Triumphrat

beastman487 · 04-01-2009, 07:59 PM

I was looking for a (new) Bonneville, and came across a legend for sale. I had never looked into buying one, but a red 99 legend sparked my interest. Could anyone give me advice on buying a used legend? This will be my first Triumph, so I'm not sure what to look for as far as pros/cons/etc. Any advice would be great. I'm 6'1" and 170lbs.

IrlMike · 04-01-2009, 08:42 PM

Bonneville is a much more leisurely ride than a Legend. The Thruxton is supposed to be sporty with 10hp extra over a Bonnie - not compared to my Legend it's not. Admittedly I've a few (mostly low $) mods...

Best of both worlds, the low end torque of a twin (tho' didn't think Thrux had much..) and the top end of a four.

Most folks here are serious triple fans, me included, (unsurprisingly

) but with good reason imo.

With basic (easy) maintenance these triples are reliable & rock solid. Any serious issues were ironed out before the Legend variant came along.

Lots of info here for the searching, on any particular aspects you'd like to know more about.

Cheers
Mike

ssevy · 04-01-2009, 10:32 PM

I was in your shoes two summers ago. Hadn't ridden in 25 years, wanted a bike, used to have a Honda 550, but for some reason wanted a Triumph. I had never ridden on one or seen one other than pictures, but had my heart set on a red and black Bonnie T100. Then along came this red 99 Legend at a local car dealership with less than 4000 miles on it. Like you, I had never heard of the model and I knew nothing about the history with factory fires, new owner, etc., but I did my homework. $3500 later, that Legend was mine, and it is the best $3500 that I have ever spent! Quality is excellent, engine is over built, and as a package, it does everything I want very well. The engine is the real gem, and if you like to do your own wrenching, this is the bike for you! Very old school, and no expensive fancy electronic tools needed. Not that it needs lots of work, but tweaking and maintenance are all there if you want to enjoy it. Although not an advantage over the Bonnie, this forum is probably the best perk of all, as there are some real wizards who hang out here, and basically anything you can ask has been answered, or will be in short order with a post. Not just maintenance, but lots of other good info, too. Get the Legend, it's rarer and not made anymore, and it's water cooled to boot!

PS - Look at the photos of the triples - they are all beautiful bikes!

jwolf · 04-01-2009, 11:42 PM

One thing to check out before you buy a Legend. The lower seat height as compared to the Thunderbird can make for a cramped riding position for taller riders. Other than that, it is a real gem of a bargain.

beastman487 · 04-02-2009, 12:31 AM

I don't know much about seat height/riding position. I'm just over 6 feet tall, how cramped are we talking? The bike I found for sale is over an hour away, so I haven't been able to sit on it yet.

denny · 04-02-2009, 01:29 AM

I am six feet 32" inseam and the '96 TBird fits me quite good.

I think the Legend is around 1 or 1 1/2 inches shorter than The early TBird. And that puts the seat that much closer to the foot pegs.
I've never sat on Legend, but I imagine it would be a little cramped.

R32 Dave · 04-02-2009, 04:35 AM

Im 6 feet tall and find the Legend a very comfortable bike to ride.

Proffa66 · 04-02-2009, 07:18 AM

I'm 6'2" and I don't have that cramped feeling.
Pros for Triumph: It might steal your heart
Cons for Triumph: It might steal your heart

ssevy · 04-02-2009, 08:19 AM

I'm 5'11'' with a 30" inseam, and I put lower pegs to get more leg room. I don't think it is so much how tall you are, but how flexible you are. In favor of the lower seat, both feet are flat on the ground at stops - none of that tippy toe stuff.

musicisinmysoul · 04-02-2009, 08:39 AM

I am lucky enough to own both a Bonneville and a Thunderbird, both nice bikes but given the choice the Thunderbird comes out first if only for that triple howl, very comfortable and I like to have a big tank between my legs, chrome is getting harder to find and when it does come available its very expensive, you would enjoy either bike to sum up.