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shash_what · 01-07-2002, 11:30 PM

The bike sounds okay, but it's resides in dullsville in the looks department (I'm talking 'bout the production version). It should look more agressive for it's 'street fighter' appeal to break in. The tail section should be changed immediately to something sharper and bolder.

And oh yeah, first post.

RonXX · 01-08-2002, 01:56 AM

I will never buy a bike with an engine that has been "re-tuned" for torque (a.k.a. "de-tuned"). It would be much more pleasing for me to ride a street fighter type bike that i converted from the full sportbike. A used VTR would be ideal, but pick any type of sportbike and it will be better than the crap manufacturers try to sell for a premium price.

MC · 01-08-2002, 04:15 AM

I think it is a neat bike that missed the mark in the looks department. Those goofy ram-scoops just have to go... same with the TT.

Patrick-of-the-Hills · 01-08-2002, 06:34 AM

Eighty percent of it is visually great, especially (for me) that big modern frame. The twin lamps and intake nozzles and such make it look like the fourth cast member from "Mystery Science Theater 3000," though.

Besides, isn't the point of a streetfighter to be a rorty angry stomping mother that makes the Harley guys look for a different playground? Makes sense with the Speed Triple, but probably not with a retuned factory 600. I can sort of see how the idea would come from Italy, given that nation's fondness for smaller displacements, but especially in America I'm not seeing a lot of success. Besides, anyone who really grasps the idea of a streetfighter knows a lot of the glory is in the modifying (sort of like an Acura Integra street racer) and will do something more honest and individualistic with a old stripped GSX-R or such, never mind the price difference.

If they wanted to do a ballsy 600 sport-standard, that'd be great. Lose the gawky stuff off the front, make the motor tractable and friendly and enthusiastic, and keep it agile. I'd wonder about market-segment overlap with the Bonneville, though.

Oh, and it's January 8th. Elvis lives.

YamahaFZR · 01-08-2002, 06:34 AM

The key to the equation (usually is)...how much for this doggy in the window?

You have the Suzuki SV650 for $5,700
You have the new Ducati 620i for $6,200

Where you going to get the fun to match the Suzuki and the name appeal to match the Duck, and my guess this bike will be $7,000.

SilverBullet · 01-08-2002, 07:23 AM

I would say that it would be too optimistic to expect a much lower price than that of the TT600.

On the other hand this bike should be well ahead in the hp department of the other two bikes you mentioned.

ziras · 01-08-2002, 08:04 AM

Triumph should be ashamed of itself.

1 - Speed Four is a shameless attempt at trying to squeeze some blood (or in this case Â£'s) from a dead horse, the TT600. The firm has taken it's beta model TT, stripped off the bodywork, slaps some streetfighter lights on it, and sells it as a naked model. It is positively fugly!! Those intakes? That motor is completely not naked friendly. (Has anyone heard the term bad naked? This is bad naked.) So completely unnatractive.

2 - 955 is a pathetic attempt at trying to flog a "new" model. The block is the same only cast this time around. The frame is basically the same. The bodywork is a bad mixture of Japanese bike cliches.

Hinckley...listen up...this is the stuff failing mc firms are made of. Stop insulting peoples intelligence with models like these. (Nice Bonnie re-make though...a little expensive considering the lack of tank pads, gators, seamed tank, and those crooked pea shooters. )

Z (Believe it or not, a Triumph fan)

mandrake_the_mollusk · 01-08-2002, 08:41 AM

MSRP $7495. After initial demand is met most Triumph dealers sell a bit below MSRP especially if you haggle, so street price should be ~$7K. For that you get more hp than 600-class V-twins, certainly world-class (if not the very best) sportbike handling, as well as the oldest most historic motorcycle marque on the planet (well, if you ignore the fact they went belly up once). YES older than H-D. And you sure won't see yourself coming and going. Like the other post said, where else you gonna get that? It's gonna be a hit even if certain styling features are well, controversial. Probably all for the better in the naked streetfighter niche --the worst thing you can do is look too conventional.

Badwinger · 01-08-2002, 08:52 AM

Shouldn't it be the [b]Speed Quadruple?

mandrake_the_mollusk · 01-08-2002, 08:59 AM

for all it's faults the TT600 is one of Triumph's best-selling bikes. Never mind that it's a tad overpriced and underperforming compared to the best from the Big Boys. It's got more character in its killswitch than all of them have put together. Have you ever seen a Monster Dark? Your idea of "unattractive" (and maybe mine too) simply doesn't phase the target audience here. As for the Bonnie it seems they're trying to invite the aftermarket (they learned from the T'bird there's no point in providing gorgeous peashooters everybody is going to remove). This is a good sign since by inviting 3rd parties to support it they must intend to run the Bonnie a long time --they've got to know that's a big big factor in long-term sales of bikes that stay around.

01-07-2002, 11:30 PM	#1
shash_what Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 20	Re: 2002 Triumph Speed Four Feedback The bike sounds okay, but it's resides in dullsville in the looks department (I'm talking 'bout the production version). It should look more agressive for it's 'street fighter' appeal to break in. The tail section should be changed immediately to something sharper and bolder. And oh yeah, first post.

01-08-2002, 01:56 AM	#2
RonXX Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 273	Re: 2002 Triumph Speed Four Feedback I will never buy a bike with an engine that has been "re-tuned" for torque (a.k.a. "de-tuned"). It would be much more pleasing for me to ride a street fighter type bike that i converted from the full sportbike. A used VTR would be ideal, but pick any type of sportbike and it will be better than the crap manufacturers try to sell for a premium price.

01-08-2002, 04:15 AM	#3
MC Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 63	Re: 2002 Triumph Speed Four Feedback I think it is a neat bike that missed the mark in the looks department. Those goofy ram-scoops just have to go... same with the TT.

01-08-2002, 06:34 AM	#4
Patrick-of-the-Hills Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 155	Re: 2002 Triumph Speed Four Feedback Eighty percent of it is visually great, especially (for me) that big modern frame. The twin lamps and intake nozzles and such make it look like the fourth cast member from "Mystery Science Theater 3000," though. Besides, isn't the point of a streetfighter to be a rorty angry stomping mother that makes the Harley guys look for a different playground? Makes sense with the Speed Triple, but probably not with a retuned factory 600. I can sort of see how the idea would come from Italy, given that nation's fondness for smaller displacements, but especially in America I'm not seeing a lot of success. Besides, anyone who really grasps the idea of a streetfighter knows a lot of the glory is in the modifying (sort of like an Acura Integra street racer) and will do something more honest and individualistic with a old stripped GSX-R or such, never mind the price difference. If they wanted to do a ballsy 600 sport-standard, that'd be great. Lose the gawky stuff off the front, make the motor tractable and friendly and enthusiastic, and keep it agile. I'd wonder about market-segment overlap with the Bonneville, though. Oh, and it's January 8th. Elvis lives.

01-08-2002, 06:34 AM	#5
YamahaFZR Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 9	How much? The key to the equation (usually is)...how much for this doggy in the window? You have the Suzuki SV650 for $5,700 You have the new Ducati 620i for $6,200 Where you going to get the fun to match the Suzuki and the name appeal to match the Duck, and my guess this bike will be $7,000.

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01-08-2002, 07:23 AM	#6
SilverBullet Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 159	Re: How much? I would say that it would be too optimistic to expect a much lower price than that of the TT600. On the other hand this bike should be well ahead in the hp department of the other two bikes you mentioned.

01-08-2002, 08:04 AM	#7
ziras Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 3	Re: 2002 Triumph Speed Four Feedback Triumph should be ashamed of itself. 1 - Speed Four is a shameless attempt at trying to squeeze some blood (or in this case Â£'s) from a dead horse, the TT600. The firm has taken it's beta model TT, stripped off the bodywork, slaps some streetfighter lights on it, and sells it as a naked model. It is positively fugly!! Those intakes? That motor is completely not naked friendly. (Has anyone heard the term bad naked? This is bad naked.) So completely unnatractive. 2 - 955 is a pathetic attempt at trying to flog a "new" model. The block is the same only cast this time around. The frame is basically the same. The bodywork is a bad mixture of Japanese bike cliches. Hinckley...listen up...this is the stuff failing mc firms are made of. Stop insulting peoples intelligence with models like these. (Nice Bonnie re-make though...a little expensive considering the lack of tank pads, gators, seamed tank, and those crooked pea shooters. ) Z (Believe it or not, a Triumph fan)

01-08-2002, 08:41 AM	#8
mandrake_the_mollusk Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 85	Re: How much? MSRP $7495. After initial demand is met most Triumph dealers sell a bit below MSRP especially if you haggle, so street price should be ~$7K. For that you get more hp than 600-class V-twins, certainly world-class (if not the very best) sportbike handling, as well as the oldest most historic motorcycle marque on the planet (well, if you ignore the fact they went belly up once). YES older than H-D. And you sure won't see yourself coming and going. Like the other post said, where else you gonna get that? It's gonna be a hit even if certain styling features are well, controversial. Probably all for the better in the naked streetfighter niche --the worst thing you can do is look too conventional.

01-08-2002, 08:52 AM	#9
Badwinger Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 15	Re: 2002 Triumph Speed Four Feedback Shouldn't it be the [b]Speed Quadruple?

01-08-2002, 08:59 AM	#10
mandrake_the_mollusk Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 85	Fan maybe but you don't follow the charts... for all it's faults the TT600 is one of Triumph's best-selling bikes. Never mind that it's a tad overpriced and underperforming compared to the best from the Big Boys. It's got more character in its killswitch than all of them have put together. Have you ever seen a Monster Dark? Your idea of "unattractive" (and maybe mine too) simply doesn't phase the target audience here. As for the Bonnie it seems they're trying to invite the aftermarket (they learned from the T'bird there's no point in providing gorgeous peashooters everybody is going to remove). This is a good sign since by inviting 3rd parties to support it they must intend to run the Bonnie a long time --they've got to know that's a big big factor in long-term sales of bikes that stay around.