Trophy 2012 / 2013

[Bones]

Probably a dream ticket solo, too. Just depends what show you're buying tickets for.

 

[Skunkape]

Pulled in to the Triumph dealer today. Sitting by the service department was a fresh from the crate Trophy. The windshield wasn't on it yet nor were the bag lids. They let me sit on it. It does appear somewhat large but what struck me was it seemed roundish while sitting on it, more Beemerish than STish. It was very good looking and had a super comfortable seat. Of course riding might tell a different story. The riding position appeared comfortably too. It was un-spoken for as of this afternoon but they expect it to be gone by this weekend. Two people coming to look at it tomorrow. They told me they could have it ready for me in two hours. Had to pass for now, lotto isn't drawn until late tonight.

Got to ride an Explorer though. :

 

[Skunkape]

I didn't sit on it that long but I feel I was fairly straight up. It's been a while since I had an ST but from what I can remember the Trophy felt like the bars were back further and maybe lower. Felt wider too. I think more upright than the ST. Just my perception and I could be all wet.

 

[dduelin]

What was the seating position like? How straight up were you versus lean? Thanks.

From post #10 above:

"This bike has a LoRide seat on it. I could just touch the toes and balls of my feet like on my ST with a Sargent seat in the low position. The bars are lower and closer than my stock ergos ST. I predict risers are going to be popular but don't bring the bars back any more - just up. My back/spine was more or less vertical with no forward lean. The pegs are higher and further forward. I'm short of inseam and the angle of my knee is greater than on a stock ST1300 because the pegs are so close. For such a bulky bike the ergos seem closer than an ST. This could have been because of the LoRide seat moving the seat closer to the pegs. The feeling was similar to sitting in a dining room chair with ankles under the knee rather than under the hips like other sport touring and adventure bikes."

 

[CDNolddude]

I got to sit on one at the Toronto Motorcycle show today and I was really impressed. ST1300 and R1200RT were close by so got to compare nicely. While on it, it looks even bigger,wider than the RT. The bars come WAY BACK.. far more than the RT. Seat was comfy like the RT but then they are supposedly only good for an hour or so, so who knows. Also up here similarly equipped the SE is over $4k cheaper than the RT, but RT does offer 3yr roadside assistance. The ST feels downright small compared to the other two with much narrower bars and tank. The SE tank is actually a little too wide and something I would have to get used too. Hopefully I get a test ride this spring..

 

[Skunkape]

My riding buddy wanted to ride up and look at one today. He came by my house on his bike and I jumped on mine. We headed that way and about four blocks wham. I thought I had a blow out or chain broke or something. Pulled over and there was an approximately 5/16" x 6" concrete anchor stuck in my rear tubed tire. It had gone around a few times before I stopped and whacked the swing arm a few times. Only small dent in top of swing arm. I pulled the "bolt" out and boogied back to the house, got here just before it went flat.

Decided to change my riding britches for some shorts and take my truck. When we got to the Triumph dealer there was a guy test riding it. He pulled in and was dealing on it. We got to play with it while they were dealing and could have taken it for a ride if I hadn't changed my clothes. Anyway this afternoon the salesman called me and said the deal fell through to come back and ride. It was too late but I am going to take him up on his offer.

We played with it with the key, started it, played with the windshield and stuff. Had a much better look today and it is sweet. If they don't sell it soon I will be test riding it sometime next week.

Ramble over.:

 

[4jranch]

Pictures?

 

[Bones]

I had a chance to see a Trophy SE in person today at Mark's Motorsports in Enfield CT. I did not get to test ride it, but I spent a while with Mark (the owner) going over the "launch" equipped Triumph rep's bike that's currently at the dealership. The launch version comes with the top case, satellite radio and dual heated seats.

Some observations:

I don't find it as BIG as some people's comments were leading me to believe. Seems about right to me.

The ergos seem really good. The riding posture is bolt upright, which I expect will be ideal for eating miles. Bars are less of a reach than the ST and a great height. They do not appear to be adjustable. With the standard seat in the lower position, I get the balls of my feet down pretty comfortably but couldn't flat foot. Seat was easy to adjust (it was in the higher position when I first sat on the bike). A low seat option drops it more than an inch, which would probably make sense for me.

Lots of adjustability of more electronic features than you can shake a stick at. For the suspension you can select multiple program modes and either of two custom profiles beyond that. The menu system was intuitive...I'm sure I didn't cover all the options levels deep, but it was easy to cycle through various options. The US only gets the SE model which has the electronic suspension (same manufacturer as the BMW system) and bluetooth audio and TPMS and on and on. Clearly shooting for BMW in terms of bells and whistles.

The speedo and rev counter are nice white on black analog, but my aging eyes wish the numbers were bigger.

Top case is clearly smaller than my Givi E52...two full face helmets do not seem likely to fit, although I didn't test that out. One helmet and a camera bag is what I typically need space for up top. I'm guessing that would work but I didn't bring those items along.

Side cases seem similar in volume to the ST panniers and shaped a bit more conveniently. They have the side-to-side sliding feature used on Triumphs. Seems to be a two-wall design so if the interior gets dinged the outside doesn't show it. Bags go on and off easily, open and close easily.

Tip over protection...nope.

Motor makes a lovely noise. Sounds like a motorcycle, not George Jetson's car.

I like the look...love child of an ST and an RT, and it's been to the gym. Has kind of a cat face. I'm on the fence about the black plastic that's to the wind on the front...wonder why that didn't get paint? I guess it won't get nicked like a painted surface would. Fit and finish look excellent overall.

Rear wheel looks like it would come off with the bike on the center stand and without removing the exhaust can. Front wheel looks about as much work as the ST.

The one example they had was silver, which was gleaming and very bright in the midday sunshine. Two shades lighter than '03 ST fastest silver. I think I'd prefer the blue but there wasn't one to look at.

As I've heard from the other Triumph dealers I've spoken with, there is no haggling on the price of the bike. Everyone pays MSRP. There is a "kick off" event later this month where Trophy buyers can get $500 credit toward accessories. With a heated low seat, top case and the required mounting bracket it would cost $19,700. That's a fair sack of coin but not unreasonable, I think. I'd be interested if not for that new septic system we had installed in October.

 

[Skunkape]

One thing I forgot. They guy that looked at it with me and I both thought it felt light. We both leaned it over quite a ways and had no trouble pulling it back up while sitting on it. The weight must be low.

 

[Bones]

One thing I forgot. They guy that looked at it with me and I both thought it felt light. We both leaned it over quite a ways and had no trouble pulling it back up while sitting on it. The weight must be low.

664 lbs wet, full of fuel. I agree, it felt lighter than the ST and the weight seemed to be carried low.

 

[Viking]

I think the ready to ride weight, per the Triumph website, is 664 pounds without the saddlebags.

 

[Nevada]

Bigger than the RT, physically bigger than the ST (longer wheelbase), but lighter than the ST. IIRC.

 

[dduelin]

Without panniers about 36 - 45 lbs lighter than an ST depending on equipment.

 

[Bones]

I think the ready to ride weight, per the Triumph website, is 664 pounds without the saddlebags.

"Wet weight (ready to ride), 301 kg (662 lbs)"

The Triumph rep told me last year that "ready to ride" in Triumph speak means as equipped from the factory. So if a bike comes with panniers, as does the Trophy, those are included in the wet weight. If panniers are an option, as they are on the Tiger Explorer, then their weight is not reflected in the "ready to ride" weight. Triumph includes a full tank of fuel.

FWIW, BMW's figures do not include the panniers and the fuel tank is "at least 90% full." The RT is 580 lbs without panniers. Light weight remains the RT's best feature, in my view, but it's accomplished in large measure because of the RT's worst feature, the engine. YMMV I tried to get figures on pannier weight from BMW's US headquarters and no one there could tell me. I called a couple BMW dealers. One told me to call BMW headquarters, the other told me that would require taking them off a bike and actually weighing them and "that's not going to happen." I'm guessing they don't weigh all that much, but it would be nice to compare apples to apples. The new 1200GS is 525 pounds vs 538 for the previous model, which makes me think the new RT (supposedly coming for 2014) won't be gaining any weight.

 

[Bones]

Without panniers about 36 - 45 lbs lighter than an ST depending on equipment.

Honda lists the curb weight of an ST at 730 lbs. That would make the Trophy lighter by 68 lbs (a factor of just under 1/2 Bones ).

 

[acedantinne]

Yesterdays ride took me to Hermy's BMW/triumph dealership, route 61, Port Clinton, Pa. They just got, yes thursday there first Trophy se. It has everthing but heated grips.
Open house in Feburary 14.
Gs per owner not till March. s in water cooled.
If U ride?? Port Clinton Hotel great place to eat. Walking distance from dealer. 1 block.

 

[dduelin]

Honda lists the curb weight of an ST at 730 lbs. That would make the Trophy lighter by 68 lbs (a factor of just under 1/2 Bones ).

Fully fueled and ready to ride an ST1300 without ABS weighs 700 lb without panniers. I know - I weighed mine with and w/o panniers with a full tank of gas. 720 with panniers. ABS adds 9 lbs so the 721 and 730 curb weights Honda gives are accurate. Thus 700 - 664 = 36 and 709 - 664 = 45. If the Triumph weight is 100% fueled and with panniers then I do need to add 20 or 30 lbs to the difference. I think the Triumph bags are double walled like BMWs so they are probably a bit heavier than Honda's are.

Anyway, it seems BMW still builds the heaviest sport tourer by a slim margin.

 

[TPadden]

......Anyway, it seems BMW still builds the heaviest sport tourer by a slim margin.

Your bias is showing ......... again.

 

[Mellow]

Your bias is showing ......... again.

ooohhh... aaaahhhh.. I like that..

 

[Skunkape]

Don't forget that included in that weight there is cruise control, audio, electronically adjustable suspension and other features. All with less weight and more horsepower. Don't know at this point if that will compute to better performance or not. It feels much lighter than the ST when sitting on it. The weight must be low. Oh yea, it sounds GOOOOOOOD!