News From Across the Pond: 2003 Triumphs

[jmoore813]

It's nice to see the T Bird sport back...if only they kept the twin exhaust on one side.



I'd like to see a T Bird street fighter though....I see to remember an article on one with the T300 series speed triple engine in Motorcyclist...

[Lobotomy_Boy]

Some website or another wrote that the TT6R had been delayed because the new crop of 600s from Japan sent Triumph designers back to the drawing board. Apparently Triumph wanted to avoid a repeat of the sound thrashing the original TT600 received when it was introduced.



Whether or not this is true, it seems like the only possible outcome when a small company like Triumph shoots at a rapidly moving target like the 600cc Supersport class. By the time Triumph makes the TT6R competetive with the '03 600cc class, the Japanese will be introducing a new crop of 600s that once again eclipses the TT6R.



I wish them well, but frankly, I think it would make better sense for Triumph to focus on niches where they wouldn't be competing against the Japanese head to head.

[BorgBiker]

Or if they were to shoot a whole step ahead. That's what Japan Inc does. They have to look at where the next level is, not how to get equal with everyone.



I'd love to see Triumph truly be a front runner for once. But they do have a nice ability to make good looking bikes that are different form the big 4, but keeping inline with the overall idea.

[Captain_1]

Market planners look for large and developing segments in which to compete. They assume (often incorrectly) that they will be successful by developing products based on existing benchmarks. By the time they enter the market, the segment leaders have raised the bar.

[KPaulCook]

Triumph is privately owned (owner made his billions elsewhere) so they can go at their own time table. The TT600 had only one real flaw, the poor fuel injection. So to me it was a real success. The bike looked nice, handled well and still was comfrontable. I think there is still room for Triumph in the 600 market given that the Japenese bikes seem to have gone hard core. It would be interesting to see a smaller triple rather than a 4 though.

[rsheidler]

Obviously, John Bloor can do whatever the eff he wants with his money -- as he doesn't have shareholders to report to ------



Still, I have to question the business model that has him taking on what is already the most competetive, over-served segment of the market -- ie hyper-sport 600s. Are these comsumers really crying out for more choices?



What I hear are consumers asking for more broadly focused (or at least "different" foci) than the race-replicas (as wonderful as they are for their intended purposes) being cranked out by Japan inc.



If I were advising them, I think I would suggest playing on their strengths -- produce a 600 with more "Triumph" cues -- maybe a triple, as you suggest, or even a twin, that does not look/feel/sound like just another Japan Inc product.



As you point out, there is nothing really wrong with the TT except some F-I glitchs, and you are correct that the ergos are less extreme than the recent trend of the class. I think pursuing this market with the TT certainly makes more sense than trying to produce race replicas and to jump into AMA 600 superbike, as had been speculated about.

[rsheidler]

Anyone but me feel that their web site kinda sucks? Really have to want to find new models. Seem like the British never have quite got the marketing concept down, like the Japanese, Italians, Germans etc.



I am really happy to see the return of the T-Bird Sport. Hope that it comes here with at least one more color option -- the tangerine ain't bad, but I think it would sell better with some other choices.



I would really like to see a sport version of the Bonnyville -- really tie into the traditional cafe-racer vibe. Guess I am just an old fart, cause that look is still what I think when I think "sportbike" -- don't get me wrong, I love the new sportbikes, but they don't stimulate quite the same emotional response.

[TLS_MAN]

They should have concentrated on making triples, which made them unique. Imagine a 675 triple (assuming the same size break as the 900 triple gets) that would have more torque than the Japanese fours, a different sound, with approximately the same hp. Just a thought.

[hojka]

The Triumph website is pretty bad. At least it isn't a flash monstrosity though like some other manufacturers. Mostly, it feels very understated. I'd really like to see more images of the motorcycles on their site. When you only have one or two shots of a bike, it doesn't give you the full appreciation of the design unless you see one in person. (Which with the factory fire might be awhile with some models...)

[itchface]

You're 100% correct! The extra displacement would make it competitive with the 600's, and it would have had a distinctive identity in a sea of look-and-sound-alike bikes.



Somebody please give TLS_MAN a job at Triumph!