Triumphrat

ThruxtonManley · 11-01-2012, 09:09 AM

Hi all,

This is my final year of university doing a Product Design degree. For my final year major project I have elected to design a neat luggage system/storage solution for the thruxton. Having had a thruxton for 5 years and doing all sorts on it, I know that a decent storage solution is needed.

Please could you take 5 minutes to complete my survey. This initial survey is just to establish the uses of the bikes and the need of storage. If you don't carry luggage please still fill it in as I need a range of replies.

Survey Link

Thanks again, Rob.

RumRunner · 11-01-2012, 09:40 AM

Rob,

Took your survey, but I can tell you it's going to be flawed. You don't ask if anyone is using a custom seat (such as a corbin smuggler) to see what and why guys are changing the seats, and more importantly your question about touring, riding with luggage and pillons does not give a person the option to not answer a question. There should have been a N/A (Not applicable) answer for those that NEVER do some of those things your survey requires them to enter a number which will give you false results. Then you never ask what we would want from a luggage system if we were to order one, or any of the important factors to us (looks, ease of installation/removal, cost, options, etc.)

Best of luck with your project.

ThruxtonManley · 11-01-2012, 11:36 AM

Hi RumRunner, Thanks for taking the survey.

I get your point over the general useage question, a N/A would be a good option to add with a comments option and something I will do before the replys get over a point where they could taint the results.

Regarding the other points, the questions have been written so not to define any direct solutions and so they are not biased by peoples current storage solutions. This method allows me to constrain the results to what I actually need to know. Also, I have not asked exactly what people require from a luggage system as I have access to other ways of collecting this information. For example I have not asked for a 'how much would you pay for xyz' as I have access to market data and what people say they are willing to pay and what they will actually pay are two different things.

The resulst I am getting (8 so far!) are looking good.

Thanks

RumRunner · 11-01-2012, 11:48 AM

Best of luck to, having been involved with product design, and development for years I guess I take a little different real world approach vs. theoretical having seen the results of not doing it that way can be extremely costly. You'll also find that consumers will actually pay more to get what they think they want, than giving them what they may actually need.

Cheers,

Golfswithwolves · 11-01-2012, 01:26 PM

Thanks for the chance to answer your survey and I hope our answers are helpful to your project. If a direct observation would be of help, I hope sometime to find a set of throw-over leather saddlebags of medium size with built-in metal stiffeners to keep them out of the wheels of my Thruxton. Good luck!

tonupdave · 11-01-2012, 03:23 PM

Sorry I have not looked at your suvey, Am I missing somthing here if you have a Thruxton and you want to carry luggage you have the wrong bike it's a cafe racer single seat and rearsets, Any other of the Triumph Bonnie range you can carry luggage........
Just fitting panniers to my Manx Norton!!!!!!!!
T.U.D.

pete7 · 11-01-2012, 04:31 PM

Good luck and I hope you get useful results.

Its a shame that the old Triumph operation never made use of user research when they were building bikes in the 50s and 60s. In fact, arguably, that's why the 'cafe racer' appeared on the scene as the manufacturers never catered for young riders sporting aspirations. ( and we used to accept getting bl..dy wet and cold! haha)

I am a bit disappointed by TUD's comment implying that you don't need luggage on certain bike types. 'Cafe racers' had no luggage in 1960s (when I made mine from an old T110) but I still had to carry my tools in an ex-army haversack.

The option of compact, bike-specific space to carry stuff in was a dream then, but we expect it nowadays.

Just look at the sports-bikes rolling off the Ferries at the TT every year with 3 piece soft luggage carrying a full weeks kit to see how every biker expects to at least have the option of using his machine as functional road vehicle. Even a retro-bike need not just be a 'heritage piece' for one day ride-outs only, without space for an over-suit.

My modern bike (Yamah TDM) has full Givi hard luggage for 2 up and solo tours in UK and overseas, as well as its annual trip to IoM. It comes off in an instant and allows me to enjoy the bike on the twisty roads when I get to final destination if I want to.

I agree Thruxton perhaps does not need that but, I do expect to be able to carry basics of wet weather-gear, flask and butties, with option on more capacity maybe once or twice a year.

Best of luck with your project

Pete

(I am afraid I am getting stopped by Question 6 by the survey for some reason. Can you check it please. its probably my OAP IT skills are the problem) )

p.s. FWIW - it seems crazy that a single piece seat unit, with a hump, has no stowage incorporated.

p.p.s... and, TUD, please fill in the survey to balance to results and show your own views. (BTW you are a lucky lad to have a Manx ... phew!)

bluesman77 · 11-01-2012, 05:19 PM

I have seriously considered the Norman Hyde side racks w/ GIVI E21s, but dislike having to relocate the turn signals.

pete7 · 11-02-2012, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluesman77

I have seriously considered the Norman Hyde side racks w/ GIVI E21s, but dislike having to relocate the turn signals.

E21s are great, narrow panniers but they seem to sit way too far back on the thruxton with the Norman Hyde/Givi PL racks.

Design is not unlike Craven Panniers of 60s .....

ThruxtonManley · 11-02-2012, 09:26 AM

Thanks all for the interest in this project.
Pete7, with Q6 you can only have one option selected in each column, it’s a limitation with the software that I cannot make this easier to complete

Thanks for taking your time to put your point across.

I have owned my thruxton for 4 years, it’s a great bike and I love the looks but I’m bored of having to take a backpack/rucksack to carry things that I believe to be essential on a longish journey.
I believed the ability to be able to carry a bike/helmet lock, snacks/drink, inner gloves etc on the bike whilst still carrying off the authentic 60's look is something that is achievable. Yes it is a café racer BUT times have changed, you can’t just jump on and ride anymore, helmets, traffic etc have stopped all that. A bike like this HAS to be part of current times and a small amount of storage is part of that (my opinion).
BUT, none of that matters if you fill in the survey because I’m results driven.
For those interested, the seat hump is currently under great scrutiny but not the only option. I have resisted naming any current solutions as it may taint the results, what you think vs what you need etc.
Please spread the word about this if you can, I have 12 complete results and over 15 incomplete surveys.

Rob.