No RS on Triumph website?

[teacherkeith]

What's up with that? I was looking into the RS when I bought my Speed 3 (just because I happened upon one at the dealer), but when doing research I couldn't find any info on the RS?
And I just heard that they have an all black SE this year, so I wanted to see it, and same deal, can't find it at Triumph's site or anywhere else!!!

[kann]

It went the same direction as the Trophy and TT600..

nk

[deller4210]

The U.S. web site has the RS listed. It's the bike at the top left of the screen. Could it be that the RS is for the U.S. market only?

From what I understand, the remaining "04" RSs will be sold here in the states and in Germany, some as a "Special Edition" with the ST's SSSA and different graphics. Means they'll also be able to mount the Sprint hard bags -- which older 2 sided swing arm RS owners can't.

I guess after that, they're done with the RS...

[deller4210]

That’s to bad! What is Triumph planning on doing here? Are they going to produce only cruisers now and let the sport bikes go completely? The only reason I even looked at the Triumph line was the existence of the Sprint and the Daytona models. Frankly, I would have bought one of the Hayabusa killers if they had followed through on production. They must sell more of the retro bikes and cruisers.

[Solace]

deller4210 spake upon us --

That’s to bad! What is Triumph planning on doing here? Are they going to produce only cruisers now and let the sport bikes go completely?

That seems to be the word. There was another thread around on it not long ago, but I can't find it. Apparently they just aren't capturing enough of the sport-bike market to make it worth their while (in this country). I find this especially disappointing since BIKE magazine in the UK, just named the Daytona 600 as their Bike of the Year for 2003. I was really hoping that it would spark a run on them in the US.

We'll have to see how it pans out. Right now I'm just happy I got my RS Special! :-D

Solace

[preachp]

Hi All,
Has anybody considered that maybe they are redesigning the sport line?
Honestly I see many more Sprint ST's and Trophies here than I do Bonnies and Thruxtons.
Also every dealer I have been to in this area has an equal number of cruisers to sport machines. It would also be a bad move since Valmoto is starting to get good results and is putting the Triumph name out there.
JMHO but I don't see Triumph ignoring a market segment that they are actually enjoying some success in.

Preachp

[ikonoklass]

They won't abandon the sport line. I think half-faired sportbikes tend to be lackluster sellers these days, compared with nakeds and full-faired bikes. Think Suzuki TL1000, Honda Superhawk, or BMW R1150RS.

I tend to agree with Ikonoklass -- as far as I know, Triumph is one of the few cycle manufacturers significantly increasing market share (BMW and Harley are the others). While the retro and cruiser areas are responsible for a large chunk of that, it's my understanding the US is widely considered a fairly un-tapped market on the sports bike side of the coin.

Another way to look at it from Triumph's perspective is that they likely haven't made back their R&D investment on the Daytona 600. If they do nothing else with the machine, their costs are now pretty much limited to continued manufacture, marketing and parts inventories -- all the tooling is done and needs to be paid for. It makes little sense to pull the plug on it now. My guess is they won't pursue the cutting edge of performance in the sports bike arena, but rather focus on sports bikes that are better suited to real world riding -- bikes that offer a unique riding experience and demand a slight premium in the marketplace, but for different reasons than, say, an R-1 or a Blade.

Ikonoklass has it right, I think, in relation to semi-nakeds. Seems most riders want a full standard, or something with more dress, rather than a bike in between.

Just my .02 cents...

[ This message was edited by: MattDaddy on 2004-03-17 11:50 ]

[Solace]

Ah, I found the thread. It was in a "How do you think Triumph sales will be in '04?" discussion.

The word from one of the guys who works at a dealership is that neither size Daytona is selling. However the classic series and nakeds (except the Speed4 ) are doing well.

Also another guy posted this:
"I hate to see Triumph move out of the sportbike arena but according to Bruno Tagliaferri in Performance Bikes January issue theres no profit in it for them, and with increaseingly restrictive legislation on the horizon the market for Triumph is with the Rocket 111 and Bonneville series."

So I don't know what that says for the discussion here, but I can't see them killing off the Daytona line yet either. Not when Valmoto is picking up like Preachp said.

Hell, Ice-Cube even rode a Daytona 955i in "Torque"! I really hope that the Triumph name is starting to become noticed again.

Solace

[ This message was edited by: Solace on 2004-03-17 12:23 ]