The rumors and spy photos were true, as for the past few years Triumph has been working on a proper touring motorcycle named the Triumph Trophy. A direct assault on the BMW R1200RT and its progeny, the Triumph Trophy SE boasts the title of being the most technologically advanced Triumph motorcycle, ever. As you can tell then, the Trophy comes in two trim flavors, with the Triumph Trophy SE boasting some impressive tech to earn its title. Accordingly, the British tourer comes with electronically adjustable suspension, ride-by-wire throttle, traction control, electronic cruise control, linked anti-locking brakes, a tire pressure monitoring system, as well as some other features.
While both models are shaft-driven and sport the same 132 bhp, 1215cc, three-cylinder motor that is found on the Triumph Explorer adventure-tourer, only the SE comes with the electronic suspension, audio package, and tire pressure monitoring system. Realizing that Americans and Canadians enjoy their gizmos, the Triumph Trophy SE will be the only variant coming to the North American market, while the SE and base model will be available in all the other Trophy markets.
Admittedly, the 2013 Triumph Trophy SE doesn’t stand apart in any one spec-sheet category, but Triumph has put together a very well-rounded package with the Trophy. The peppy three-cylinder motor is one of the most powerful in its class, and though the 662 lbs curb weight (with fuel, without panniers) sounds heavy in sport bike standards, it is fairly reasonable for the touring class, especially considering the Triumph Trophy’s 6.86 gallon fuel tank size. A market segment lead by technology, Triumph has added a competent features package to the bike, which makes the Triumph Trophy SE an enticing entry for tourers to consider, especially those with a sporty-tooth.
Of course without knowing how the Trophy handles on the road, and how Triumph will price it against its stout competition, it is hard to give a full-assessment of the British brand’s latest creation, but so far we are pretty enthusiastic. Perhaps receiving lower marks for its appearance, it is hard to find any real stunning touring bikes on the market right now. Though, it is clear from how the Trophy is spec’d and built that Triumph clearly had BMW on the brain while creating the Triumph Trophy and Triumph Trophy SE.
Helping achieve the best on-road package possible, Triumph has followed suit from BMW and Ducati with the integration of an electronic suspension system, courtesy of WP Suspension (an interesting choice in its own right). Sporting 43mm forks and a rear shock with remote oil reserve, the WP-made piece adjust the preload on the rear suspension three-ways: one-up, one-up with luggage, and two-up, while the rebound can also be set to three different specs on the forks and shock: sport, normal, and comfort. Sorry, riders you will be adjusting your compression the old fashioned way.
Another one of the more interesting features on the Triumph Trophy and Triumph Trophy SE is the Triumph Dynamic Luggage System, which maintains the bike’s weight distribution by decoupling the pannier mass from the chassis, and allowing the storage areas to move in a 5° arc compared to the motorcycle. Each pannier has 31 liters of storage, while an optional 55 liter “plug & play” top box can also be added to the bike, for a total of 117 liters of storage (that is a total of 30.9 ‘merican gallons folks). The top box gets its plug and play name for the 12V electrical system inside the box that connects to the Trophy’s electric system automatically when it is fitted onto the bike — a feature that is ideal for charging while on-the-go. Other features on the Triumph Trophy include an adjustable windscreen and seat height.
Available in Pacific Blue or Lunar Silver paint, Triumph says the Trophy SE will be on US shores in January of 2013, though the bike will be making its public debut shortly this summer, at the Triumph Tridays in Neukirchen, Austria on June 22nd-24th. No word on pricing at this point int ime, though Triumph says it will release those details later this year. We would expect the 2012 Triumph Trophy SE to be very competitive against the competition here in the United States, especially against the BMW R1200RT.
Source: Triumph
The front looks horrible. It makes an RT look elegant!
I’ll be interested to see the shoot-outs with the other touring contenders. I bet it’ll do pretty well. I’d like to see this in my garage.
While I’m here, I must say this to anyone listening, especially manufacturers – Adjustable seats and windshields are a great idea! What the heck is it with cast non-adjustable handlebars. That’d be the first thing that should be adjustable.
umm…front mounted Antenna..?? The blue paint is beautiful though!
I really like my ST1300, but this is above and beyond it….Honda take notes!!!!!
Looks like the silver SE is shod with Pirelli Angel ST’s-looks to me like the front tire is on backwards. Wonder if they all will come like that…
Well, Triumph, I guess better late than never! I agree its not a looker, but since I will be BEHIND the handlebars, looks will be secondary. I’m very happy to see Triumph back in this segment.
@Larry:
LOL, nice catch.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
@Johan:
That front end is horrible indeed, but if it works as well as ugly as it looks then i would gladly LIVE WITH IT…lol.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
@Bailey:
Is not a Daytona 675 or Speed Triple…i guess is alright.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I wouldn’t kick her out the door. I like it…can’t afford it…even less so when they are planning on only selling the SE factory fully farkled version…..CHICHIIIIIIIIIN $$$$$$$$$$$$$…she is going to be priced to the Moon and BACK most probably.
I applaud them tho for doing such a good job at trying to get it right from the first go (standard features, options, specs, etc).
650lbs+ ? Did it have to be that HEAVY….? lol.
Now Triumph……….How about giving us that “non-profitable-for-you” Speed Triple 1200 and Daytona 1200 i(we ?) have always been bitchin at you about ? lol.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
P.S: Wasn’t Honda suposed to had come out already with a ST1300 replacement from the VFR1200 platform before it aborted out to the market that overweight poundcake top chicken legs Cross-Turd-er abomination of a motorcycle ?
http://pictures.topspeed.com/IMG/jpg/200907/2010-honda-vfr1200t–10w.jpg
http://pictures.topspeed.com/IMG/jpg/200907/2010-honda-vfr1200t–11w.jpg
http://www.rtwwnewsite.ridethewildwind.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/2010-honda-vfr1200t-_460x0w.jpg
most advanced? really?! well, perhaps for a triumph.
but seriously… has triumph not heard that aerials are sooooo 1990?
Seriously, could they be any more derivative? This looks like something a Chinese company would do, albeit with much higher quality.
On the other hand, they did manage to make it a total pig at almost 100 lbs heavier than an RT…
YUK……
Can’t wait to test ride one ! Had my RT for two years now. Three might be enough.
Looks like it may be the one !
I applaud Triumph for entering this market, but gosh, it is totally derivative of the R1200RT, complete with all its worst features: Vulnerable (expensive) bodywork, excessively high (and plastic) tank cover (can’t use magnetic tank bag), poor access to key components, stepped seat that limits your ability to move fore/aft, excessively complicated switches on handlebars, glossy painted panniers that scratch easily, non-adjustable handlebars etc. You won’t steal BMW’s market by making a clone with all the warts.
If the Triumph’s weight at 662 lbs (fueled) is real, that isn’t really 100 lbs more than the RT. BMW lies about the weight of the RT. BMW claims a dry weight of 505 lbs. That’s nonsense. Gassed, with a battery, oil and fuel, you’re looking a 600 lbs. easy.
But I fault Triumph for not coming up with something better. Where are the HID lights standard? Where are the adjustable handlebars? The whole front fairing and windscreen are hung way out front, when it would be better to get the rider closer to the air protection. And where are the tip-over guards? Heck Honda offered those on the ST1100 20 years ago!
The RT is 580 lbs fully fueled and ready to ride. It has been tested many times. This Triumph is claimed to be 662 lbs. wet but without gas – add a tank and you are 100 lbs over.
So after all of this time here it is. Great features…for a Triumph. But after waiting so long, It is already behind the curve vs. the competition though. Sat nav? I don’t think I saw that on the list. Adaptive HID headlights? Nope. Heated seat? Hmmm dont recall seeing that. The top box should be standard…95% of the buyers will want it. Just a nice way to pad their accessory sales and charge another $600 or more.
BMW has already said years ago that they know Triumph is gunning for them by copying all of their best sellers. So expect their new GS and RT to leap frog the latest Trumpets in the next year or two.
Back to the Trophy-The side fairing which apparently was intended to mimic the Sprint ST/ GT looks hideous, especially on the blue. Fail. I also wonder how the engine heat will be on this bike. It is terrible on the Sprints and Daytonas.
The feature that most people realize that they are going to HATE when they see this in the flesh and get a chance to ride it is the “Triumph Dynamic Luggage System” which means that the bags move around… ALOT. Despite what Triumph says, the system makes the bike feel cheap and it actually messes up the handling when your luggage shifts mid corner. Ride a Sprint GT and you will see what I mean. You throw the bike into the corner (cuz, sorry…its a pig) and after the suspension settles, the weight of your luggage then shifts and you end up losing any and all confidence. So the one thing that Triumph should have really copied BMW and the competition was dropping this silly “feature”.
Triumph is obviously putting the success of this bike on it’s engine with a “me too” design. It will be interesting to see what Honda and Yamaha come out with when they finally update the ST and FJR.
I guess, if I am ever going to ride something like this (or a Goldwing) I will just take the car instead.
I guess ditching your styling department and use a xerox machine instead is one way to get into black figures…
OK…what happened to my post ? Was there something said inapropiate or offensive to remove it ?
I thought it was cool here…Jensen ?!
Spam filter tagged it.
Ok, now it’s ON again…WTH just happened ? Im confused…it says awating moderation ? What’s there to moderate ? Someone set the record straigth…lol.
Ahhh, my apologies. Thanks.
The most advance Triumph…a la BMW
While it is supposedly a prototype, the mirror size/placement leads me to think one will be looking at a good portion of one’s elbows.
what a bunch of whining sniveling BMW dicks. I currently own a Sprint ST and it’s neither hot nor do the bags “shift” in mid-corner. This is a great looking bike, terrific features and it won’t be priced in the stratosphere that hasn’t been Triumphs pricing policy. Get over it BMW dorks the Brits are in the gamet. Can you say Spitfire vs ME109……….
DJD
i agree. stop whining and just enjoy. i would never own a bmw so this is just fine for me. i have a st and the bags don’t throw me off mid corner. new idea talk about the triumph and not the bmw, the bummer isn’t the best bike
I want one. Be worth giving up my 2010 Gold Wing. I’ll take mine in Blue since I obviously can’t have it in Yellow :-)
I sure would like a spin , my Concour 14 is 700+ +fueled , the front looks a little …. different but the rest is beautiful, good to see a fresh face.
I would love to buy this bike, but, I cant afford it on my wages.
This bike is built for a purpose, so , looks do not come into the equation. I am sure it will be superb at what it is designed for. As long as the seat height is adjustable, the handlebars shouldnt be a problem, for me anyway. The weight shouldnt be a problem either as the Trophy has a low centre of gravity.
I would like to know though, what range do you get with the 6.86 Gallon fuel tank?
For a purpose built touring bike, I would like to know how my 5Foot 6inch, 13 stone frame would cope with this machine. I have a feeling that I would probably manage quite well with it on the move, but, what about tight U turns or getting in and out of awkward parking areas.
Hopefully, a short legged test rider will report in the MCN.