2001 Triumph reviews

I got the bike in 1999 and it now has 15000 miles on it. It was one of the earlier ones to arrive in the shops. It has been subject to battery recall and clutch cable recalls. The left hand side switch block blinker failed and has been replaced. The front valve stem tube needed replacing (persistent leak). I optioned the heated grips but have found that if cruising around with the headlights on at night time using the heated handgrips that the charging system struggles to keep the battery charged (it's fine if both aren't going or if one is travelling on highways... but stop start city traffic at night is an issue). The paint work seems not to have held it's finish as well as my previous bikes... it's looks older than it should. The optional panniers work well, but the right one suffers a slight leak in heavy rain. The handling is ok, but nothing spectacular... the engine feels wonderful. A freind of mine has a 2001 and has suffered none of these problems, so it seems mine is suffering from the woes that early production examples of lots of things suffer from. Never the less one should excercise caution if purchasing 2nd hand... the later the model the better (other things being equal). Show less

I told you I was going to get it. But not the one I originally saw as the dealer wouldn't talk a sensible deal, even though I had bought my Fazer from them and I lived 10 mins away. So I rode my Fazer with my partner in tow to On Yer Triumph 80 miles away. I had spoken to them earlier in the week and they had 2 in Racing Yellow to choose from. I did the deal in minutes and now I have my TT600. Love it. Thanks to you all for the positive comments that persuaded me to go for it. Show less

Had the Bonnie from new, one year old now. Agree with all the comments about the hard seat and the carb problems with loud pipes. Dealer has fixed the latter. Certainly does get lots of attention and fools quite a few people into thinking it's an old one. Show less

I bought my Speed Triple new in August of 2002 and I now have over 3300 miles on it. So far, I've had to replace the clutch cable and the high pressure fuel line. Both problems were repaired under warranty and at no cost with minimal waiting time for my bike. I put on D&D exhaust and replaced the stock mirrors with Napolean bar end mirrors. I really love this bike. It has plenty of power and handles extremely well. I would highly recommend it to anyone. The build quality is impressive and Triumph stands behind their products - as do their dealers. Triumph kicks ass! Show less

I purchased this machine midway through a trip from Alaska to California to Colorado and back home. I had a serious case of buyers remourse initially (I didn't really NEED a new bike, payments, etc.) but that left very quickly. This is an excellent bike for long distance touring, around town hopping, and two track offroading. It's too heavy for real serious dirt work. The windscreen and seat do need help for long distance comfort though that hasn't stopped us from doing 1055 miles in 18 hours. Fuel economy has ranged from a low of 49 MPG to a high of 57.5 MPG. I did drop the rear sprocket 5 teeth for better over-the-road performance and mileage. Would I purchase the Tiger again? Oh definitely YES! Show less

Everyone is right on in regards to the handling and comfort of this bike. Spent 7 hours on it one Saturday..no complaints . Unfortunately, my 2001 model has spent more time in the shop than on the road. Two major gas leaks, one oil leak, two faulty batteries, one rear swing arm, new cooling fan, multiple new fuel injection mappings....and it still doesn't like to start right up and yes, as everyone else noted...this bike runs really hot. Something to note...Triumph has covered all the repairs, but the people at Triumph North America don't seem to care about customer service. They hide behind the 2 year warranty. In all, fun bike when it will run though. Just be careful. Show less

I just can't say enough about this bike. This is my third review for you readers out there who might be remotely interested in a speed triple. I've put 6,000 trouble free miles on it. Need to take her in for the required routine maintenance. My dealer told me it would coast about $100. No valve adjustment necessary just check the fluids and other critical points. I ride as often as my schedule allows and this bike makes the wait worth every minute. The speed triple gets more comfortable to ride as the miles pile up. I guess you could say that it is maturing nicely. At one point I think a casual cruise returned 59 mpg. The saddle and riding position (for me) allows me to travel about 100 miles before its time for a break. After having placed the optional fly screen on the bike, you can cruise at 70 mph in relative comfort. It is quite remarkable in its ability to divert wind away from my upper torso. I do wear earplugs to protect my hearing and lessen the fatigue from wind noise. It all adds to a more enjoyable riding experience. Am I a speed triple fanatic? I don't think so. I have owned three other motorcycles that impressed me this much. In no particular order they were: 1981 Kawasaki GPZ 550, 1978 Honda Goldwing, 1985 Kawasaki GPZ 900. The longest trip I ever took was on the little 550. All these bike were dead reliable and fun to ride. Each filled a niche that needed filling at the time. The speed triple is filling that need for me now. I currently enjoy the uniqueness of riding the only speed triple in town. The only other one is up for sale at the Triumph dealer. Even the "big three" motorcycle magazines tout this bike as being the most versatile machine in the Triumph lineup. Yet, they still don't sell in this area. It boggles the mind. I have been getting the urge to get a sport touring bike. Think I'll invest in the new Triumph trophy. Rumors have it that the machine will have 1300 cc's and a shaft drive. Will I trade in the triple. Not a chance! There is room in my drive way for both bikes. My dealer loves me. Good luck in your purchase and happy motoring! Show less

here is an update from my earlier review...at nearly 1000 miles and with all the accessories installed plus adjusting the rear shock to its softest ride, the bike is nearly there. I added a National fairing, the king and queen seat, nylon bags, adjustable levers, and center stand. Wishes...that it were just a little longer, the pegs a little lower, and the gears a little wider..after owning 15 bikes I have never found one worthy of 5 stars, but this is as close as it gets I guess unless I get one custom built..ha.. Show less

This is my first bike after 13 years away from 2 wheels. I'm using it to go to work and for fun on the weekends. I agee with the comment about the heat buildup, the oil light comes on when it gets too hot in traffic. Overall the finish is great and the styling marks it out from the usual. The change from 2nd to 3rd could be smoother, too many false nuterals. The mountain roads in France and Switzerland show how good the handling is. And the king and Queen sadle make a huge difference to the comfort on longer rides. Show less

I recently had the privilege of taking a 2001 bonneville for a test ride. The bike handles well when riding on old country roads with many twist and turns. Acceleration is quick and smooth, but I was disappointed in the noise(whirring-whine) that was being emmitted by the engine-transmission at all speeds. Also noticed when in first gear at low speeds there is a chattering type noise. I would love to buy this bike but concerned about the noises. Show less