Triumph Trophy 1200 reviews

I used to ride a Honda 1100 Shadow. It was great around town and it looked great but, on the highway and on long trips I asked myself why did I buy this thing. So I searched for a replacement, I looked at every thing,( BMW, Harley, Kawasaki Concourse).Then at the annual bike show I saw the Trophy 1200. It had every thing I could want and more. After a couple of months of being a very proud owner, I can never see myself ever owning a different brand of bike. I know longer wish I had someone else's 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

I bought my Platinum '99 Triumph Trophy near the end of November of 2000. It was barely broken in with 1900 miles so I considered it good as new. I could not be happier. I test drove BMW R1100RTs (nice but - yawn, sorry), Honda ST1100 (too heavy), Kawasaki Concours (dated styling) and a Suzuki Bandit 1200 before my eyes fell upon the Trophy; what a beauty. When I took it for a test ride in light apparel on a blustery 38 degree F day, I was awe struck. Wow - was all I could say. It was quick, handled very well, braked as well as any of the others I've ridden, and oh so smooth. On top of that, after 30 miles of test riding, the only parts of me that were cold were my hands (cloth dealership motocross gloves did not help that much). I now ride in any temperature as long as it is dry without electric gear only because of the great weather protection it provides (the HJC snowmobile gloves keep my fingers toasty down to 20F). This was a big factor in swaying me away from the Bandit as it now gives me at least 2-3 months longer riding seasons. The other factor was the stylish purpose built luggage for packing the requisite gear for the longer tours I like to take. Even though the weather protection is great, it is a little wind-noisy at highway speeds. The updraft from the windscreen lands square in the middle of the face. I ordered a taller Clearview Tour Windscreen to correct the only flaw (if you can call it that) I've found so far. Show less

This is my first non Harley bike. I bought it because I was looking for a bike that could handle the interstate, but would also be fun to ride. I was looking for a 1200, but got a good deal on the 900. The power on this bike is awesome. I'm not svelte, but this bike has no problem with the weight. The power is immediate, and the shifting smooth. I have owned 7 or 8 bikes over the past 6 years. None of them fit me from the start and I never expected them to. It is unrealistic to think that a stock bike can fit everyone perfectly out of the box. I immediately put risers on the handlebars & replaced the grips on my Trophy. This took care of my biggest problems. I'm now thinking of replacing the seat. These are minor changes aimed at making a really good bike fit my particular style. Show less

The Trophy 12 is a very competent, enjoyable ride. Triumph calls it their "touring" bike, but it is too light and powerful, and handles too well to qualify as anything but a sport-tourer. I rode it on several 600-mile days in the eastern AZ mountains last year and found the seat comfortable enough to get me to the next fill-up. Handling was quick and precise, weather protection good (I'm 6'1"), and riding position comfortable. The engine produces a huge power spread and gobs of torque, and the 6-speed trans shifts well and has well-chosen ratios, except that in the interest of fuel consumption I wished 6th had a little overdrive. that's not a complaint, though I experienced fuel milage in the low 30's if I didn't get carried away with the loud-handle. Attention-grabbing paint&styling. Show less

I purchased a 2000 Trophy 900 and have mixed feelings about it. I love the sleek, contemporary platinum look and I've noticed that many people I pass on the road do, too. The clever, spacious, and easily removable luggage bins make packing for a weekend tour to the mountains or beach extra convenient. The "ask and you shall receive" response from the 900's power plant is seemingly indiscriminate to whether you're solo and ready to lead the pack, or hauling the 2 bins full of hair dryer/makeup supplies and their owner with you up a mountain pass. There are some drawbacks. The 4th to 5th gear tranny/clutch "miscommunication" seems more like an episode of "Three's Company" than of "Melrose Place," but will become annoying just as quickly as the shows do. I also don't appreciate the '84 Audi 5000 death jump forward that randomly occurs when I start the Trophy; tells me there's some poor engineering/QA that's taken place. This is not a bike to ride in warm, sunny weather, not unless you're riding to a nudist camp. The lack of wind/air-exchange (yes I know that's what the fairing's supposed to do) combined with the "jewel roasting" from the engine limits my summer riding to cool nights and early mornings. Living in Northern Virginia means dealing with many toll booths and gaining access to the little storage units on the sides of the "dash" is like getting into the trunk of your car while driving -- it doesn't happen unless you pull over (even more frustrating is that you must shut off the engine to unlock the little bins). These little bins seem cheap and flimsy with the removable tops and the "slam down" replacement method which is a shame because everything else on the Trophy seems to be done with style and class. The final complaint leads to the seat. I bought the Trophy looking forward to taking nice cruises up through Pennsylvania to New York State. The seat makes this seven-hour tour impossible to take place in one day, even when taking long breaks. I think I sum it up best by saying that I'd like to have kids some day and the seat is not conducive to this happening. Mixed feelings, true. Riding it just isn't as fun as looking at it in the garage. And to me, that's what counts. Show less

Just returned from Germany where I first saw the Trophy at a bike show. Fell in love. Upon retiring from the Army and returning to US, found the dealers much more disappointing than the bike. Too few and not very knowledgeable of the product, most sell other brands such as Honda, and Triumphs as a side. As far as the bike, purchased about 2 months ago, she's quick, somewhat heavy, and I find the seat just a little too high. Extremely reliable though, and here in S.C. (not to many triumphs around), the Harley riders always ask "where did you find that?", one friend of mine actually sold his Harley to get one! A real head turner! Would recommend to anyone, very smooth and the wife actually loves it. A great motorcycle for mature riders who love riding more than being seen on the latest weekend fad. Show less

I bought my 2000 Trophy 1200 a month ago and my other motorcycle (Kawasaki Vulcan) is up for sale. The Trophy is smooth, powerful and the baggage system is very well designed. It handles like a sport bike but you can carry a passenger and lots of stuff on it also. Windshield/faring work well to protect from the elements. One recommendation - it is difficult to get on and off without kicking the side bags. Take them off until you need them. Love the bike. Show less

I've had many different types of cycles in my 34yrs of riding, but nothing that really stirs the soul like my Trophy 1200. As soon as I laid eyes on her I knew it was going to be mine. This bike is capable of far more than I can handle. The engine is strong though out the RPM range, great handling, super brakes,(no ABS) very good wind protection, reasonably comfortable seat, slick shifting 6speed and killer good looks. The only complaints I have and I feel they are minor are, 1) very weak turn signal indicators (in sunlight) 2) Wimpy sounding stock exhaust (I now have D&D slip ons) 3) excessive heat on crotch in summer (eliminated with Triumph accessory fairing inserts) PS great saddle bags Show less

I've been riding the 1200 Trophy for a year now and I have found this machine to be great for any kind of riding other then off road. The handling is light and responsive for windy roads as well as down town traffic. The speed and power are pretty awesome and this bike is as smooth as silk, with no noticeable vibration. It has a very comfortable riding position, which works well on short or long rides. The luggage is great for either long trips or trips to the grocery store! In short, this Triumph is great for just about any occasion. And in the year I've been riding mine it has been totally reliable. The only complaint I have is the seat is a little high for my 5'10" height. My feet are just barely able to reach flat-footed, which makes it difficult to walk the bike on uneven surfaces. Show less