Triumph Thunderbird reviews

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

This bike does everything a standard motorcycle should do and does it impeccably. Great brakes, compliant ride combined with very nicely controlled handling, a classic European riding position, and an engine that will cheerfully pull from 20mph to 120mph in 6th gear. On top of that you can throw 45-50mpg. I defy you to find a bike that rides as good, looks as good, and gets 1/2 of the compliments that this bike gets. There's always a hitch, though, and this bike is no exception. The seat truly does suck, but it's relatively easy for a do-it-yourselfer to pop off the cover and replace key bits of the cheap Triumph foam with some good closed cell foam. Once you've done that, you'll find yourself always taking the longest twistiest way home you can find, even at the end of a long day of riding. Show less

In 24 years of riding both on road and track,Ive finally found my ideal bike.Only problem was the lack of noise from the pipes ( a 20mm drill through the diffuser plate sorted that out)This is my third triumph and the best yet.never going to sell it. British bikes are best-YOU'D BETTER BELIEVE IT ! Show less

I bought this bike while waiting on a Bonneville. After a year, I would have traded in the Bonnie. I have added the aftermarket pipes, lower bars, flyscreen, and a custom seat. The other day I did a ton through town on the highway with a GSXR following, this bike has been accepted by the sportbike guys and cruiser guys alike and will hold its own with either. Last week, I rode 140 miles with the wife on the pillion and was plenty comfortable. This is a very good all-round motorcycle. Show less

This bike will be a Cruiser if it kills me. It's performance is exceptional, and the looks,,,well the thumbs up and a honk from passing cars is humbly gratifying. I'm bound to make this bike a cruiser,,,with no frame, I'm making supports for highway pegs (I'm 6'3")lowering the rear monoshock 1", and finding an aftermarket saddle to reduce the total seat height to about 28 inches, from 30.5. This is a bike to be seen on trucking around the country. Show less

At 2450 miles the engine seized and dumped me in the road at about 45 mph. Healing time including shoulder surgery has been three months. The dealer took the bike apart (under warranty) and replaced the damaged parts but wouldn't do anything more because Triumph America would not approve.No one at Triumph will answer calls or letters as to whether the bike was fixed and is now safe to ride. The bike was fine up the crash but Triumph has really shown their true colors since. I'm now sueing them. Show less

I was originally in the market for a V-twin cruiser like most people these days. I looked at them all, both American and Japanese. When I came across Triumph, it occurred to me I didn't want to be like everyone else. I wanted a name with a heritage and yet was different. I'm in the process of breaking mine in and so far I'm very impressed with the power and refinement of the engine. Out of the box the bike is smooth and silky. Almost turbine like. Shifting is precise and solid. The brakes work like they're suppose to. The handling is quick and surefooted. It is truely a solid machine. You can feel the quality of its build. The finish of the chrome and paint is as good as anyone's. I'm looking forward to putting a lot of miles on this. I cut my teeth on dirt bikes so this is my first street bike and I know I made a good decision purchasing this motorcycle. Triumph is back! Show less

I bought my T-Bird with 8,000 miles on it for a price well below Blue Book. Since then I've added another 3,000 and I have to say that this has been a great buy. So far, I've only had minor issues - a dead battery from Arizona heat, and a pesky temp idiot light that likes to come on when the fan kicks on. Other than that it's almost everything I wanted out of a first bike. City travel is great, but long stretches of freeway at 70mph or more have a tendency to make me wish for something with taller gears. The only thing that keeps me from giving the bike a perfect score is the somewhat underpowered front brakes, and the lack of a 6th gear. Show less

Loved my 1998 Tbird Sport. didn't leak a drop, awesome brakes, dependable, and fun. However, being nearly six-four and frequently riding two up I found space to be a bit cramped and the position gave a good amount of wind blast. Also a bit top-heavy for me. The rearset controls tended to make me feel in need of hip replacement after long rides! A friend of mine is six feet and loved my bike -fit him perfectly. This bike truly made me wish I were smaller! I have since traded my Triumph in on a much bigger ride but still love the bike. Show less

love this Brit bike! I finally traded my 1985 Kawasaki Vulcan 700 in on this Thunderbird Sport, and wow! grreat handling, shhhh(pipes are sooo nice to listen to and what a silky smooth rider, I look forward every day to getting on this awesome bike.....(and I swore I would never buy a chain driven bike, man, after riding this bad boy I was ready for the chain reaction! (sorry about the stupid pun, I could not resist).....) I would strongly recommend a test drive to anyone. Show less