2010 triumph reviews

I've been riding for 25 years and I tend to keep my bikes for 10 or more years. My present ride is a 1998 FLHTC with 186k miles for comparison. It's my first Triumph and not the last. This bike is distinctive in every way. There's something about knowing that you ride a bike with the largest mass produced motorcycle engine (no disrespect to Boss Hoss but that's an automobile engine in a bike frame). I'm impressed at how light it feels at 807 pounds. They did a great job at hiding its bulk. Its mass is easily handled and can accelerate rapidly from as low as 1500 rpm. It's a very smooth ride and comfortable for about 500-mile days. My friends and co-workers can't get enough of this bike and talking about it. It's not easy nowadays to build such a unique motorcycle/experience in a cookie-cutter world. Ups: It has a comfortable upright riding position and room to stretch out like most cruisers with highway pegs. The unique styling and engine configuration can't compare to any other cruiser with more power than you can imagine. The manufacturer marquee is respected by all brands unlike my Harley. It's a great transmission for an 800 pound cruiser. It has a low total cost of ownership (20k miles between valve checks). Downs: The unique handling (I mean this in a bad way) wants to drop into slow turns and wide bars that make you feel like a sail, but other than that, the handling is rock solid especially at highway speeds. Getting parts from Triumph is painfully slow. I'm lucky to get over 35 mpg when being gentle with the throttle. Show less

I've had the bike for about two months. I was worried it might not have enough power but I am a big guy and this bike will cruse at 75 all day. I know for a fact it will do 100 plus. The motor runs like a watch. The guy at work just got an 883 H/D. I parked mine next to his and everyone at work said mine just blows it away. I love the way Triumph stays true to itself. One look at that motor and you know it's a Triumph. Show less

I somehow managed to score a 2010 Special Edition (white/red stripe) from a local dealer. So far the dealer experience has been good, the work is done fast and properly, with none of the phony sales I've dealt with at other dealers. Bike Pros: This bike is awesome. Man, its just cool, I mean "cool". I'm almost afraid to put miles on it. It looks good, rides good, and even has the 2011 digital gauge setup. However, I think only the SE has the digital gauges. It's a Hinkley Triumph, so reliability is second to none. You can put a 100k miles on these new Triumphs and they never leave you stranded. Both rideability and build quality are great. Bike Cons: Its got a bit of a weight problem (like most of the 'classic' style Trumpies) and while it looks racey, it can't hold a candle to the modern Japanese and Italian superbikes. However, I would hope that if you're in the market for more cc quantities, you'd be moving more towards the Triumph Daytona, or perhaps something along the lines of a Ducati. Of course, you can always get a rebore kit for the engine, if you're looking for the best of both worlds. I'm still pretty blown away by the attention this particular bike receives. It's one of the few modern motorcycles in which you can wear a pudding bowl helmet while riding and not look like a dork (or at least think you don't look like a dork). Show less

I came off a 2007 GSXR 600 and fell in love with the T-Bird. It all started when I was looking to get off the GSXR. The Rocket3 Roadster grabbed my attention quick, I went to the dealer to check it out in person and the second I saw the T-Bird, I knew it was the bike for me. I went to one of Triumph's Demo Days here in New Jersey a few weeks later to test ride a Bird. I ended up leaving with one. Two months later you still can't get me off it. It's a comfortable, powerful and most importantly great handling bike. The bike has gobs of power and amazing brakes, just as good as the sport bike. It's extremely stable turning (scraping pegs at 50 mph stable). It's biggest downfalls are a lack of aftermarket support and the passenger seat. Show less

In two days I've put 250 miles on my bike and have gone from Philadelphia to the Jersey shore and have been totally enjoyed every minute. This bike is smooth, comfortable, strong, and extremely stable. After moving from an American sportbike to a British cruiser, I am convinced there is no looking back. From the freeway to the back roads at midnight my America has been very impressive. The most disappointing experience of my new bike is turning into the driveway at home. I'd prefer to keep riding. I purchased my America from a dealership which was spectacular. Instead of being overwhelmed by some giant, corporate, chrome mega dealer, the shop, in particular the owner, made it seem as if you were being welcomed to a family of ownership. First rate all the way and beyond highly recommended! Show less

I own a 2005 Triumph Rocket III. A friend I ride with purchased a 2010 T-Bird, giving his Harley Sportster to his daughter (she is new to riding) since he doesn't ride it anymore. After it was broke in for a while, we swapped rides. The T-Bird rides like silk. It's so smooth on the road. The ABS stopping & braking is super good! This bike flicks and handles like it not there. It really took me by surprise. The balance is more on the lines of a sports bike, light and nimble. The Rocket III is no slouch in the curves, even though it is a big bike and a bit harder to flick! The power surprised me. I was up to speed hitting red line in 1st, 2nd, 3rd. This bike moves, don't be fooled. Some of the owner's comments after riding the T-Bird for a week: I didn't know motorcycle riding technology advanced this much! Test ride one, see how technology rides instead of having a wannabe ride! Cons: The Clutch pull was adjusted right. The lever clutch release at the end takes a bit to get use to (10 minutes). It could snap your neck back unexpectedly. Show less

Back in the day, I grew up with Hondas and Yamahas. My first cafe style was the CB400F, played with it and "unofficailly" raced it against Triumphs. Over the years I grew up, switched to crusiers, then Harleys. When I saw this bike for the first time, I instantly went back to the old days and the sheer joy I got out of the cafe style. I sat on it, took a test ride, then it was on the truck headed home. What I like about this bike, besides its beautiful retro lines, is the simplicity, engineering, and sport-like ride. It handles very well, quick and nimble, along with a smooth engine and good performance - all being very manageable. What I didn't like, is the seat and I found that I needed to put on a larger toothed front sprocket. With the stock setup, at highway speeds, there was a buzzing of mirrors, handle bars, and pegs. The larger sprocket (19 tooth) dropped the rpm's by 500 and makes the 65 to 70 mph very comfortable. Years ago I would have kept stock or even a smaller sprocket but I am happy with this conservative modification. The price may be a $1000 or so high for similiarly built domestic or Japanese models, but Triumph is a great name with very good quality, so it is worth it. I have a Harley Ultra for weekend enjoyment and the Thruxy for weekday excitement. Show less

I can't say anything bad about this bike. It's got more power then you'll ever need and is comfortable to ride even on long trips. The performance is very hard to describe but when you can stay with the street bikes going through the twisties, it pretty much speaks for itself. Show less

It's an impressive bike with loads of torque. I'm able to accelerate without downshifting. It has a quick throttle response and nimble handling for a bike this size. Show less

I've been doing some major spring cleaning in my garage. All of my toys had become old, stale and boring. Well, not so much my America, but the other bikes (CBR 600 F4 and Intruder 1400) just weren't doing it for me anymore. So, last Saturday, I decided to putt down to a local dealership on my America and see what they had for trade. Walked in and set eyes on the Thunderbird 1700 with black/red haze paint scheme. I nearly wept. Now, don't get me wrong, I absolutely, without a doubt loved my America. I mean, we went places together. She was a 2008, I bought her with 0 on the odo and when I left her, she was near 14K. TORS, no AI, performance coils, wires and plugs with K&N filters in the stock air box. Even put the LED replacement in the speedo for that fire/evil red glow. She was my mistress. But, God as my witness, when I laid eyes on that 104 cu. in. seductress in the show room, I knew I had to do it. So, a couple hours later, I was starting her up and getting ready to roll from the shop. The initial start. Holy mother of pearl. She fired up, snarled at the other bikes around her and purred when I twisted the throttle a little. Talk about making the earth move. That lope everyone is writing and talking about? It's there. It's there to remind you that you're not straddling your grandpa's Thunderbird. It's there to remind you that this is why you ride motorcycles and look at the other suckers in cars on your commute with a smile on your face and extra beats in your chest. Fleeing the incarceration of the parking lot, she begged to be turned loose on the street. Mothers with young children cautioned their children to look away. Old men stopped as if they were recalling the distant thunder of mortar fire in the fields of France. Dudes on anything else looked down on their own rides with a mild feeling is disdain. People in cars sensed that they were somehow being deprived of an experience. Cage dwellers... A ribbon of tarmac unfolded in front of us as we left the confines of the city. Being careful not to over wind the new engine, I began by gently spooling up to 3K to shift gears. She didn't like that much; she wanted to show me more. Patience. Patience. Rolled on some miles here and there over the past few days and am much closer to 500 miles. Still being gentle, but twisting the throttle in any gear yields the same result: mental hard on. Is a 1700 worth it? If you have to ask, maybe you should stick with a gal that's a little more tame; something that won't spank you in public and make you feel like you deserved it. As for me, every single time I throw my leg over this bike and hit the starter, it's like a direct injection of adrenaline; mainlining nicotine and snake venom. Show less