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End of the road for the Thunderbird line?

86K views 354 replies 65 participants last post by  steve59 
#1 · (Edited)
While I was hanging out waiting for my new tires to be installed, I chatted up the Sales Mgr. He essentially said it was the end of the line for the Thunderbird. Not that it won't be reincarnated in some manner down the road but he said he expects the TBird line to go away for a while since none in the pipeline for 2017. He stated the Storm was the most popular Bird for their shop, but the Commander and LT were not good sellers. Keep in mind he was not dogging the TBird, just saying not a great seller in his region and Corporate emphasis is on the modern classics.

Interestingly enough, he said the new T120 and Thrux were flying off the floor but not so much the Street Twin. He's been dealer trading Street Twins for T120s.
 
#115 ·
Just got back from the GO AZ dealer in Scottsdale. They seem to think that, if the T-bird is discontinued, and that may be likely in the US, the Speedmaster and America will get the 1200 CC liquid cooled engine. What a great idea. That cruiser would run circles around most Harleys. I think they have finally developed an engine that can be fitted to most Triumph models with the power everyone wants.
 
#117 ·
IMHO giving both the 900 and the 1200 the name Thunderbird was a mistake since they are two fundemantally different motorcycles. I hope I don´t offend anyone.
Only by decreasing our cc output by 400 ccs. ;) The new models are 1600 cc (and 1700 cc), not 1200.

I was kind of puzzled, too, when in '09/'10 they named the new 1600/1700 cruisers Thunderbird, given that the 900 Thunderbird models were less than a decade out from production ('03/'04 was the last year, I believe). Still, Triumph has used it four times in their history, so it wasn't a big surprise.
 
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#121 ·
I was talking to the dealer in Salem VA yesterday and they said that the base T-Bird and Commander are discontinued. Remaining stock will be sold as '17s. According to him, they'll only continue producing the LT's and Storms.
Also, Trophy, Base America and Speedmasters are discontinued. America LT's will continue.
Would love to have seen an America/Speedy 1200!

This may or may not be accurate, but that's what they said.
(More kindling for the rumor fire!)
 
#122 · (Edited)
I think it's not the first inkling I've heard of the Thunderbird sort of bowing out. I do hope they will keep those versions that are selling. I do think Triumph had/has a terrific niche in big bikes, and if they would nurse them along it would be reality as well as legend. It is their attempt to market them in the wrong direction that has them too deep in their niche, but if they understood we who buy these things, the tbirds and the rockets, and why we wanted thesebikes and none other, they'd know who to expand marketing toward, and they would sell more. But alas, when they found out their market wasn't siphoned away from Harley riders, they couldn't figure out who their market really is. I can't tell you why I wanted a Rocket 3 Touring so bad, nor can I tell you why I swoon over the Tbird LT....or any LT bike for that matter. But there are marketing experts that will figure me out and sell me what I want....do any of them work for Triumph?
 
#123 ·
Triumph needs to settle on and engine, get it reliable as a Honda, and eliminate un explained engine noises , then market styles in the Thunderbird 1700-1800 cc market. Dealers, need to be empowered to fix problems, and the factory needs to design the fix;... short term solutions, that result in many trips to the dealer, destroy confidence in the model. Attitudes that display "they are all noisey, like that, or any other similar excuse will destroy the company. Some of us have been around since the 60"s, the same issues existed then with bent push rods and leaking cases. Subsequently the market share went down until the factory closed.

I love my Thunderbird's, the bike is second to none, but after 5 years the factory had not resolved the noisy engines. Confidence is low and so are sales! maybe a little higher idle and or a stronger oil pump could resolve the tap, tap at idle that goes away as soon as you get to 1200 rpm, and just maybe a cylinder that is permanently fixed inside the water jacket, could resolve the knock, knock hammering of the head-gasket and head. I for one want to see triumph succeed!
 
#124 ·
Engine noise....each one has some kind or another....noises that I learn are always there, and never change, I deem to be natural for that engine. It's when that noise CHANGES that I worry something is going to give way. I do NOT want a bike that sounds like a Honda....that is just anathema to me.
 
#128 · (Edited)
I see this stated alot. Big Twins make noise.Yes they do but the knock, knock some of us have is not there when the bike is new. This develops after 2500 miles or so. Tell me why that is normal. Tell me why Triumph rebuilds these top ends if that is normal. It's not,it's a problem that needs to be corrected or they can just kill the lineup now or sit back and watch it die a slow death.
 
#130 ·
Just one quick reply, the noise I am referring to are the abnormal noises associated with the big twin, The Knock knock that develops between 1200 and 2500 miles in particular; and the click click of the valve/tappets at low RPM's. The EPA has set the idles lower than ever to meet regulations. Most Big twins of the past at least from 1968 to present resolved the tappet issue by increasing idle to just under 1000 rps. The new ECU restrictions keep that from happening. Big twins from Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki over the years, did not have these noises. And yes they did have a little specific noise of their own, however they were not water-cooled.

I don't buy in to the answer is they are "all like that"; it just feeds the "beast" at Triumph warranty shop, and hurts the image of an otherwise dynamic engine and motorcycle! Like I said before, I like my triumphs, there are a few things still on the table for triumph to resolve. When they do the cruiser market will increase.
 
#132 ·
Just one quick reply, the noise I am referring to are the abnormal noises associated with the big twin, The Knock knock that develops between 1200 and 2500 miles in particular; and the click click of the valve/tappets at low RPM's.
Could someone post a clip on youtube or whatever of a bike with this noise? My LT sound no different to when I bought it as far as I remember.
 
#131 ·
If the knock is the result of bringing the engine speed up from an absurdly low idle speed, I think there's isn't much to be done but set a higher idle speed. That could be done with remapping software such as TuneEcu, if one's ECU is not locked. But I don't know that such a knock is particularly damaging....unless while idling too low, something is not getting lubricated....hmmmmm. I might get a Thunderbird next time just so I can see for myself what I might get.
 
#134 ·
From everything I hear the Liner exchange seems to work. I understand they are installing the liners with some form of permanent sealer. Hope that works for you! Sounds like you had the Knock Knock issue. Use a quality 15-40 or 15-50 oil and it helps on the balance of the noise. I wish I could get inside that ECU and change the idle to about 950 -1000 RPMs. When I do it with the throttle it seems to minimize all but normal :)engine noises.
 
#135 ·
#148 ·
I'm here! I ain't skerd..lol.. Floating cylinders spin while running. I'm getting t-birds in from other states to fix them because of this thread. The new pistons are back ordered so there are some delays. I would buy a Thunderbird if I had the money. No concerns of dependability at all, even with the knock. More of annoyance than anything. Sorry I have not been here lately but we have been crazy busy. Thanks for remembering me.
 
#150 ·
There are no coolant jackets in the sleeves to cause a fluid leak. We feel that the wrong sealant is used to put the sleeves in. I wish triumph would just press the sleeves in and keep the motor. It seems like an easy design fix but I'm not an engineer either. The thing is bullet proof as far as dependability and it has great power. I hope they don't abandon it.
 
#151 ·
Dave, I'll try not to hit you with too many questions but. It's been suggested the bikes, particular the LT's and Commanders are running very lean causing excessive heat to break down the sealant over a period of time.
With the ECU's locked the only option to address the mapping is a Power Commander.

In your professional opinion, are the LT's and Commanders excessively lean? if so could this be the issue?
 
#152 ·
I'd like to know how he or she can prove that. I'm not saying that it can't be done but I'd like to know how that person would know. I don't think that is a problem at all but I'm sure I'll catch some for saying that. Matt has probably rebuilt more T-Birds than anyone else in here though with me helping on quite a few.
 
#156 ·
Stopped in the shop yesterday to find they were in the middle of the tear down. One liner had been removed, per the tech the liner appeared to still be firmly held in place by the adhesive. Everything looked great inside the top end. A slight bit of carbon on the piston top.
If you look at the attached picture(in post #154) item #7 is the liner/sleeve. Zoom in and you'll see an area in the drawing at the top of the liner that looks like a small oval. This spot is to line up the sleeve with the front side of the cylinder. The one liner they had not removed was still properly lined up with the front area. The tech said the one they had removed was also lined up.
So it did not appear these sleeves were rotating.
 
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