Triumph Seeing Red Ink ?

[gforces]

I think I saw somewhere that Triumph was replacing their Daytona 650 with a 680, but with three cylinders. Now that's something they should've done from the start. It's a lot easier to compete against the Japanese on the sales floor if you were different, rather than trying to be a poor copy of.

If it sounds good, has more low end torque than the Jap bikes, and looks good--hell, I may find myself on a Triumph supersport soon enough

[pdad13]

NO CHOPPERS, PLEASE!!!!



Like you say, it's just not Triumph's thing. Besides, how long do you think this chopper nonsense is going to last? And how many of those custom bike shops can really survive in the long run? My guess is not too many. Plus, the appeal of choppers has much to do with them being "custom" (note the not-so-subtle use of quotation marks). Harley seems to be the only company that can really pull off the "factory custom" oxymoron.



IMO, Triumph has just got to position themselves even further from the Japanese and really stress the "performance for the real world" angle.



They're is on the right track, they just need to refine their attack as they go.

[seruzawa]

The squids who just have to have the latest CRBZXKZGSXRRRR because a similar bike won last year will never buy Triumphs, unless Triumph starts to win those races. Never mind that the bikes used by the pros are only slightly related to the ones on the showroom floor.

[asphanaut]

I think a Rocket powered Ford Escort is more likely.

[pdad13]

You're right. They can't compete selling to the squids. The Japanese have got that market sewn up. A smaller sporting triple (like the 680) may gain a following. I'm not sure.



But they might be able to pull a significant number of riders off of cruisers. With everyone beating each other up in the cruiser market, no one has really thought that they may be able to sell against the Harley-clone segment (not to mention pulling a few willing people off of impractical supersports) instead of producing another me-too product.



I don't know if it can work, being that everyone in the U.S. is either hung up on chrome/engine displacement/loud pipes or peak horsepower/boy-racer fashion. But then Triumph should just throw in the towel because they're not going to be the leader in either of those categories. They need to be something different. And that's pretty much what they're trying to do, it's just that they've taken a few missteps. I think they've learned their lesson: Don't rush headlong against the Japanese pillbox. Unfortunately they got shot up a bit in the process.



Obviously Triumph can't afford to play "can you top this?" with the big four. And they can't displace Harley. They've got to create their own game. They might change the habits and perceptions of significant enough number of riders if they become more disciplined and agressive in their approach.



I know adult people who are fairly new riders that ride cruisers because that's what they're "supposed" to ride. Then they get their first spin on a sportier bike and they freakin' love it. But they would never own one because "sportbikes (naked sports/standards) are for immature jerks," or something like that. That's not everyone, of course. Some people love their cruisers, and rightly so. But I think enough people could be converted if they were exposed to a "socially acceptable" like a Triumph.

[xlr8r]

I'm surprised at you, Longbeard. KPaul's ignorance is to be expected, but surely you knew that the very first (1991-2) Hinkley Triumph 750 triple was called the Trident, and had a little three-pronged 'trident' logo on the side panels? Is your memory so short? Don't know how things are in your neck of the woods, but there are plenty of them still to be seen around on the roads here in the UK.

[SeanAlexander]

It's wrong! to bang your sister!?!?!? Oh F%@& !

[dylanmo]

Not one of you bastids has anything to say about "One million dollars!". Really? Dr. Evil? That whole Austin Powers crap franchise? Seriously?