[Likecatsndogs]

I’ve owned a 400 since the end of 2019. However, I've only out about 300 miles on it. Since the announcement of the Trident, I’ve been thinking about moving up to that or a Street Triple.
I know the Trident is beginner-friendly but I don’t know if I’ve logged enough miles yet to move up. How do you know when you’re ready?

 

[Skwirl]

I'll take a wag [ wild arse guess] at this based on my experiences with fast things. Doesnt really matter what, I've had a few things in my younger days. A 69 Chevelle with a stroked 454 engine, when it finally got traction it was scary fast. A pretty fast 4 wheeler when I was 18, this one taught me I wasnt indestructible, lol. In my 30's I went thru several fast snowmobiles. These machines taught me to control the throttle, of course this was learned after I broke my jaw in 2 places, lol.
Moving on to my bike now, I've learned quite a bit previously. The question isnt about getting a bigger bike, the question is about you, the rider.

Have you learned self control and the limit of your ability?
That's the key. That and the skills/technique to ride a bigger bike.
It's all about self control. Theres nothing wrong with getting a bigger/faster bike and growing into it.
Good luck with your decision.

 

[ThaiumphScrambled]

Modern bikes with all the rider aids are pretty much fool proof - not to mention the amazing tyres these days. Of course if you want to go out of your way to crash - you'll crash. A Street Triple is hardly the last word in mind bending power - go for it if you want it. I would say fit street friendly tyres that warm up fast and are good in the wet like Metz Roadtec 01s, Pilot Road 5s or Avon Spirit STs. You really won't see the benefit of Pirelli Corsa's or such like on the road - even if you're scraping pegs.

 

[xorbe]

300 miles is not a lot a lot of riding hours. I'd be more concerned about binning a nice bike, but it depends on you.

 

[dr.blom]

You know when youre "ready" when you drive 400 miles a week instead of every 3 years. Motorcycling probably doesnt interest you, you only like the image and idea of bikes?

 

[Hedgepig]

In my less forgiving moments I'm with dr.blom , however maybe you were prevented from riding for a variety of reasons . What model of Kawasaki do you have ? Do you find its not " man enough " when you do ride it . Do you ride with others on larger capacity bikes ? Do not buy a bigger bike if you think it will make you a faster rider better able to keep up or impress others . How long have you been riding total did you start as a kid off road everything has a bearing . If a raw beginner add at least another 0 to the 400's mileage , alternatively seek out advanced training . Whatever your decision good luck and remember any bigger faster vehicle will get you into bigger faster trouble .

 

[speedmaster2019]

I can only second the comments above, but I just had to comment about Skwirl's '69 Chevelle. Wow. A friend of mine back in high school (1970's) had one of those (SS)... "four on the floor" with a Hurst shifter? I do remember the speed of that car. Insane! Had a lot of fun. Could barely keep the tires from spinning. You must have had a blast with that!

But circling back to "When to move up?"... perhaps it's one of those self-answering questions: If you're asking the question, it's probably time.

 

[Likecatsndogs]

I know someone who had a 300 for a few months and didn’t do a lot of riding, that is moving up to a Triumph Trident already. When I read about it and saw that it’s “beginner-friendly,” I started to think that if this person is already moving up, after inly a few months, then maybe it’s time for me.
I also saw someone who logged a lotnof mileage but never took the basic rider course and does not even have a motorcycle endorsement, who went from a 250 to a 1200 in a couple of months.
As far advanced training, I’d definitely like to take some but for whatever reason, the advanced courses are never held in my area.

 

[oldgoldie]

ou know when youre "ready" when you drive 400 miles a week instead of every 3 years.

from the end of '19 to the very beginning of '21 is hardly 3 years especially when that 1 year if filled with covid. Having said that I agree with dr.blom 400 miles is not much. I say ride some more, take one of the training classes. If your goal is to ride fast there is an old saying "it is more fun to ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow" and take it to a track day.

 

[Trippin RS]

I know someone who had a 300 for a few months and didn’t do a lot of riding, that is moving up to a Triumph Trident already. When I read about it and saw that it’s “beginner-friendly,” I started to think that if this person is already moving up, after inly a few months, then maybe it’s time for me.
I also saw someone who logged a lotnof mileage but never took the basic rider course and does not even have a motorcycle endorsement, who went from a 250 to a 1200 in a couple of months.
As far advanced training, I’d definitely like to take some but for whatever reason, the advanced courses are never held in my area.

I just got back from a 120 mile ride with my son in the San Diego North County canyons. I've been riding since 1981 and he is a newcomer riding since 2018. I rode my 2018 Street Triple 765RS on the way up and switched to my son's 2017 Yamaha R3 on the way back. You know what, both bikes were a blast to ride! There is definitely some differences in the both bike's potential but both bike were very well suited for our twisty ride with speeds ranging from 20 to 80mph. Let's be totally honest, it's really the rider, not the bike. The greater your skills and experience, the more you can enjoy/exploit a bigger/faster bike. I suggest that more saddle time, taking good riding classes and then practicing specific skills/drills will benefit you more than a bigger bike at this time.

For a great resource for street riders, take a look at Greg's Motojitsu website (MotoJitsu: Educational Motorcycle Videos) and make an honest assessment of your riding skills, experience and awareness; we all have room for improvement. But perhaps you have ridden off-road since you were five and already have tens of thousands of miles of dirt under you; then you may be an exception. But even then, the street isn't the dirt and the street has its own techniques.

You can always buy another bike later, but riding what you have is probably a more prudent route. Stay safe and enjoy the ride!

 

[Wire-Wheels]

I don't know that any of this matters. I have owned bikes from 125cc to 1100cc. You just have to be mature enough to realize the throttle works both ways. It does not have to be wide open all the time. After all these years, I find I have settled in to the 800-900cc range. Just the comfortable size and weight for me. ...J.D.

 

[HiDesert]

I’ve owned a 400 since the end of 2019. However, I've only out about 300 miles on it. Since the announcement of the Trident, I’ve been thinking about moving up to that or a Street Triple.

300 miles? If you bought used, you haven’t even changed the oil - or tires - yet. Don’t step up yet. That 400 has more to teach you. Whether you can handle a bigger bike or it would be a dangerous choice is hard to say from “300 miles.” But I’d say wait. One or two thousand miles consciously working to develop your skills will serve you very well for the rest of your riding life. Develop braking skills that are automatic, reflexive. Learn how YOU like to intelligently, safely take a flat, consistent curve... and an off camber curve. And a decreasing radius curve. And a big right that whips immediately into a left with half the radius and then requires you to hit those brakes unexpectedly while still leaned over. Do you know the powerband without thinking about it? How long do you tires take to warm up when it’s 80 degrees out? When it’s 50? How does the handling chance? What’s the difference between grip and handling? Can you tell there’s a tire problem from the feel alone?

I’ve talked to people who say they’ve gotta feel full throttle. They’ve got to find the REAL top speed. They see someone passing them as a challenge, a gauntlet. If you are any of those people, WAIT. If you are not, and more power doesn’t make you discover something about yourself you didn’t already know, then it’s not as risky, but seriously, you’ll learn things on that 400 that a bigger bike won’t teach you. I’d say wait.

 

[Misti Hurst]

I think the fact that you are asking the question in the first place shows that you are putting some thought and effort into your riding ability vs your wants and needs. People learn and improve at different rates so trying to judge your level of riding proficiency and ability by how many miles you have ridden may not be the best defining factor. I'd be more interested in your overall confidence and skill level as a rider. Have you taken any advanced riding courses? Have you done any track days? Do you have another bike that you ride in the dirt or on a motocross track? How confident are you in your riding skills?

As a riding coach and journalist, I can attest that there is no single one answer as to when someone should move up, except to note their specific abilities and confidence. When I first started riding I bought a cheap and well used (1981)Honda CBR 600RR as my own bike in 2000. I made the commitment to myself to take all four levels of the California Superbike School and to feel like I could ride that bike as fast and well as it could go before moving up to a 2001 Kawasaki Ninja 600RR.

What would you say is the skill you are most confident with? What about areas you struggle in while riding? Maybe analysing your own riding a bit more will help you with this decision.

 

[Missouri Bob]

Starting out, I put 12,000 miles on a 175 before I bought a 350.

 

[Likecatsndogs]

I think the fact that you are asking the question in the first place shows that you are putting some thought and effort into your riding ability vs your wants and needs. People learn and improve at different rates so trying to judge your level of riding proficiency and ability by how many miles you have ridden may not be the best defining factor. I'd be more interested in your overall confidence and skill level as a rider. Have you taken any advanced riding courses? Have you done any track days? Do you have another bike that you ride in the dirt or on a motocross track? How confident are you in your riding skills?

As a riding coach and journalist, I can attest that there is no single one answer as to when someone should move up, except to note their specific abilities and confidence. When I first started riding I bought a cheap and well used (1981)Honda CBR 600RR as my own bike in 2000. I made the commitment to myself to take all four levels of the California Superbike School and to feel like I could ride that bike as fast and well as it could go before moving up to a 2001 Kawasaki Ninja 600RR.

What would you say is the skill you are most confident with? What about areas you struggle in while riding? Maybe analysing your own riding a bit more will help you with this decision.

I’ve only taken the first course, so far. I would have taken the 2nd, had it been offered. However, the advanced courses aren’t offered in my area. I think if there were other people to ride with, who had smaller bikes like mine, I’d probably be more comfortable with keeping my 400 longer but nobody around here keeps a “beginner” bike more than a few months. Few people I know even started out on something less than a 650.

 

[Misti Hurst]

I’ve only taken the first course, so far. I would have taken the 2nd, had it been offered. However, the advanced courses aren’t offered in my area. I think if there were other people to ride with, who had smaller bikes like mine, I’d probably be more comfortable with keeping my 400 longer but nobody around here keeps a “beginner” bike more than a few months. Few people I know even started out on something less than a 650.

Who cares if it's a "Beginner bike"? Is it inhibiting you in any way? Are you struggling to ride the way you want on it? Do you feel like you can ride it at its full potential? Personally, I LOVE showing up on a tiny "beginner" bike and smoking the snot out of anyone that scoffs at my little bike. Little bikes are amazing, they teach you incredible foundational skills and can help make you a better all-around rider because you have to rely on skill and technique to ride them as fast as bigger HP bikes that have lots of power. I would really assess whether it is something that YOU need or want or if it's something that you think you SHOULD do just because. Do you ride with groups of people on bigger bikes and struggle to keep up? I'm struggling to really understand the dilemma here and from the sounds of it, you don't have a ton of riding experience so I'm not sure what the major drive to move UP in bike size really is. And I mean this in the nicest way possible

 

[Trippin RS]

Who cares if it's a "Beginner bike"? Is it inhibiting you in any way? Are you struggling to ride the way you want on it? Do you feel like you can ride it at its full potential? Personally, I LOVE showing up on a tiny "beginner" bike and smoking the snot out of anyone that scoffs at my little bike. Little bikes are amazing, they teach you incredible foundational skills and can help make you a better all-around rider because you have to rely on skill and technique to ride them as fast as bigger HP bikes that have lots of power. I would really assess whether it is something that YOU need or want or if it's something that you think you SHOULD do just because. Do you ride with groups of people on bigger bikes and struggle to keep up? I'm struggling to really understand the dilemma here and from the sounds of it, you don't have a ton of riding experience so I'm not sure what the major drive to move UP in bike size really is. And I mean this in the nicest way possible

Very well stated Misti; your tempered objectiveness/reasoning is so refreshing! The OP should make an honest self assessment before prematurely moving up to a bigger bike.

 

[Hedgepig]

I love small bikes , there are two 125cc bikes in my shed at the moment . The very first time I went on holiday to the Isle of Man was on a 125 and all my mates were on 650 ,750 ,900 Honda's and Kawasaki's . Not once was my " little " bike found wanting . Including a full 37.7 mile lap of the circuit . Learn to ride your " small " bike well you will benefit from the experience gained .

 

[2wheeladdict]

I started on a Kawi Super Sherpa 250 in HS and put close to 8-9k miles on it in two years of riding year round. That bike taught me a lot like throttle/clutch/brake control, how to corner in the wet, adjust lines mid corner, how to have fun on gravel/dirt/snow, and even just how to be aware in traffic while on a bike. All that with a low curb weight of 280lbs wet and a whopping 23hp made it a lot less intimidating.

Currently I have a Tiger 955i which is a lot of fun and I average 300mi/wk year round but I still use all the knowledge I gained from the Sherpa and am a better rider from it.

If you were to move up to the Trident or Street Triple you would simply have to learn all those reflexes and skills on the slightly bigger bike which would likely take longer and may be more expensive if you dropped a brand new bike.

Personally I would learn to ride your 400 to its full potential and then move up but to each his own!

 

[Skwirl]

I may have the opposite problem. I'd like a new Trident to learn/practice on. The Trident doesnt look intimidating, the hp numbers are non impressive but it just looks like a very fun bike to ride. If I could afford a 2nd bike, the Trident would be hard not to try.
Then again, i like the R nine T also, but i dont need more than 100 hp.
Theres a lot of great advice posted already. But, if you want a new bike, the Trident would be a good one.