exhaust, which had the cats under your arse and I'm told that helped as well, especially for the passenger. At over 80 degrees (it was like a magic switch) it got pretty miserable at times. Under that it saved the cost of good warm gear and a heated seat.

Moving the exhaust has got to help with that. I haven't heard the same complaints, or not as many, on the GT

What good/bad experiences have any of you had with longevity (for those who keep bikes for many years and 100K+miles).

I'm sure I've overlooked some things but that usually is not a problem here.  

I loved my Triumph, faults and all. I only got rid of it because, honestly, modifying the ergos for a 6'7 rider wasn't going to be easy and was going to compromise too much. My GF still teases me about how hard it was for me to put it on the block.

FWIW; my cousin in Ardmore is convinced Triumph has become one of the top manufacturers in the world over the past few years.  I have never known him to exaggerate.  In fact, he is a pretty level-headed CEO who thoroughly researches anything he spends money on before he buys.

I think he's right. They're tracking very carefully.

[bluedogok]

The only time that my Sprint was in the shop was for the fuel fitting recall and I had it for 22,000 miles (owned it from 16-38K miles). If the Trophy had already been out I would have it instead of a 2012 Concours 14, I needed a better two-up ride after moving to Colorado. Now that we have a better riding weather than the 6 months of summer in Austin my wife is more interested in riding.

Gerald (Performance Cycle owner) is great guy, he started out as a shop that rebuilt wrecked bikes a few blocks away from their current location into a quality dealership. Foothills BMW/Triumph is a very good dealer but I wouldn't think twice about buying from the OKC, Plano or Austin dealerships even living up here in Denver.

[cruisin]

  thanks for the feedback so far.  I have given myself until May 2014 to decide, so keep the reports coming in.  I am looking forward to hearing what others have to say after test rides as well as several months into ownership.

[stk0308]

Warranty backup is most dependent on how how good your dealer is.  This is not unusual for Triumph, and is fairly universal for the motorcycle industry.  If you have a dealer who has a good rapport with the regional rep, and/or warranty manager they are more successful in getting warranty claims done.  If your dealer doesn't put any effort into getting warranty claims accepted then the customer ultimately gets a bad taste for the manufacturer.

Problems are not universal.  Not every Honda has a shitty rec/regulator.  Not every Yamaha has tapping valves.  The new 1215 based bikes are only now coming on line.  The Explorer is barely a year old and the Trophy hasn't seen any real abuse under normal user conditions.  Hard to say what "problems" the line might have.  Most of the preceding issues Triumph models have had can't be expected on the new line, if your reasonable.  With that said, a comment on heat.  Many of these modern sport touring bikes that have gone over 1 liter in capacity will be shedding an amazing amount of heat due to the high compression, and larger size of the motor.  That heat has to go somewhere.  Standard motorcycle design means it's going to flow out of the radiator, motor and exhaust headers back, towards the rider.  The manufacturers usually do their best to mitigate this affect on the rider, but sometimes they don't get it right.  We will have to see how the Trophy does with this.  I've owned 4 Triumphs, a '98 Sprint Executive, a '99, an '02 and my current '08 Sprint STs.  They've gotten somewhat hotter as we've gone on, but with the gear I ride in I don't feel it's excessive.  Others have differing opinions, and that's fine.  You may have to feel it to judge for yourself.

As I mentioned I've had a few modern Triumphs  With just a bit over 195,000 miles between them.  I grew up in the BMW community, so I tend to expect a lot of my bikes.  Overall I've been perfectly happy with Triumphs, and not tempted by anything else that would be a direct replacement.

[Yankee Dog]

got a chance to sit on this baby at Barber's Vintage over the weekend. Also chat with the Triumph rep. Here is what I came away with.

 - Just a tad under 700 lbs, wet and with all three bags. I will say it is a behemoth. Looks are closest to the ST1300. I really didnt see the BMW connection.  
 - Bags and topbox are standard equipment
 - More do dads and farkles than you can shake a stick at are standard.
 - Wind shield height is adjustable by about a foot or so. From above head height to below the chin.
 - Egodynamics: (I am 6'. 32" seam). Arms were very comfy. No percepatable lean at all, very straight up seating position. Pegs felt a little high, legs a little cramped. This was with the seat in the low position.
 - The seat seems wide and comfortable. ?might? not need a custom seat.

[pushr0d]

+1 on the size!

I was surprised how big they (there was also a Blue one) were!

The Triumph display was 'off-the-hook'!  They must've had 30 bikes there; New (in the case of the Trophy's, literally just off the airplane from the U.K.!), Vintage and Custom.

And, they had all sorts of apparel for sale.

[Orson]

Well, I'm happy to read in BIKE magazine that, like the RT, the Trophy is supposedly light on its feet.

[rgbeard]

So as a 2001 Trophy owner, it's very light on it's feet and awesome - above 5mph.  

According to Bikez it's 518 Dry.

My 1984 GL-1200 is 734 Wet according to Bikez, and I don't readily pick up on the difference.

I wish I had a wet # for the trophy to see if I could more directly compare.

[R Doug]

So as a 2001 Trophy owner, it's very light on it's feet and awesome - above 5mph.  

According to Bikez it's 518 Dry.

My 1984 GL-1200 is 734 Wet according to Bikez, and I don't readily pick up on the difference.

I wish I had a wet # for the trophy to see if I could more directly compare.

Are you sure you weren't looking at the BMW RT's dry weight on Bikez?    518 lbs is the Beemer's dry weight.

I remember the Trophy coming in just under 600 lbs dry.  According to Triumph, the big bike is 662 lbs wet (~ 100 lbs more than the RT)

http://trophy.triumphmotorcycles.com/documents/22/original/705722_VH_DIGITAL_PDF_USA.pdf

[jstark47]

Are you sure you weren't looking at the BMW RT's dry weight on Bikez?    518 lbs is the Beemer's dry weight.

I think he's talking about a legacy Trophy.  I have a '03 and 518 dry is about what they weigh.  Too bad the new one is such a porker.....

[sprint_st]

Comparing bike weights from magazine numbers is IMO extremely unreliable.  Manufacturers numbers are almost as bad.  Dry could be with or without the battery and then again is that all fluids???  Wet weights are almost as bad, not knowing if it is a full or half tank of gas.  IMO, again, the best, possibly the only way is to take a ride.

[Bain Dramage]

Saw one of these at the IMS last week.

It looks like Triumph cloned the RT.

Kevin Ash did an interesting review on this model, as did Cycle World.

This bike was 4 years in the making - and it looks like they really nailed it. I like my RT a LOT, but if I were shopping in this class today I think the Triumph would be at the top of my list - ahead of the RT.

[sprint_st]

Saw one of these at the IMS last week.

It looks like Triumph cloned the RT.

Kevin Ash did an interesting review on this model, as did Cycle World.

This bike was 4 years in the making - and it looks like they really nailed it. I like my RT a LOT, but if I were shopping in this class today I think the Triumph would be at the top of my list - ahead of the RT.

To steal some lyrics from an old song, "ya never know what you've got until it's gone."  Methinks lots of us get that "the grass is greener" disease.  Sometimes it works and sometimes, well you know     Don't have an RT, but I know they are great bikes that are targeted at the same kind of riding.  Sounds like a cost benefit study would in order.  Then again maybe its just time for a new bike  

[Don Moe]

I took delivery on Saturday (1/4/13) of my new 2013 Triumph Trophy SE in silver. Already have over 500 miles on it and will take it in for First Service in the morning. It handles very well and is quite comfortable for someone my size (6'4" 260#).



   Don

[Mac]

I took delivery on Saturday (1/4/13) of my new 2013 Triumph Trophy SE in silver. Already have over 500 miles on it and will take it in for First Service in the morning. It handles very well and is quite comfortable for someone my size (6'4" 260#).



   Don

Very nice. I'm your height and would like to hear your thoughts on how comfortable she is.
Power is good? Fuel economy decent?

[Galo]

After sitting on one this past Saturday at Cascade Moto Classics, all I can say is that I looooooooooooove my 2011 Sprint GT.

Not that I don't line the Trophy and I understand why Triumph went that way, but....its way, waaaaaaay too big and heavy for my 5'7", 175 lbs frame...

Given it won't be sold in the US anymore, Triumph just made my GT an instant classic...
 

[Dan K]

After sitting on one this past Saturday at Cascade Moto Classics, all I can say is that I looooooooooooove my 2011 Sprint GT.

Not that I don't line the Trophy and I understand why Triumph went that way, but....its way, waaaaaaay too big and heavy for my 5'7", 175 lbs frame...

Given it won't be sold in the US anymore, Triumph just made my GT an instant classic...
 

At 5'9, 165, that's how I feel about my '06 Sprint ST, although I wish it had better lighting at night.

- Dan

[Poweranger]

A few weeks ago at my Triumph dealer I watched them load up a brand new Trophy in to the back of a Chevy Avalanche! I couldn't believe the thing fit. The radius of the back tire was sticking out over the tailgate even with the bike angled to one corner of the bed.

[expatbrit]

At 5'9, 165, that's how I feel about my '06 Sprint ST, although I wish it had better lighting at night.

- Dan

Ah, the wonderful Sprint 'you can't see sh*t in a turn' projector headlight cut off.

At 6'7 and 190, my Sprint ST wasn't quite a fit.

[Croak]

A few weeks ago at my Triumph dealer I watched them load up a brand new Trophy in to the back of a Chevy Avalanche! I couldn't believe the thing fit. The radius of the back tire was sticking out over the tailgate even with the bike angled to one corner of the bed.

Seems to be a popular way to transport a Trophy.  Is that an Avalanche or a Ridgeline below?:



http://advrider.com/forums/showpost.php?p=20521678&postcount=221