I try to browse Triumph forums of all types as often as possible. No matter how good they are and how many hits they get, they lack, what I think was the most fun, an international plat form. A way to keep new owners involved with existing.
Not a fan fest but a cohesiveness from one country, one state, one city to the next of news, trends, support groups whilst you travel or have questions.
TriumphRat.net does that in a fashion but there is a world wide gap to the other major Triumph forum.
When I bought my first two Triumphs, in 1996, I was given little packets of info about RAT. Riders Association of Triumph. Something like that.
Triumph UK ran it and worked hard to keep the small number of Triumph owners world wide informed, entertained and coming back for another triumph.
The first RAT Raids in America were a reason to ride 800-1000 miles for two or three days with Triumph spokesman/woman and ride fantastic routes and see coming models.
2002 Dragon Raid at the Gap was one of the better ones.
Triumph dropped factory support and fobbed the responsibility off on dealers. The original magazine changed into a catalog of expensive watch's, booze and what not.
Now we two major international forums and half a dozen smaller ones. We have dozens of private rider and dealer rides that are truely spectacular, well run, well attended. TNT comes to mind.
But when traveling in Europe it is near impossible, outside of TriumphRat.net, to make contact, get suggestions of routes ect., ect.
Same is true for folks coming to America to ride. Very few Triumph sources, easily found, that can put info givers with info needed.
Nostalgia aside, t595.net in early days served some of that and the TriumphRat served a bit.
With the hundreds of thousands of world wide Triumph owners you would think there would be a marketing company smart enough to convince Triumph to tap existing forums and larger RAT clubs with direct news, reviews, tech help. With internet there is no need for huge outlay as I have learned Triumph knows where every Triumph was registered, who sold it. A bit of cooperation between factory/dealer and a ready customer service and new sales base is created.
Wishful thinking on my part I know. Wistful wishing for simpler days? Maybe.
Not a fan fest but a cohesiveness from one country, one state, one city to the next of news, trends, support groups whilst you travel or have questions.
TriumphRat.net does that in a fashion but there is a world wide gap to the other major Triumph forum.
When I bought my first two Triumphs, in 1996, I was given little packets of info about RAT. Riders Association of Triumph. Something like that.
Triumph UK ran it and worked hard to keep the small number of Triumph owners world wide informed, entertained and coming back for another triumph.
The first RAT Raids in America were a reason to ride 800-1000 miles for two or three days with Triumph spokesman/woman and ride fantastic routes and see coming models.
2002 Dragon Raid at the Gap was one of the better ones.
Triumph dropped factory support and fobbed the responsibility off on dealers. The original magazine changed into a catalog of expensive watch's, booze and what not.
Now we two major international forums and half a dozen smaller ones. We have dozens of private rider and dealer rides that are truely spectacular, well run, well attended. TNT comes to mind.
But when traveling in Europe it is near impossible, outside of TriumphRat.net, to make contact, get suggestions of routes ect., ect.
Same is true for folks coming to America to ride. Very few Triumph sources, easily found, that can put info givers with info needed.
Nostalgia aside, t595.net in early days served some of that and the TriumphRat served a bit.
With the hundreds of thousands of world wide Triumph owners you would think there would be a marketing company smart enough to convince Triumph to tap existing forums and larger RAT clubs with direct news, reviews, tech help. With internet there is no need for huge outlay as I have learned Triumph knows where every Triumph was registered, who sold it. A bit of cooperation between factory/dealer and a ready customer service and new sales base is created.
Wishful thinking on my part I know. Wistful wishing for simpler days? Maybe.