Triumphrat

kdguy · 03-23-2004

What was wrong with the analog gage cluster? Don't know about you, but my brain isn't digital.

Windchill · 03-23-2004

I agree with the hugger idea. I had Triumph's own fitted when I bought my bike, but that, in hindsight, was a mistaske: its a horrible, inadequate little bit of black plastic!!

Having seen someone's album on this site, I've now swapped it for an N-W-S.com silver ghost hugger, which not only looks stunning (IMHO) against the silver frame/swing arm and neon blue paint, but also offers good protection - including an "extendsion" below the swing arm to cover the suspension linkage.

The same design is available in carbon and basic glass fibre too.

kdguy - if you want a real fairing, buy a Daytona?

Aggy · 03-23-2004

1.Move the exhaust to the left to show off the single sided swing arm.
2. Make the header tank fill level easier to read.
3. Mirrors on longer stalks.

As for Triumph not going head to head with the race reps, well I don't know what is going on in the rest of the world but there are signs the race rep market is on the slippery slope. The market is saturated, insurance companies are making it more difficult to own a sports bike and the risk of losing your license. At my local dealer I can buy a brand new ZX9R for less than the price of a Suzuki 1200 Bandit. The show room is full with race reps but retro's, muscles bikes and the like never stay long in the show room before being sold again. I don't think the sports bike market will collapse but sports bikes are losing their appeal. Add that to the new law in Britain (see MCN March 17th) where bikes are going to be targeted under the public nuisence act.
If a rider is a public nuisence (pulls wheelies, burnouts, overly loud exhaust.etc etc) then the first time caught the police will issue a warning, the second time they will impound the bike (and they have the powers to be able to break in to the garage and remove the bike while the owner is at work), the third time the bike will be crushed and the rider could lose their license for life.
This new rule is going to take some of the shine off from owning a race rep. The image that surrounds these bikes is of knee down, wheelie pulling road racing - how attractive are they going to be when you risk losing your bike and lisence for life for getting the front wheel up in the air?
So I think with the added expense and the added risk riders will be heading towards different bikes, so why enter a market that could topple any day?

mbeebe900 · 03-23-2004

Quote:

On 2004-03-23 04:06, Aggy wrote:
1.Move the exhaust to the left to show off the single sided swing arm.
2. Make the header tank fill level easier to read.
3. Mirrors on longer stalks.

As for Triumph not going head to head with the race reps, well I don't know what is going on in the rest of the world but there are signs the race rep market is on the slippery slope. The market is saturated, insurance companies are making it more difficult to own a sports bike and the risk of losing your license. At my local dealer I can buy a brand new ZX9R for less than the price of a Suzuki 1200 Bandit. The show room is full with race reps but retro's, muscles bikes and the like never stay long in the show room before being sold again. I don't think the sports bike market will collapse but sports bikes are losing their appeal. Add that to the new law in Britain (see MCN March 17th) where bikes are going to be targeted under the public nuisence act.
If a rider is a public nuisence (pulls wheelies, burnouts, overly loud exhaust.etc etc) then the first time caught the police will issue a warning, the second time they will impound the bike (and they have the powers to be able to break in to the garage and remove the bike while the owner is at work), the third time the bike will be crushed and the rider could lose their license for life.
This new rule is going to take some of the shine off from owning a race rep. The image that surrounds these bikes is of knee down, wheelie pulling road racing - how attractive are they going to be when you risk losing your bike and lisence for life for getting the front wheel up in the air?
So I think with the added expense and the added risk riders will be heading towards different bikes, so why enter a market that could topple any day?

gee wiz, we'll all be riding around on 250cc cruisers and electric scooters if that's the case. Clip-ons will be illegal and the speed channel will be considered porn.

Draconian lawmakers- _they_ are the public nuisance.

[ This message was edited by: mbeebe900 on 2004-03-24 08:12 ]

Fairchild · 03-24-2004

Ack...hate to see the S3 go...while it wasn't my cup of tea, (more of a tour-guy)...it WAS the reason I chose Triumph when I wanted to distance myself from the HD "hog" horde. That, and the reputation the big "T" still enjoys here in the US...never liked a bike I didn't own as much as my buddies S3.

The "reputation" thing is what i worry about regarding Triumphs apparant decision to bow out of the performance wars. While I understand that Triumph, being now a smaller company then the big four, cant put the bucks and tech into potentially unprofitable bikes just for racing image like they can...I fear it is just that racing image that will shape the new reputations for the next generation. I mean...the Triumph heritage is much associated with it's track dominance in decades past. Harley Davidson, to a lesser extent, used their track heritage to kickstart the post AMC tradition/american pride hook that is so effective for them today, (albeit mutated to near unrecognizability now).

Heritage alone will not attract the new buyers (see Indian/Ford Thunderbird)...it is todays performance that breeds tomorrow's brand loyalty and heritage...(see Hayabusa/Dodge Viper)

Ack...raving too much now...will just say that while I would have rather seen 140hp out of a 1200 1400 size bike, the Rocket III will definately turn heads to the brand, if for nothing else then it's blatant excess...a guy comes in cuz of that, but more then likely walks out with something a little less..umm..a little less. The V-max has never been a great seller for Yamaha, but how many kids bought Maxims and Viragos from them in the 80's...because they made it? :???:

[ This message was edited by: Fairchild on 2004-03-24 01:25 ]

beers2u · 03-24-2004

Aren't we being just a bit speculative here on the demise of the S3 and in broader terms Triumphs production of sportbikes in general? Has anyone any real knowledge Triumph is going to stop producing the S3, or for that matter the Daytona? Just because they announce they are not going to make the 200 mph hyperbike (a decision I applaud) does not in any way mean they are going to quit producing street-going sportbikes. I take the "new direction" of less emphasis on sportbikes as a return to the original thinking of making "real world" roadbikes including the S3 and to a lesser extent the Daytona. I don't care if they abandon any thought of "going racing" as they were obviously capable of producing these great bikes with absolutely no racing effort. As long as they keep making triples (I'm talking about the engine here) I probably won't complain too much.

I also think they are going to sell a lot more bikes at the new lower prices. I have to admit, I wouldn't have bought my S3 at last years price. At the least, Triumph should see how the price drop affects sales before killing off any of their models.

mbeebe900 · 03-24-2004

No, as far as I know, the news from the factory is that they WILL keep producing sportbikes. The S3 isn't going anywhere, thank god.

03-26-2004

how about seeing an underseat exhaust. most of the new liter bikes are coming with them standard. i know it takes some of the customisation fun away, but it would definitely look great and save time for new owners.

Windchill · 04-07-2004

This week's MCN - underseat exhausts for 2005 S3 and Daytonas, but no more sports bikes thereafter!!??

Actually, from the pictures, I think I prefer the existing set up with a high level can.

beers2u · 04-07-2004

Somebody post the pics!!!