2010 Triumph Thunderbird Review

[mscuddy]

I like it, the motor looks so much better than the "other" one.

One old-time race trick to improve tractability on XS650 Yamaha flat track bikes, was to change the firing order to 270 degrees. Same with the 350 Honda twin.

[Kevin_Duke]

Originally Posted by The_AirHawk

I think his question is somewhat in-line with my own thoughts on this - as in WTF does any motorcycle weigh-in at 750 pounds?

Hell, the F'n BossHoss weighs only about 250lbs more, and they use a F'n cast-iron-block automotive V-8 as the "core" of the F'n thing.

1. Fat tires, triple-disc brakes, fuel injection, catalytic converters and a frame that doesn't tie itself in knots when cornering all require extra beef that a 1960s chopper never had.

2. Do you really think Boss Hoss is as honest as Triumph regarding claimed weight? They claim about 1100 lbs "dry." Add coolant, fuel, battery fluid, and whatever else they forgot to add to the total, and I bet you can count on nearly 1300 lbs fueled up and ready to ride.

[seruzawa]

Originally Posted by The_AirHawk

I think his question is somewhat in-line with my own thoughts on this - as in WTF does any motorcycle weigh-in at 750 pounds?

Hell, the F'n BossHoss weighs only about 250lbs more, and they use a F'n cast-iron-block automotive V-8 as the "core" of the F'n thing.

Must be for that "road holding weight" I keep hearing about.

Nah. I'm not buying it. These bikes are just too heavy. As much or more than a 30 year old Goldwing. More than my 1980 Shovelhead ..... wet. Ridiculous.

[longride]

Originally Posted by seruzawa

Must be for that "road holding weight" I keep hearing about.

Nah. I'm not buying it. These bikes are just too heavy. As much or more than a 30 year old Goldwing. More than my 1980 Shovelhead ..... wet. Ridiculous.

Triumph managed to make the new Bonnie 100 lbs heavier than the old one too. I know, it was to manage the tremendous horsepower that new motor has! More like cheap materials and cheap engineering. I still can't figure out how they did that. Look at how heavy the new Sporties are. rubber mount it and add 50 lbs? They are kidding aren't they?

[sarnali2]

stiffer frames, heavier wheels, more electronics and wiring, all that stuff ads weight. Original Sporties and Bonnies were pretty simple bikes.

[seruzawa]

Originally Posted by sarnali2

stiffer frames, heavier wheels, more electronics and wiring, all that stuff ads weight. Original Sporties and Bonnies were pretty simple bikes.

This is why naked standards and sportbikes are all heavier too, right?

[sarnali2]

Originally Posted by seruzawa

This is why naked standards and sportbikes are all heavier too, right?

Of course!

[longride]

Originally Posted by sarnali2

stiffer frames, heavier wheels, more electronics and wiring, all that stuff ads weight. Original Sporties and Bonnies were pretty simple bikes.

Better engineering and materials alone would make up the weight difference of these bikes.....if they ever used them. To me they are engineered to look a certain way and then made and engineered as cheaply as possible. 50 extra lbs to rubber mount a motor? Please! Sloppy engineering combined with cheap materials made this happen, pure and simple. They don't take weight into account when designing this stuff. They just make it work and they really don't care how much it weighs. You can't honestly tell me that a new Bonnie should be 100 lb's heavier than the old ones. Sorry, but wheels and frames should be lighter, not heavier if they were made with any forethought and decent materials.

[mscuddy]

750 lbs? That's a good excuse for the "lap band". Man, and I thought my Buell was portly at 400 lbs...phew.

Do you have to call a crane when it falls over in a parking lot? Don't park it on the hot asphalt puhleeze...might sink up to the axles.

Truss sales go through the roof...

[anrajala]

Originally Posted by seruzawa

Must be for that "road holding weight" I keep hearing about.

Nah. I'm not buying it. These bikes are just too heavy. As much or more than a 30 year old Goldwing. More than my 1980 Shovelhead ..... wet. Ridiculous.

Bollocks. Claimed dry weight is 308 kg (678 lbs). My Fat Boy has claimed 307 kg dry but then I have 88 ci engine compared to 98 ci here. They could have named this Nippy.

- cruiz-euro