back to Triumph?

[nostatic13]

I've been reading through the threads and am leaning but likely need a little push. I had a Speed Four for about a year that was a great bike, but eventually I needed something a bit thinner through the tank area (old bicycle racing hip injury). Even still I did LA-SF and LA-Vegas trips on the Speed Four as well as commuted.

I ended up with a Ducati Multistrada that I loved also...until a coyote decided to try and cross the freeway in front of me at night. Ugly. Anywho I was off crutches after about 5 weeks (accident was a year and a half ago) but didn't get another bike in part because my then 9 year old son was a little freaked, and I got my jollies club racing an old 911. Problem is, car racing is wicked expensive and while the track is cool...it isn't two wheels. I got a road bicycle built up a few months back and the itch has returned.

Still love Italian, and am going to ride the GT1000 tomorrow. I test rode a BMW F800S (my first time back on a motorcycle) and it was ok, but riders have been reporting a *lot* of teething problems. The Aprilia Shiver is attractive, but I don't like the idea of fly by wire and figure that bike will have issues as well (plus it isn't here in the states and I don't know if I'll fit on it...at 6'1" I need some leg room as my 46 year old knees don't like a tight tuck).

So today it was down to my local Triumph dealer, and I sat on a bunch of bikes. There was a used tricked out Thruxton that was pretty nasty, but I kept coming back to the Street Triple. The Speed Triple is a bit *too* hooligan for me...I like a lighter bike. I didn't think I'd like white (only one they had...my speed4 was orange, and I'm a sucker for roulette green), but the color and design grew on me. Needs a bikini fairing and the small screen though imho.

The posts here seem pretty positive with not a ton of issues other than the shock recall. Any other gotchas I missed? Nice to read mostly positive in contrast to the bitching on the bmw forum.

[Shakey]

You'll find your share of gripes here as well. I think it's an unwritten rule somewhere that once you purchase a bike you must niggle it to death initially. I personally can't think of a more entertaining ride that I've experienced over the many years I've spent in the saddle. I have arthritis in my right hip and knee as well and find the riding position on the Street Triple works for me. It's very slim and light. Both are great attributes for a street fighter. The induction and exhaust is a true work of audio perfection. It gets your blood up and puts you into a hell bent for leather mood in a heartbeat. You're spot on regarding the flyscreen and visor. They look good on my roulette green machine. You will want to put a set of adjustable levers on the bike. I settled on Pazzos and have been quite pleased with them. I'm also contemplating a gel seat, although the stock seat isn't all that terrible my 50 something tail bone could use a bit more cushion. I ride a Moto Guzzi as well as the Triumph so I totally understand the Italian thing. For all their quirkiness Italian bikes have a certain panache that makes up for any shortcomings they may suffer. Good luck to you.

[spiki-spikester]

As a 6' 1" 40 year old with a slightly dodgy lower back, I can highly recommend the Streety. The riding position is quite upright but not difficult to get used to.

I have gone with the gel seat and am happy with it & I think the bike is perfectly fine straight out of the box. The bits & pieces we are all adding aren't "needs" as much as "wants" IMHO.

And, yes people do have niggles, but nothing that seems to be an "issue" like brake lever travel on the early Sprint 1050's etc. In any case, nothing in the world is perfect - especially not at this price

[nostatic13]

well, the BMW guys are having some major criticisms. Some claim the ABS is downright dangerous in the way that it functions, engines are needing rebuilds at low mileage (piston slap), etc. The parallel twin is a new engine for BMW (Rotax made), and the F800 is a totally new platform. It seems that they didn't quite get it right. What makes me feel better about the Streety (heh) is that the core of the bike has been out for a few years. I don't mind the minor niggles...

The GT1000 will have to really send me (and be priced right), otherwise I'll likely pick up the Triumph.

[Thirdway]

I think you have several bikes that might be worth a look alongside a Streety (see, we are quite open to comparisons despite being owners).

So, light,upright and comfortable.

KTM new Duke, a fabulous back road bike and very smooth for a single with loads of poke. The pegs are lower than most bikes in relation to the seat height which makes it very comfortable.

Ducati Monster 800, despite its placement at the bottom of the Ducati range it really is one of the better bikes, incredibly well balanced and light. Its the bike my dealer was advising streety owners to buy while supply was scarce.

Kawasaki Versys, not the nicest looking bike around but it is really a great bike for getting back into biking and can handle anything that is thrown at it. Bomb proof too.

Suzuki 650 V strom - not pretty, but very comfortable and like the versys can really handle anything, definitely confidence inspiring and very reliable.

Street triple-Closer to the KTM although in my book its not quite as comfortable and on poor roads the suspension is a bit pants (easy to upgrade though). The Streety has a sublime road chassis and an engine that really belongs in a 750.

If its pure performance you want then the Streety is first on the list, the KTM comes second and will give you the better suspension and an even faster turning chassis. The versys and V strom are so close it is difficult to split them and they will give more confidence to a rider who is returning from a layoff IMO.

[Jamie]

Motorcyclist, April '08 issue, features a middleweight comparo between the following bikes: Kawasaki Versys, BMW XMoto, Suzuki GSX650 F and the Street Triple. Worth reading.

Three comments I can certainly relate to: "While the Versys is the sensible choice, I'd still pick the Street Triple. Sorry... sex sells" ... "(...) the Triumph trounces the other bikes here and holds its own against any bike's overall fun factor"..."I LOVE the Street Triple.. not because it is British, simply because it's bloody good".

Amen. Jamie

[D'Artagnan]

Jaime, when I read the same article last week at first I was a bit surprized at the choice of models from BMW and Kawa used in the comparison instead of the the F800 and say the Ninja650 (and also maybe at the failure to include a couple other more closely paired models by other manufacturers), but then I recalled that several other mags have already covered those other comps in recent issues so why should M just rehash the same story w/ the same inevitable results. Seemingly w/o exception the ST3 ends ups being the bike of choice no matter which other naked (or not) similarly powered bikes it is reviewed against. Just hard to beat the Streety's level of performance, comfort, and FUN!

[Thirdway]

Originally Posted by Jamie

Motorcyclist, April '08 issue, features a middleweight comparo between the following bikes: Kawasaki Versys, BMW XMoto, Suzuki GSX650 F and the Street Triple. Worth reading.

Three comments I can certainly relate to: "While the Versys is the sensible choice, I'd still pick the Street Triple. Sorry... sex sells" ... "(...) the Triumph trounces the other bikes here and holds its own against any bike's overall fun factor"..."I LOVE the Street Triple.. not because it is British, simply because it's bloody good".

Amen. Jamie

Well I made my choice and love the Streety. I think it can be summed up as fantastic engine (infact its the most incredible engine I have ever used), poor suspension, brilliant looks IMO, astounding chassis, not very practical or comfortable, reasonable build quality and great fun.

If I had my total sensible head on (and you generally dont have one if you are riding a motorbike) then the Suzuki is probably the most sensible buy, thats not entirely a suprise as it mostly does what an old VFR750 did. The Versys just adds a twist to the same type of bike, long travel suspension soaks up the bumps.

[nostatic13]

At the risk of sounding snobbish, I'm afraid that any of the Japanese bikes aren't on my list. They just don't send me...except maybe the VFR but even that doesn't speak to me.

The bike has to have "soul". If I'm going to risk life and limb and feed the "extreme" side of my personality (especially now that I've sold my track car), then it needs to be on something that I open the garage and get a pulse increase. It can't be "just a bike." I don't need a bike for transportation. I need a bike for spiritual guidance

Thanks for the comments...and actually I've been a rat member for a couple of years but couldn't for the life of me remember what my password or what email account I used so I just signed up with a new moniker.

[Thirdway]

Originally Posted by nostatic13

At the risk of sounding snobbish, I'm afraid that any of the Japanese bikes aren't on my list. They just don't send me...except maybe the VFR but even that doesn't speak to me.

The bike has to have "soul". If I'm going to risk life and limb and feed the "extreme" side of my personality (especially now that I've sold my track car), then it needs to be on something that I open the garage and get a pulse increase. It can't be "just a bike." I don't need a bike for transportation. I need a bike for spiritual guidance

Thanks for the comments...and actually I've been a rat member for a couple of years but couldn't for the life of me remember what my password or what email account I used so I just signed up with a new moniker.

Yep, I get you perfectly. The ST has soul in spades, I do find my legs feel quite bent up on it even though and I am only 5' 8". I had the KTM 950SM before that and it was leg comfort city, difficult to touch the deck. The 950SM is a lovely bike if you are a committed rider, it also has soul and a habit of pulling outrageous wheelies......there is also the Ducati Hypermotard!! So many bikes.