This could be good-2012 Triumph Trophy

Brian Robinson

Brian Robinson

Joined
Jun 16, 2008
Messages
99
Location
Brittany and Parker Colorado in summer time
Bike
ST 1100
STOC #
5348
Has anyone been interested in the new for 2012 Triumph Trophy?, looks like a great package. Not a great amount of reading or road tests yet but with the Shaft drive and that 3cyl 1200cc engine it seems worth a test ride when it is in the showrooms. I have had 2 of the old 900cc triples and they performed realy well apart from the chain drive which nowadays is outdated for a good touring bike.
 
Yes, a bunch of us have been eyeing it: https://www.st-owners.com/forums/showthread.php?94102-2011-Triumph-Trophy-1200....triple

There are a few pix floating around the net, such as the ones here: http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/n..._news/122_1011_2012_triumph_trophy/index.html

Have you found anything more recent?

I was smitten with the 1050 triple on the Sprint ST...torquey, nearly as smooth as a Honda V4, and a beautiful noise. Sure would be great to have that kind of mill in a bike with upright ergos and touring accoutrements.
 
I rode one of the Triumph sport tourers (sometime in the 90s?) The only downside, compared to the ST1100 I had at that time, was the chain drive and the lack of dealers. It looks like they've solved the first issue; I guess the second one isn't major if you're intending to do all your own maintenance anyway.
 
roginoz said:
I rode one of the Triumph sport tourers (sometime in the 90s?) The only downside, compared to the ST1100 I had at that time, was the chain drive and the lack of dealers. It looks like they've solved the first issue; I guess the second one isn't major if you're intending to do all your own maintenance anyway.
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Until something breaks and you need parts....


Do an internet search...Just before I bought my ST I found a site that show Warranty rate of returns by manufacturer.....1% of Hondas came back for warranty repairs.....Triumph was second from the bottom at 62%.
 
Coucours Grad said:
Just before I bought my ST I found a site that show Warranty rate of returns by manufacturer.....1% of Hondas came back for warranty repairs.....Triumph was second from the bottom at 62%.
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FWIW, my inside contact at Honda told me when I met him in October 2010 that Triumph was #2 (second only to Honda) in reliability across the marque. That was over the past three years I believe he said. He went down his list of the top ten which, not surprisingly, had Japanese brands near the top, Harley in the middle, and Europeans at the bottom. The outlier was Triumph at #2. He made an effort to point out that Honda was #1 by a huge margin, but that Triumph's new designs were innovative, competitive and proving reliable. YMMV
 
That's interesting Scott... being that Honda probably sells a gazillion more motorcycles than Triumph, is the volume taken into account somehow? If you sell 10 bikes and one has an issue, it's 10% but if you sell 100 and 1 goes bad it's 1%... so if you sell more, you can have more issues and it won't look as bad...

I suppose it doesn't matter as it's still a percentage of the whole and you can't really compare exact numbers across brands.
 
Mellow said:
That's interesting Scott... being that Honda probably sells a gazillion more motorcycles than Triumph, is the volume taken into account somehow? If you sell 10 bikes and one has an issue, it's 10% but if you sell 100 and 1 goes bad it's 1%... so if you sell more, you can have more issues and it won't look as bad...

I suppose it doesn't matter as it's still a percentage of the whole and you can't really compare exact numbers across brands.
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In recent years Triumph sells between 38,000 and 45,000 bikes annually worldwide and Honda I think about 2.2 million so the numbers better be as a percentage of sales and not just numbers compared by brand.
 
Mellow said:
That's interesting Scott...
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It surprised me to hear that from a Honda company guy at an event promoting the introduction of a new Honda model (VFR1200F DCT). When we first met he asked me if I had ridden up, I said yes, he asked on what, I said a 2003 ST1300ABS. He asked what I'd like to see on the next ST and I gave him an earful. He asked me if there were other bikes that interested me and I said the Triumph Sprint GT as I had ridden a Sprint ST and really liked it, the motor especially, but was looking for more upright ergos. That's when he offered his opinion about Triumph having reinvented itself and provided the information about reliability of the various marques. I don't know where he got his data but given what he does for a living representing Honda and working with customers and media I expect he wouldn't toss around dubious stats. Of course he also told me the next ST will be worth the wait (...and wait...and wait...).
 
Well... stats are still stats and can be interpreted 100 ways depending on how you want them to look..

While I was waiting on the Tenere to show up I was 'this' close to getting the Tiger XC but it would have been $500 more than the Tenere and I'd have to deal with a chain and tube tires. It was also a tad taller but a cool bike... I liked the fit/finish of it and didn't really see anything on the bike that had a cheap feel to it. I bet it's a blast to ride, it sounded sweet.
 
I'd be more inclined to believe the Hoda rep. then something read in the internet and concider my self "corrected."

I loved the Rockets I drove....


Just didnt think there was enough dealer support to put it out on the road for the long haul.
 
When I think of trading the ST, it's only one reason: weight! Then I see it in a parking lot, looking mean, sexy and sulky, pawing the pavement waiting for master to ride it hard. As soon as I'm out of the parking lot, I'm in love with it again. So the last thing we aging riders need (check out the demographics of US riders) is another behemoth adventure bike weighing over 500 lbs.: an oxymoron on wheels. Mark Twain loosely quoted: "We want material objects because of how we percieve them...". So a super Tenere, GS1200, Tiger, all look good on us, but don't improve the ride. Adventure? Real adventure? Plan to have enough $$ in the bank for retirement.

I've got dreams too, like a Sprint GT, or KLR for my one and only. Then I see my ST looking at me, peeved and impatient: c'mon, Lets Ride!
 
STreaker said:
When I think of trading the ST, it's only one reason: weight!
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That's it for me. I figure the Trophy will have its sights on the RT and hopefully that will mean it's light. Maybe not as light as the air-cooled Beemer, but lighter than an ST, perhaps by a lot.
 
The Tenere clocks in at 575 which is a bit more than the GS but I'll tell you, if feels like a very light bike.. goes on the center stand with ease and that's without luggage. Easy to move around the garage, well, easier than the ST.. I don't like the weight of the ST but then on a windy day, I like it's more solid feeling than a lighter bike.. nice to have options.
 
Mellow said:
That's interesting Scott... being that Honda probably sells a gazillion more motorcycles than Triumph, is the volume taken into account somehow? If you sell 10 bikes and one has an issue, it's 10% but if you sell 100 and 1 goes bad it's 1%... so if you sell more, you can have more issues and it won't look as bad...

I suppose it doesn't matter as it's still a percentage of the whole and you can't really compare exact numbers across brands.
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Yup. If the one you are trying to ride don't run, Stats don't mean a thing, you are 100% walking!
The dealer thing is interesting as well. The ONE guy actually working on your bike is what matters. The only 2 close Honda dealers when I was in NYS I would not have either of them touch my bike. I don't think they even knew what a ST1300 is. Both were multi Jap brand. Could have got a great mechanic on a good day though, who knows?
The Triumph place here in Hartford, Ct sells a bunch of different bikes. Harleys, BMWs, Triumph. I think the same ownership sells Jap bikes under a different dealership. I'm not sure if they are any good. I'm afraid to go down there and talk them into selling me a bike. :)
 
Coucours Grad said:
I'd be more inclined to believe the Hoda rep. then something read in the internet
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Back on the topic of Triumph reliability, Motorcycle Consumer News (11/2011) lists two recalls for the Tiger 800 and 800XC, one for engine management software (Triumph dealer will download new software) and return spring for the optional center stand (dealer will replace the spring and make any needed repairs). First Triumph recalls I've seen in a year, which is how long I've been looking in MCN every month since the Honda rep told me they were so reliable. For whatever that's worth.
 
Those kinds of recalls don't upset my apple cart. When they send you a post card and tell you to bring it in to have the engine or transmission torn down and re-assembled to fix this or that is when I would get my panties in a wad.
 
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