So, I walked out of a store to where my new Trophy was parked...

[Volfy]

Have had both euro and Japanese bike.  Don't see that much difference in reliability.  Out of the 10 bikes I've own in the past 4 yrs, the only one I had to take in to dealer for service was the C14.  Dead TPMS sensor.  Covered by warranty, well known to most, scorn by many.

[Sport-Touring]

[DaleFranks]

I got the bike back from the dealer. The coolant was all coming from the overflow. Apparently the cap was a little defective. Everything worked fine, and the coolant system passed the pressure test...unless the cap got jiggled slightly, then it wouldn't hold pressure at all. So, they replaced the cap, and off I drove.

I had to burn a AAA tow to get it to the shop, but thankfully, it was a minor glitch, and I got it back yesterday.

[Acadian Rider]

I had to burn a AAA tow to get it to the shop, but thankfully, it was a minor glitch, and I got it back yesterday.

No roadside assistance from Triumph?  

Anyhoo, glad for you that it was a minor glitch.  

[mxvet57]

I had to burn a AAA tow to get it to the shop, but thankfully, it was a minor glitch, and I got it back yesterday.

Warranty should cover the tow. If not, I  would fight it.

[naustin]

Glad to hear it was just the overflow, but too bad about the tow. I wouldn't expect Triumph to be responsible, because it sounds like a set up issue (overflow cap damaged) and assuming you took it back to the dealer where you purchased the bike, the least they could do is comp you with in-store credit for some goodies. $100 gift card would go a long way, if they won't just reimburse 100%

[Silverbird]

Have had both euro and Japanese bike.  Don't see that much difference in reliability.  Out of the 10 bikes I've own in the past 4 yrs, the only one I had to take in to dealer for service was the C14.  Dead TPMS sensor.  Covered by warranty, well known to most, scorn by many.

That's your personal experience.  The vast majority of evidence would suggest otherwise.

[Roadscum]

That's your personal experience.  The vast majority of evidence would suggest otherwise.

That's not been my recent experience, in the last ten years with my BMW's or Triumphs, they've all been as reliable as a stone. It was the Yamaha Super Tenere that worried me the most. The headlight harness on the ST was recalled but prior to the recall my headlights went dark late on a moonless night in the middle of nowhere..... very scary, very dangerous.

In todays market I think the quality on all major brands is pretty darn good.....  if you use the bike as designed and take proper care of it. A defective radiator cap is no big deal and in my eyes simply doesn't matter, at least it's not of the magnitude of the Suzuki GSX and the Honda Goldwing frame failures of a few years ago, or the KTM 1190 Adeventure airbox issue....

Paul

[Silverbird]

Like I said, disagreements to follow.

Big picture, I'd encourage you to find unhappy BMW, Ducati and Triumph owners becuase of constant problems compared to Japanese bike owners.  At least you know what will probably go wrong with your Japanese bike whereas Euros have random shit falling off and harder to diagnose. JMHO. KTM SMT I had was a such a headache. Every Japanese I've had has been like an appliance, since were're narrowing this down to (worthless) personal experience

[falconati]

I'd disagree too.  No problems from any of my bikes, and I've only owned unreliable Euro trash from Ducati (2), Triumph, Aprilia (2), BMW, and MV Agusta.  Oil and tires.

[Silverbird]

Grain of salt, of course

http://www.autoevolution.com/news/japanese-bikes-are-the-most-reliable-which-is-the-worst-77794.html

[R Doug]

Anyone who purchases a bikes solely based on reliability is doing it wrong.  I'm not saying that's what's being implied... I'm just saying.

[Silverbird]

Anyone who purchases a bikes solely based on reliability is doing it wrong.  I'm not saying that's what's being implied... I'm just saying.

That's what I told myself before I bought that KTM.

Do you want to ride? Or trailer it to the dealer all the time?

[Volfy]

That's your personal experience.  The vast majority of evidence would suggest otherwise.

You are free to beg to differ... and to listen to internet chatter.

I'd rather trust my own experiences.  Right, wrong, or indifferent.  Right now, out of the 3 street rides in my garage, the Speedie R is the only one that hasn't shown a single glitch... ever!  That 1050 triple had never skipped a single beat, and has never once failed to fire right up on the first touch of start button.  Everything looks as clean and tight as the first day I laid eyes on it.  This assembly of parts just has an aura of quality my Japanese bikes can't quite match.  Triumphs don't carry the ostentatious flamboyance of an Italian steed, or the cold techy precision of a German machine.  Just the quiet competence of a marque that seems to care a bit more than delivering something that merely works.

[Gary B.]

Jesus jumping jehosphat, it's a leak not a catastrophic engine failure.       Shit happens.  

What he said. I wouldn't condemn an entire manufacturer, or Euro/Japan bikes over something like this.

[Roadscum]

Like I said, disagreements to follow.

Big picture, I'd encourage you to find unhappy BMW, Ducati and Triumph owners becuase of constant problems compared to Japanese bike owners.  At least you know what will probably go wrong with your Japanese bike whereas Euros have random shit falling off and harder to diagnose. JMHO. KTM SMT I had was a such a headache. Every Japanese I've had has been like an appliance, since were're narrowing this down to (worthless) personal experience

I ride'm all in my 55 years behind bars doing 20-25 k miles/year, and owned 45+ different bikes. I've only been stranded at road side twice, once on a H-D that shook the plates loose on a battery and once on a Guzzi. My modern Triumphs(post Prince of Darkness) and my BMW's have never let me down.
I don't buy your generalization.... seems your experiences have  been far different then mine. I've owned 8 BMW's since my  1st,a 1973 60/5 and have never been stranded at road side on one, same goes for the 3 modern Triumphs I've owned.   Seems some of the current Yamaha's(R1,FZ09, super Tenere) are suffering from cam chain tensioner  failures and the Super Tenere from excessive vibration caused by the clutch basket design, just like the Suzuki's 1000cc twins.  

MY Triumph Daytona 675 saw street duty and abuse at the track, it never skipped a beat. As to KTM... I don't need no stink'n bike from company that builds "ready to race" bikes.... unless they sponsor me and provide a pit crew! But in July I'll be at the KTM factory in Mattighofen for a tour and if they offer a free sample I'll take it!  

Paul

[Cobalt]

... and once on a Guzzi.

That's part of the "charm" of the Guzzi, and why I no longer have one.

I'd love to have another, but I'll never have one as my only/primary bike again.

/anecdotal

(post has been self-reported for guzzi bashing)

[garry]

Glad it was simple fix, but it's still a bummer to have any teething pains with a brand new bike.

FWIW, the only bike I've had to trailer home in about 150K miles over the last 10 years was a Kawasaki ZX-6R with a bad wiring harness. That bike was otherwise reliable though. The Triumph Sprint RS, KTM 950 Supermoto, and Suzuki V-Strom always got me home (limped home a couple times on the KTM with a dying fuel pump).

[Dan K]

All of my bikes have been pretty stellar, from the Kaw, Honda, Yamaha, Aprilia x2, Triumph x2, and hopefully the second Honda.

RR went out on my Daytona 675, stranding me about 100 miles away and calling for a tow (seller told me about 4 times too many that he always kept it on a tender...asshole knew the RR was blown).  First Aprilia had a cracked coolant reservoir. Replaced the RR on the Sprint proactively so as to not suffer another failure on the road... Horn went out on my Sprint as well.  Thassit. I'd say modern bikes are pretty good - not just based on my personal experience, but from everything I've read and heard.  I'm with Doug - if reliability is the primary variable in choosing a bike, you're doing it wrong.

 -Dan

[Blue is Best]

All of my bikes have been pretty stellar, from the Kaw, Honda, Yamaha, Aprilia x2, Triumph x2, and hopefully the second Honda.

RR went out on my Daytona 675, stranding me about 100 miles away and calling for a tow (seller told me about 4 times too many that he always kept it on a tender...asshole knew the RR was blown).  First Aprilia had a cracked coolant reservoir. Replaced the RR on the Sprint proactively so as to not suffer another failure on the road... Horn went out on my Sprint as well.  Thassit. I'd say modern bikes are pretty good - not just based on my personal experience, but from everything I've read and heard.  I'm with Doug - if reliability is the primary variable in choosing a bike, you're doing it wrong.

 -Dan

I'm not the sharpest pencil in the box but I do have to ask...................what the heck is an RR???????????

Has to be something related to the charging system. That much I figured out.  Let's see............rectifier? Nah, alternator? Nah, ?

[Cobalt]

I'm not the sharpest pencil in the box but I do have to ask...................what the heck is an RR???????????

Has to be something related to the charging system. That much I figured out.  Let's see............rectifier? Nah, alternator? Nah, ?

Rectifier / regulator

They're (usually) integrated into one package these days.