1997 TRIUMPH reviews

After considering Ducati 748 (too radical riding position) then Ducati 750SS (too tame), Honda VTR1000 (no fuel injection). I finally found the bike that made the decision easy -- the T595 Daytona. Yes, it will burn the inside of your right knee on hot days at low speed. Yes, it can be a little bit of a reluctant starter, especially when warm. Put on the clip-on risers and you will not find a more comfortable sport bike. The torque from the twin cam triple was not exaggerated. The black widow underseat exhaust is not as loud as some say. It shows off the single sided swingarm and adds an exotic Ducati-like styling element. The jet-hot coating on the black widow pipe is very practical and low maintenance. The pipe doesn't have the "crackle" that some pipes do. Cornering stability and exit speed capability are delightful -- maybe the best part of this bike. The smooth on rush of power makes exiting turns at speed child's play. Front brakes are the strongest I've felt. Rear brake is marginal but will scrub off speed adequately when trail braking. Paint (mine is black) is superb. This black bike draws MUCH attention in a world full of yellow or red hondas/ducatis. Does not drip a drop of anything. But I do get a strong smell of gasoline for a day or two after filling the tank. No Lucas electrics anywhere and no electrical problems either. This would be a great cold weather bike -- the engine puts out an incredible amount of heat. Lots of heat goes into the frame. I find the factory seat quite nice. I have a leather Corbin which is not bad but the cover I find ugly. Feels very compact and light for ~1000cc bike, feels more like a 600 to me (but not when you twist the right grip). Low-end grunt is addictive. At about 7000RPM it comes on with a rush that surprises given the low-end torque. The 1997 model is much maligned, but mine is exceeding expectations. I was relived to see that the frame build date was 97111 which means it was built after the frame recall ended. Very satisfying performance, exotic styling (with black widow pipe). Overall a delightful bike. Show less

Best overall combination of power, handling, and reliability in the sport touring field. As much torque and power as most will need. Excellent weather protection and comfortable ride for those 500 mile days. Not for short riders as bike sits up high off ground, so-so gas mileage and glare off gauges in bright sunlight.Extremely fun bike that does it all. Show less

It's the fourth bike I've ever owned, and I'm never going to trade it in. I love the way is sounds, feels and looks. don't need to say much else, expect "BUY ONE" Show less

I bought my strontium yellow T595 January of 98 as a birthday present to myself. I wanted a sportbike, but something a little different. I liked the color and looks of it and after a test ride, I was sold. The bike has just turned 24,000 miles and the 955 Triple is still running strong with good power from 3000 rpm -10,000 rpm. It also stops and handles very good. The front brakes are excellent with power to spare, though the rear is a tad weak. The suspension was ok, but the forks were a little soft. At 20,000 and numerous 2nd gear wheely landings the suspension needed help. I installed Racetech Goldvalves and weight matched springs. What a difference, better than new. The stock seat isn't very comfortable so I replaced it with a leather Corbin. Its a long reach to the clipons but has plenty of leg room. The stock muffler looks like it came off a Toyota, so I replaced it with an under seat exhaust from Black-Widow. It also filled in a slight midrange dip in power and sounds great. I thought the black muffler and wheels hid the cool single sided swingarm, so after the exhaust I had the wheels polished. I have never had a bike that draws so much favorable attention. I love it! Thanks Triumph. Show less

I bought my 1997 Triumph Tiger new, but it was a leftover from the previous model year. Mine's Black and I've purchased several factory extras- as well as some after market products. My previous bike just prior was a '91 BMW K75S w/ ABS. I ride with my wife as a passenger and she likes the extra room we have on the Tiger-it was a little cramped on our BMW-with hard cases set up. With the Tiger, I bought stiffer Triumph front springs, a center stand (convenient, but a complete failure when it comes to clearance-scrapes when two-up entering the highway at lights-with rear suspension stiff- and won't clear curbs) and a must have, the GIVI 3-bag cases for touring. I also HIGHLY recommend ponying the $ up for a Corbin seat. Ours has the passenger backrest. Very happy passenger. It's been a good bike with terrific power and comfort-I'm in Florida, so absolutely no twisties down south here! But it's been on a 2200 mile week trip to the Blue Ridge Parkway area/Outer Banks of NC and several trips to Key West. Only problems at 12k have been two broken speedo cables and a battery that loses juice fast. In short, minor problems. I've also picked up a taller front screen from Jack Lilley Motorcycles in England and crash-bars that look great from a forgotten German Dual-sport site. It's a keeper...though, I plan on adding a couple of other fun bikes...79 Yamaha RD400 Daytona Special, 1998 KTM 640 Adventure R and perhaps a BWM R90S. It's a unique bike that only saw about 100 manufactured and brought the US each yr. for the early 900 Tigers. I can't stand the new ones. Looks horrible to me. Show less

This is a very excellent, capable sport touring bike. I've put almost 14,000 miles on the Trophy 1200 and have no problems whatsoever. With the hardbags and factory topbox you are able to carry everthing you need to go cross the continent in comfort and style. The 1200/106hp motor has all the power and then some you'll ever need. There are a couple of downsides to the Trophy, gas mileage is est. 34mpg and can get warm behind the fairing on 90 degree days. Show less