Triumph Thunderbird Debuts at Daytona

Motorcycle.com Staff
by Motorcycle.com Staff

Triumph Thunderbird debuts at Daytona

New Big Twin fills niche between Bonneville and Rocket III
By Motorcycle.Com Staff, Mar. 18, 2009
Triumphs new Big Twin cruiser, the Thunderbird, made its North American debut at Daytona Bike Week, bringing back a model name first introduced in 1946 and featured in the Marlon Brando film The Wild One.

The Thunderbird was designed to take on the best of the Big Twin cruiser motorcycles, and it stands apart from the crowd with exceptional performance and Triumphs distinctive style, says Mark Kennedy, chief executive officer of Triumph North America. Were very excited about the opportunities that the Thunderbird represents in America for riders who favor big twin cruisers and know Triumph for its heritage and quality of modern motorcycles.

The 2010 Thunderbird features a 1,600cc engine and has a claimed output of 80 bhp with over 100 ft-lbs of torque. A six-speed transmission with a belt final drive transfers the power to the Thunderbirds 200mm rear wheel.

The 2010 Triumph Thunderbird is due in dealerships in June.
The Thunderbird fits perfectly between Triumphs 863cc Bonneville and the 2,300cc Rocket III motorcycles, says Tony Lewis, owner of Triumph dealer Eurosport in Fort Worth, Texas. Its exactly what weve been waiting for and several of our customers have already placed deposits. If you want to be one of the first to get a Thunderbird, you better hurry because theyll go fast.

Triumph will also release a line of accessories for the Thunderbird, letting riders customize the bike to their own tastes.

Triumph has been methodically expanding its model line to suit the various riding styles around the globe, and the Thunderbird is a great addition for American riders who want a large displacement twin-cylinder cruiser, says Kennedy. Triumph employees are passionate about motorcycling. Its truly a labor of love to deliver great looking and performing motorcycles. So for us, developing the specifications sheet was easy. The fun and challenging part was creating a completely new motorcycle that delivers an exceptional riding experience. I can proudly say that the Triumph team has accomplished just that.

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Orders accepted for Triumph Thunderbird

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