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Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro Review

June 5, 2020 mcnews Leave a comment

2020 Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro Review

Motorcycle Test By Wayne Vickers – Images by Rob Mott

I’ve made no secret of the fact that I’m a big fan of the Tiger middleweight platform. My own ‘gen 1’ 800xc has been an absolute workhorse and I have clocked up 260,000 kilometres since buying it new. Sure, it’s starting to feel a little loose now but I still love it. Great overall balance, a capable engine, driveline without much fault and terrific throttle feel (the first generation still had a cabled throttle which was much better than the subsequent couple of attempts at fly by wire). It must be said though that quite a few times over the seven years of ownership I’ve wondered what it might be like with ‘just a bit more grunt and a bit less weight’.

I don’t have to wonder anymore.

Giddyup

Triumph have overhauled the smaller of the two Tiger offerings, not only giving it a styling update (aligning it more closely with its bigger 1200 brother), but letting the engineers loose on almost every aspect that counts. I had the chance to live with the top spec’ Rally Pro model for a couple of weeks and rode it in a variety of conditions, comparing it directly with my old bike. Unlike the last couple of updates that didn’t have me eyeing off the new metal in serious envy, this new bit of kit has moved the game on considerably. Envy mode has now been properly engaged.

2020 Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro comes with the whole basket of fruit

Trev has covered the major technical points in his earlier piece here (Link), but to summarise – it’s a little lighter, the engine has been upped to 888cc with a new firing order courtesy of a ‘T plane crank’ which favours more torque, better low end feel and traction. The new donk is also repositioned slightly in the frame. The new Rally Pro comes with quick shifter, ABS, TC, a new TFT screen with phone connectivity for GPS-SMS-music and even GoPro connectivity (I shit you not), six pre-set ride modes plus a configurable ‘Rider’ mode, Showa forks and shock, Brembo monobloc brakes, heated grips and seats, tubeless wheels with pressure monitors, LED lights and a bunch of new componentry including crash protection. It’s a serious update. And it’s seriously specced up.

2020 Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro now strikes a more modern profile

First up – styling wise, I rate it. It doesn’t look massively different to the early prototype that Felipe Lopez ran to second in class in the Pan African Rally in 2018. I get that looks are subjective, but it really does have the ‘I can take you anywhere’ thing going on, without looking overdone. Fit and finish is generally excellent, although I did note a couple of the smaller brushed alloy trim features that I reckon will show marks relatively easily – behind the front indicators for example. Overall though, it drips of build quality and detail, right down to the nice stitching in the seats. Classy. The colour schemes seem to highlight the trellis frame a little more too which I like.

Showa suspension at both ends

Throwing the leg over feels familiar and new at the same time. Slightly thinner tank shape between the knees perhaps and slightly different seating ergos, but the new seat feels just as comfy on longer hauls as the older shape and from my impressions favours off-road usability in moving your weight around more easily, particularly moving it up and forward. Nice.

Would have been nice to go exploring on some pukka off-road rubber

Switchgear is all fairly well positioned and has a good feel (illuminated too – tick). Although a couple of them take some getting used to. The spotlight and heated seat switches are located way over the front where you can’t see them without moving well forward. There are ten buttons on the left hand side alone so that side gets a bit crowded… Not that you’d use it much. Just set it and forget mostly – it only runs the spotties on high beam and automatically flicks them off when you change to low beam. The indicator button could also use a smidgen more tactile feedback for my liking, but location and function are ok.

Rally Pro comes with spot-lights

Key in – dash does a little greeting routine while the electrics take a few seconds to sort themselves out, then you fire it up and are immersed in that new uneven triple exhaust note. For a stock pipe, it’s up there with the best. It has a more distinctive, guttural growl than the old firing order and definitely brings a smile to the dial. It’s almost as loud as my Arrow slip-on on the 800… not quite… but I like the new note more. It’s a winner. The new uneven crank does kind of the same thing to a triple that a cross plane crank does to an in-line four. And I’ve raved incessantly about how much I like the cross plane R1 engine… This new crank in the 900 triple? Love it, love it, love it. And then love it some more.

Reasonable engine protection as standard

On the road you notice the extra shove off the bottom and in the mid range, paired with the excellent, super slick quick-shifter and slipper clutch that was faultless in both directions it makes for an effortlessly rapid ride. In fact I reckon it’s one of the nicest quick-shift set-ups I’ve ridden. It feels like much more of a bump up in power than the 10 per cent quoted too. Cruising along I found myself often short shifting up at around four or five-thousand revs, just riding the torque wave and listening to the burble. It has such a lovely character.

Quick-shifter is as good as they get

I wonder if they’ll use that same crank set-up in future versions of the Speed Triple. That’d be a thing… Up higher in the rev range it didn’t feel all that different to the old 800 engine to be honest which is no bad thing at all, but down low there’s a noticeable improvement. And unless you’re on full charge on the tarmac you’re probably not going to be bouncing up near the rev-limiter on this Rally Pro version anyway. There’s a bit more engine tick noise – it’s not as smooth as the old firing order, but I didn’t have any issues with vibes at all.

2020 Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro in its natural habitat

It was actually when away from the sealed stuff though that I noticed the biggest differences with the feel of the engine. Much improved low down feel and despite having more torque it seemed easier to ride on gravel and dirt and any sort of lower speed off-road type stuff. Almost twin-like in power delivery down low compared to the old crank. Totally confidence inspiring in terms of hooking up – even if the unit I sampled came with relatively road oriented Battlax Adventure hoops which I thought was a little odd for the ‘Rally Pro’ model. Would have liked to get some more aggressive knobbies on there… next time perhaps.

2020 Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro

It’s worth mentioning for those who’ve yet to throw a leg one that the triples are a little wider than say, an 850 GS between the knees. But I really don’t see it as an issue. It’s not a limitation in any way for a bike of this size and type.

2020 Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro adjustable screen

Keen eyes will also spot the new adjustable front screen as it now has a nice little crossbar for you to push forward and adjust the height in one simple motion. Works nicely at full height too. No buffeting on the go which can be noticed by the taller riders amongst us on the older versions.

2020 Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro

The Showa kit at both ends also proved to be outstanding both on and off road. Both ends adjustable, the rear even with a remote pre-load adjuster with-in hands reach. Not that I needed to use it as I only rode solo and never loaded it up. Great progressive feel and feedback – again, most noticeable off-road in terms of the improvement over previous models. On the road it feels just as capable as ever, even with the 21-inch front. The amount of sportsbike riders who’ve been shown a clean pair of heels by a 21-inch fronted adventure bike with a half decent rider onboard is growing everyday…

2020 Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro

With the combo of that great engine and suspension feel it didn’t take me long before I was playing around with lurid, long third gear slides and fish-tails (once you figure out how to turn traction control off. More on that in a bit). It’s a joy to ride a flowing twisty gravel road on, letting the rear end loose on corner exit and then having it swing back the other way. If you’re into ripping big skids with total confidence, you’ll dig this. It’s just magic. And it’ll get you a decent distance on a larger 20-litre tank too, up from 18-litres. I was seeing pretty close to the quoted ~5L/100kms mark depending on how I was riding it. Slower gravel or more hardcore off road stuff that involved more skids sipped a bit harder, but you’d still comfortably reach past 320 kilometres on smooth gravel trips including said slidey shenanigans.

2020 Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro

The brakes are also excellent – a step up in terms of power from the previous kit – although I’d have liked a little less initial bite off road, when I had disabled the ABS. Probably only a pad change away from being perfect for serious adventure work. On tarmac they were great. I had both the ABS and TC working hard for me on the road section during the photography shoot and it was totally non intrusive and seamless. The only way I knew was the flashing light on the dash. The rear pedal gives you a little pulsing action to let you know you’re overstepping it, but otherwise you’d barely know you were being assisted.

Brembo Monobloc stoppers

Speaking of the new dash, it’s positively massive. And the screen quality itself is excellent. Great definition and readability, non reflective surface. But.. and here’s my only real beef with the bike, the dash design and layout is.. well I used the phrase ‘this makes me want to punch myself in the face’ when describing it more than once. So here’s a bit of a rant. The digital interface designer in me can’t understand how or why some of the screens and interactions were done the way they are. Some very strange choices for information on the screen. Too many options to scroll through to find stuff.

The way the screen layouts are on the Tiger 900 made Wayne grrrrr like a Tiger, nah not really, he just had a bit of a sook about it 🙂

The multi-direction button becomes a bit of a pain in the arse. Yes there are four choices of layout, but three of them have two copies of a mirrored weird looking tacho.. Why would anyone want that? The fourth layout still has the one messed up tacho design. One well designed layout would be much better than four duds. Put useful info on the screen instead. Hell even the range to empty number doesn’t align properly at low range with the other numbers on that display screen.

That does look a bit naff…

‘There’s no simple button to turn just the traction control off, it requires you to use the ‘Rider’ mode, which needs to be set up first. That is fine in itself I suppose, but to switch to it from say sport mode, you need to use a number of presses on the mode button, then confirm with a second button to activate it.. It shouldn’t be this hard for a bike with such a focus on going off road! And don’t reset everything and change the rider mode back to ‘Road’ every time I turn the key off – Leave it the way I bloody had it! I could go on. Triumph – I will design you a better dash and menu system. Seriously. Get in touch. They aren’t the only manufacturer failing with a multi directional type control on a TFT, but it’s as bad as I’ve seen.

Switchgear a little busy and not as intuitive as it could be

Now I’ll admit that I grew to ‘accept’ the annoyance of the dash layout, in the hope that it’s only a software update away from being improved. I’m an optimist after all. And to be fair it probably annoyed me even more because it stops the bike from scoring a pretty much perfect score! My only other gripe is that even when in neutral you still need the clutch to start it. Not sure when that became a thing, but it’s not a thing I want. Surely, the gearbox cut-out is enough. We’re not all bumbling idiots. Just more unnecessary stuff getting in the way.

2020 Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro

So where does that leave us? The original Tiger 800xc was an instant success when it launched. And for many, like myself, it leapt straight to the top of the middleweight adventure bike options. Subsequent updates from rival manufacturers had challenged that ranking but with the release of the new 900 Rally Pro, Triumph have once again produced a potential class leader in the hotly contested middleweight adventure bike category. It’s starting to get up there in price at just under $25k on road, but I don’t think it’s over-priced for what you get compared to its closest rivals (it comes standard with equipment that is a 4.5k option on the GS850 for instance – and that’s not including another couple of grand of equipment that you can’t get on the GS at all, the numbers are similar for the 790 Adventure R) . I’ve said it before, but we’re utterly spoilt for choice as riders right now.

2020 Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro

Enough writing. The suns out again. Time to go draw some wavy lines in the gravel before I have to give this beast back.

Wayne doesn’t want to give it back

Why I like it

The new 900cc engine with that uneven T plane crank. Just brilliant
One of the best quick shifters around
Overall chassis and suspension balance is near perfect
Feels like its made for third gear slides!
That engine and exhaust note… oof

I’d like it even more if

That dash design needs a serious rethink. Triumph – get in touch, I’m happy to help
Some of the switchgear positioning and controls could be better executed too
That’s literally it. It really is that good. Triumph won’t notice if I drop my old 800xc back to them instead will they..? It’s worth a shot…

The new 2020 Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro and Wayne’s 260,000 kilometre old Tiger 800 XC

2020 Triumph Tiger 900 Specifications

Type	Liquid-cooled, 12 valve, DOHC, in-line 3-cylinder
Capacity	888 cc
Bore / Stroke	78 mm / 61.9 mm
Compression	11.27:1
Power	95.2 PS / 93.9 bhp (70 kW) @ 8,750 rpm
Torque	87 Nm @ 7,250 rpm
System	Multipoint sequential electronic fuel injection
Exhaust	Stainless steel 3 into 1 header system, side mounted stainless steel silencer
Final Drive	O-ring chain
Clutch	Wet, multi-plate
Gearbox	6 speed
Frame	Tubular steel frame, bolt on sub frame
Swingarm	Twin-sided, cast aluminium alloy
Front Wheel	Cast alloy, 19 x 2.5 in
Rear Wheel	Cast alloy, 17 x 4.25 in
Front Tyre	100/90-19
Rear Tyre	150/70R17
Front Suspension	Marzocchi 45mm upside down forks, non-adjustable
Rear Suspension	Marzocchi rear suspension unit, manual preload adjustment, 170mm rear wheel travel
Front Brakes	Twin 320mm floating discs, Brembo Stylema 4 piston Monobloc calipers. Radial front master cylinder, ABS
Rear Brakes	Single Single 255mm disc. Brembo single piston sliding caliper, ABS255mm disc. Brembo single piston sliding caliper, ABS
Width Handlebars	830 mm
Height Without Mirror	1410-1460 mm
Seat Height	810-830 mm
Wheelbase	1556 mm
Rake	24.6 º
Trail	133.3 mm
Dry Weight	192 kg
Tank Capacity	20 L
Fuel Consumption	5.2l/100 km (55.4 MPG)
CO2 Figures	EURO 5 Standard: 119 g/km CO2 and fuel consumption are measured according to regulation 168/2013/EC. Figures on fuel consumption are derived from specific test conditions and are for comparative purposes only. They may not reflect real driving results.

2020 Triumph Tiger Rally Pro Images

Source: MCNews.com.au

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Trev’s TT Trip Part Four | Cornwall to Wales via Dartmoor

May 28, 2020 mcnews Leave a comment

Trev’s TT Trip 2018

There might not be any TT this year (2020) due to the plague, but I still thought it might be a great time to revisit my epic trip to the TT two years ago, 2018, and re-live a motorcycle journey that took in a fair bit of Great Britain, Wales, Ireland and of course, the Isle of Man itself. I hope you enjoy the ride…

Part Four
Cornwall to Wales via Dartmoor

After my uncle Mick cooked us a couple of bacon sangas for breakfast we hit the road out of Torpoint via a stretch of bends known by locals as the Torpoint Twisties. This is apparently a regular haunt of weekend warriors in the south of England, and one that has claimed more than a few lives.

Triumph Tiger XCa 800 at Torpoint

We then wound our way up in to Dartmoor National Park in Devon which quickly opened out into windswept open moorlands. This landscape was a little reminiscent of the highest and barest plains in the Australian high country, such as the section above Kiandra in the Snowy Mountains. But somehow appearing as even more barren despite obviously being more lush, as much as that seems a contradiction in terms…

There is not a lot up there apart from wildlife, and that includes horses and ponies roaming wild along with thousands of sheep who, for the most part, seem pretty road smart. It is quite enjoyable though and I would recommend a detour through the moors if you get a chance when visiting.

Wildlife on the moors of Dartmoor

Various bends open out to new vistas or a fresh surprise, such as a pub appearing from the middle of nowhere that we happened upon at Two Bridges.

Wistmans Wood – Two Bridges

Ancient tracks that have been made into roads wind their way to various places such as the Bronze Age settlement of Grimspound. The remnants of which still remain some 3000 years later in the shape of the base stones of long gone roundhouses still clearly evident in the landscape.

A sinuous and twisty single lane of blacktop provided a diversion to Lustleigh for lunch. A beautiful little village of 600 people that seemingly thrives primarily on tourism.

We then made for Canonteign Falls only to find that it had opening and closing hours, and that we were a little bit too late to make the cut off to be allowed in to the walking tracks that lead to the falls.

Thus back on the road it was to head out of the moors and skirt above Blackdown and Mendip Hills before bypassing Bristol then crossing the River Severn and up into Wales. This was now mainly highway running thus I dialled in the softer suspension set-up on the Explorer 1200 and just enjoyed the scenery.

After leaving the highway we then headed up towards the Brecon Beacons to take up our digs at an AirBnB in the impossible to pronounce Ystradgynlais. The name of the AirBnB itself, ‘Plas Cilybebyll’, also featured the traditional Welsh language naming that appears on almost every street sign in Wales, alongside the regular English nomenclature, as they strive to keep their native Cambrian language alive and in popular use.

Plas Cilybebyll

A 14th century Manor House, Plas Cilybebyll was just amazing. The AirBnB lodgings were on the adjacent old bakehouse which while maintaining the outwardly old world charm, also houses all the mod-cons inside.

This would be our digs for the next three nights and what absolutely bloody amazing digs they were. After arriving late in the evening we headed to a local pub for dinner then brought some grog and groceries on the way home.

Plas Cilybebyll

Our reason for staying in the one place for so long was that we were about to embark on a two-day ‘Triumph Adventure Experience’ in the Brecon Beacons National Park. And apart from going riding on the Triumph Adventure Experience, we never left the grounds of Plas Cilybebyll again as it proved too good to want to leave.

We simply cooked up in the well appointed kitchen and enjoyed drinks in the main living area, a room that I liked and enjoyed more than any room I have ever spent time in. Yes we paid for it, and thus I am not just talking up a journo freebie.

The hosts were brilliant, the place comfortable and well appointed, but also with a little something else so rarely found, but hard to put a finger on. It made quite an impression. When I first wrote this I stated that next time I find myself in Wales I will stay at Plas Cilybebyll again, unfortunately though the place has now been sold and the cottage we stayed in no longer available for rent.

Check out this video of Plas Cilybebyll and surroundings

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I will detail the Triumph Adventure experience in part five of the tales that detail this epic journey which then heads across to Ireland, before ferrying to the Isle of Man for the TT and then back across to England’s Lake and Peak Districts. Stay tuned…

Source: MCNews.com.au

Motorcycle News, News

Trev’s TT Trip Part Two | Hinckley to Chinnor

May 26, 2020 mcnews Leave a comment

Trev’s TT Trip 2018

There might not be any TT this year (2020) due to the plague, but I still thought it might be time to revisit my epic trip to the TT two years ago, 2018, and re-live a motorcycle journey that took in a fair bit of Great Britain, Wales, Ireland and of course, the Isle of Man itself. I hope you enjoy the ride…

Part Two
Hinckley to the old country…

After unpacking our riding gear and luggage in a spare room at Triumph HQ we then met our mounts that were to carry us through the southern parts of the UK, up in to Wales, across to Ireland and the Isle of Man, then back across to Britain’s Peak District.

2018 Triumph Tiger 1200 XCa

My primary machine was the latest and greatest of the Triumph Explorer range, the 1200 XCa, and my partner in crime was on the equivalent smaller sibling, the Tiger 800 XCa.

The new Triumph Tigers come with full colour instrumentation that responds to ambient light and is one of the best displays on the market

The headline changes for the new model year on the 1200 include a massive 11kg weight reduction for the 1200 along with a comprehensive suite of updated electronic features that include the latest WP semi-active suspension system, dubbed TSAS in Triumph lingo, a two-way quick-shifter and keyless ignition.

2018 Triumph Tiger 1200 XCa

Over the next 2300 miles it was to prove itself comfortable and adaptable to any situation, be that motorway, single lane back roads or the mud of the Brecon Beacons. This sort of adventure required an adventure capable motorcycle and the new Tiger 1200 XCa fitted the role perfectly.

2018 Triumph Tiger 1200 XCa

Both bikes were fitted out with Triumph’s Expedition luggage system which comprises of 1.5mm thick aluminium side panniers and top-box. All three boast 37-litres of volume and the top-box easily swallows a motorcycle helmet and then some. Even my Shoei Hornet adventure helmet complete with its large louvered peak slotted in without fuss.

Triumph Tiger 800 XCa Luggage

Even when pressure washing the bikes from all angles during the trip the panniers proved capable of preventing the ingress of water. Despite being washed numerous times elsewhere without incident, one particular wash-bay in Ireland saw its soap react in some way with the stainless steel finish on the 800 panniers, but not on the black finished panniers fitted to the 1200. Must have been some nasty solvents in that particular wash!

The piece de resistance of the luggage kit though is the optional inner bags, which I specificially, and somewhat cheekily, requested Triumph UK to provide. For those of you that have used hard luggage on motorcycles, but persist with inner bags not tailored to fit the dimensions of your panniers, I can’t over sell the extra convenience that specifically sized bags can add to a multi-stop journey.

Triumph Tiger Luggage – Trev loves inner bags for his panniers!

Basically after stuffing, forcing, coercing and swearing into fitting everything you can inside tailored inner bags, you can rest assured that they will then simply slide in or out of their panniers with zero fuss or hassle. Yes, I know, I am getting soft in my old age… But when two of your panniers are filled with work related gear, leaving only one left for the jocks and socks while away for almost a month, every little bit of convenience helps. The added amenity is appreciated every time it comes to unpacking at each stop or loading up for the next leg of the journey. Especially if you have to trudge up numerous flights of stairs with your gear, which on this journey ended up being more often than not!

Triumph Tiger Luggage

While the Triumph had two power sockets as standard I did not have the requisite adaptors to actually make use of them. I called into a Triumph dealer to see if they had the adaptors to take a normal cigarette lighter plug, or had in stock the handy dual USB adaptors that fit into the particular Hella style outlet used on most motorcycles, but it was to no avail. I have had the same problem on other brands and the reason they use the smaller plug is that they fit more securely, doesn’t help much when you can’t fit anything into them without adaptors though…

The extra, also standard, USB socket hidden under the seat was too far away to use as a power source for my phone if I was to mount the phone anywhere that I could use the navigation features from Google or Apple Maps. It would only be of use when connected to something inside the panniers to charge while riding, which didn’t help me in this instance.

DriRider ‘Navigator Mini’

I did have with me though a small universal DriRider ‘Navigator Mini’ tankbag and a small but powerful battery with a fast charging USB port.

DriRider ‘Navigator Mini’

This handy little tankbag fits almost any motorcycle, and despite the very angular shape of the top of the Tiger’s tank the suction cups reliably secured it in a convenient position. It was a godsend on this trip.

DriRider Navigator Mini

The final piece of the puzzle was the Quad Lock Motorcycle Mount. I have long used the Quad Lock cases on my phones but have generally only before taken advantage of the car mounts. The Navigator Mini tank-bag does have a prop stand inside it to hold a phone for navigation in better line of sight but with the Quad Lock I could position the phone right where I wanted it.

QuadLock Motorcycle Phone Mounting system

The more recent advent of the versatile motorcycle mount has made it really simple to use the advantages of modern smartphone navigation while riding. The mount comes with a couple of different inserts to suit different sized bars and includes the allen key required to affix it. It proved flawless during the trip and for the money can’t be beat. Most Aussie motorcycle shops now stock them.

QuadLock Motorcycle Phone Mounting system

A short USB cable from the tankbag to power the phone from the battery bank in the Dririder Navigator Mini and we were set to hit the road with some chance of not getting lost.

After leaving Triumph’s Hinckley factory we negotiated a circuitous route towards Chinnor, a village in Oxfordshire that myself and my family emigrated from when we moved to Australia in 1982.

The first destination I plugged into the Google Maps was Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of the most famous bard of all, William Shakespare. A very pretty town in Warwickshire on, funnily enough, the River Avon. We had not got out of Triumph until late in the afternoon and the traffic as we entered the town centre was diabolical. I was keen to get out of there as soon as possible and hit some backroads away from the throng of cars that clogged all the main arterial roads at this peak hour of day.

Triumph Tiger 1200 XCa Trev

A run down through Alderminster, Long Compton and Wootton ensued before joining the M40 at Weston-on-the-Green and flowing along with the traffic at a comfortable 80mph (129km/h), despite the 70mph (113km/h) limit. Policing here is obviously, and sensibly, not quite as speed obsessed as Australia.

Fuel is certainly expensive though! While away I had been following the recent reports of fuel prices in most Australian cities spiking to around $1.50 but during our whole time in the UK we were paying almost twice that. At an average price of around $1.30 GBP per litre, to fill from empty both the 20-litre tank on the 1200 and the 19-litre tank of the 800 cost around 100 Australian dollars. Jaysus…

With that shock behind us we eventually left the M40 at Lewknor and approached the place of my early childhood via Aston Rowant and Kingston Blount.

Stopped for a photo but with google maps on the phone didn’t really need to take any pointers from it.

Despite leaving Chinnor for Perth not long after turning nine, I was surprised at how easily the layout of the village came back to me. My family was always heavily associated with the Chinnor Football Club and the accompanying social life, thus my inherent navigational reference points that came back to the forefront of my mind were the football pitches and pubs, a lot of which no longer remain in use as pubs but have instead been converted to shops or other less useful purposes. But I certainly couldn’t remember the roads having a tenth of the traffic that they have now, let alone the parked cars blocking half of all the main streets. A quick lap of my early childhood stomping grounds is shown in the video below and finishes at our last house before moving to Australia. A house my father built and where at about age six I did what I could to help and also laid my first brick!

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The very obviously now un-PC named Black Boy that I spent time in with my mother as she cleaned it each day was now an antique shop. I remembed it is as quite a grand building but like almost everything that I saw as I laid eyes on in Chinnor for the first time in over 30 years, was a lot smaller and less stately than I recalled. Including St Andrew’s Primary School, which I had quite fond memories of and reminisced about the fantastic hot school dinners (lunches) that were served up each day, or mucking about in the snow, or clearing drifts of same to create ice runways to slide along. Gee I must have wrecked some school shoes back then, was crap at tying the shoelaces of them too I seem to remember…

St Andrew’s Church, Chinnor

One exception to the smaller than what I remember rule was the quite grand, for a village of only a few thousand people, St Andrew’s Church.

Chinnor itself is said to have commenced its existence under that name over a thousand years ago, while the first sections of the current church building were established in the 13th century. A restoration was undertaken in the mid 1860s but by and large, the church building is essentially 800 years old and constructed from stone and flint.

St Andrew’s Church, Chinnor

My parents were married there in 1962 and despite our family being largely irreligious, I was christened there more than ten years later. Its gargoyle like spouting adds a somewhat creepy note to what is an otherwise quite glorious building that clearly points out just how relatively young Australian history is in comparison.

St Andrew’s Church, Chinnor

I was also able to ride directly to the last house we lived in before emigrating, and to the gates of the farm I used to spend so much time exploring as a young kid, all from memory. The paddocks were smaller than I remembered, some of the chalk mounds were no longer, and my favourite Horse Chestnut tree had seemingly made way for houses. Horse Chestnut trees were an important part of a young kid’s life back in the day as the nuts coerced from them facilitated our games of conkers.

A hole is drilled through the nut via which a piece of string is threated through it. Various tricks were employed to try and harden the conker, the most common of which was boiling it in vinegar. Players take turns hitting each others conker as one player dangles their conker for the other to strike. Eventually one conker gives way and your prize conker earns another scalp that adds to its tally of victories.

Conkers are found inside a spiny casing on Horse Chestnut Trees

A bit different than being given an iPad to play with these days…

After the quick memory lap it was off to my Uncle Alan’s place where we would spend the night. Alan works as a disabled access officer for the local council, a position for which he is eminently qualified, as he has walked with the aid of crutches for essentially his entire life due to cerebral palsy. Thus getting around has never been easy for Alan, but in all my memories of him he has rarely allowed that to dampen his genuinely striking sense of humour, the likes of which can only be generated via a quick and impressive intellect. Thus it is no surprise that he is the resident Quiz Master in the local area and the person called upon when quiz night questions or the like need setting.

It was my pleasure to take him out for a few pints in the company of ‘the twins’, my cousins Sarah and Jane, that I have very fond memories of from my early childhood. And yes, the beer was much too warm for my liking, but I was thirsty…

Next stop, Cornwall via Stonehenge and the Jurassic Coast.

Source: MCNews.com.au

Motorcycle News, News

Trev’s 2018 TT Trip Part One | Triumph Factory Visit

May 25, 2020 mcnews Leave a comment

Trev’s TT Trip 2018

Part One
Triumph Factory Visitor Experience

After flying into London and being picked up by family friends we eventually made our way to Triumph’s global headquarters and primary manufacturing base at Hinckley. Situated roughly halfway between Leicester and Birmingham, Triumph HQ is surrounded by various other commerical buildings set amongst a large industrial complex known as Dodwells Road Industrial Estate.

Triumph Factory Experience

After acquiring the rights to the Triumph brand after the company went bust in 1983, British property developer and construction magnate John Bloor set about rebuilding the company from the ground up. Bloor initiated the build of a modern factory on a ten acre site in Hinckley. The new generation of Triumph Motorcycles that started rolling out of the factory in 1991 have forever been coined ‘Hinckley Triumphs’, signalling the fact that these machines are the Triumphs of a new generation.

Triumph Production Line

Early in 2002 a major fire destroyed the Hinckley plant just before the 100 year anniversary of the Triumph brand was to be celebrated. Being in the construction business allowed Bloor to rebuild at a pace that was quite astonishing. Six months after the destruction the factory was up and running again.

Triumph Factory Experience

Four years later another more modern factory was commissioned into service and the following year yet another manufacturing premises joined the portfolio. That inventory now includes another manufacturing base in Thailand to further raise overall manufacturing capacity for the brand.

Triumph Production Line

While visiting to pick up two brand new examples of Triumph’s Hinckley handiwork, top of the range Explorer XCa models in both 800cc and 1200cc variants, it provided the perfect opportunity to tour the factory while it was running in full production, and also to check out the recently launched ‘Triumph Factory Visitor Experience’.

Triumph Factory Experience Model H

Our cameras were not allowed inside the factory while it worked. EU regulations concerning the right to privacy of the workers etc being cited as the primary reason behind those restrictions, thus the above production line images are Triumph supplied.

Triumph Factory Experience – A heavily modified Bobber with the engine reversed

Nonetheless it was an interesting insight that provided a great background of the manufacturing process in what is very much a state of the art facility. Customers can also book this workshop floor tour but you will need to do this well in advance, as they completely fill quite regularly. In fact, our tour was a private affair outside of the normal routine as all scheduled factory tour timeslots are booked out for the next three months!

Triumph Factory Experience – Turbocharged Bobber

While there is a 15-pound fee for the booked tour of the workshop floor, the all new and interactive Triumph Factory Visitor Experience is free of charge and open Wednesday through Sunday.

Triumph Factory Visitor Experience was unveiled in late February 2018 year by Prince William

Unveiled in late February 2018 by Prince William, this new museum style experience is showcased across two levels in various exhibits. After entering via a paved ‘Walk of Fame’ style entrance you arrive at the handsomely decorated ‘1902 Cafe’.

Triumph Factory Experience 1902 Cafe

As you would expect, refreshments are available for purchase and can be enjoyed amongst tasteful surroundings complete with a wall adorned by the various generations of Hinckley built engines alongside various other pieces of memorabilia. I really liked this touch.

Triumph Factory Experience

From there you can wander through various exhibits that showcase the history of Triumph Motorcycles through all its ages. Many of the motorcycles are on loan from private collectors but all have one thing in common, they are pristine and amongst the best surviving examples of their respective breeds.

Triumph Factory Experience

All are accompanied by explanatory placards detailing the machine. Many are also supported by striking multimedia and video productions projected on tastefully decorated walls.

Triumph Factory Experience

In the aim of bringing people back again and again there will be different themes focussed on from time to time, ensuring the experience does not grow stale and predictable.

Triumph Factory Experience

The current showcase during our visit was dubbed ‘Legends of Bonneville’ and featured a number of rare examples of a model that is one of the most famous in motorcycling and straddles a 60-year lineage.

Other interesting exhibits included a Triumph Speed Triple broken down into major components all mounted to a wall.

Triumph Factory Experience

Another feature wall showed the six stages of casting and machining that go into forming the upper crankcase of a Triumph Street Triple.

Triumph Factory Experience

Each step is explained along the way, from the sources of the parent materials through to the die-casting and powder coating techniques before moving on to the CNC machining.

The various electronic systems of the latest Tiger 1200 are also showcased on an otherwise bare frame as the mounting point for the various sensors and computers that help control everything from the engine management systems to ABS, traction control and the associated electronics for the TSAS semi-active suspension system.

Triumph Factory Experience

Clay modelling techniques and examples are introduced in yet another exhibit area, thus the Triumph Factory Visitor Experience is not just about looking at motorcycles themselves, but also serves as an educational tool that should see school groups make use of the facility.

Triumph Factory Experience

As far as eye candy went it was the 1909 TT Racer with all of its 3.5 horsepower generated from a 490 cc single that won my heart. While eminently beautiful in its simplicity, that would certainly be some sort of next level Triumph Experience to ride!

Triumph Factory Experience 1909 TT Racer

Of the modern generation I must admit that it surprises me just how well the Daytona T595 has aged. I was not completely enamoured with its styling back in its day of 1996, but there is certainly something that really pulls me towards to it now.

Triumph Factory Experience Daytona T595

Despite the huge fan base behind the first generation of the Hinckley Speed Triples I think that perhaps it will instead be the T595 that becomes the most collectible Triumph of the modern era.

Triumph Factory Experience Speed Triple

Triumph has long been popular in movie use and what is possibly the most valuable Triumph in existence today takes pride of place in its own exhibit. A recent ‘barn find’ was the actual 1962 TR6 Triumph Trophy ridden by Steve McQueen in The Great Escape.

1962 TR6 Triumph Trophy ridden by Steve McQueen in The Great Escape

Built back in the day by expert trials rider Ken Heanes and designed to, at first glance, look like a 1930s German military motorcycle. The bike was ridden by racer and stunt rider Bud Ekins to make that infamous 65-foot long and 12-foot high barbed wire fence jump that is perhaps the most iconic motorcycle stunt ever to make it on to the big screen.

Now fully restored and part of the extensive Dick Shepherd collection the value of the machine is estimated to reach into the many millions of whatever currency you care to use.

Amongst the upstairs exhibits there is also a Triumph shop to stock up on a wide range of Triumph branded merchandise.

Triumph Factory Experience Shop

The Triumph Factory Visitor Experience is a free walk-in affair open Wednesday through Sunday from 1000 to 1630 but Friday evenings sees the centre open until 1900. The doors are closed on Monday and Tuesdays but are open on Public Holidays.

Part Two of our trip sees us leave Hinckley and head south to Chinnor, the Oxfordshire village I left behind at age nine when emigrating to Australia with my family.

Source: MCNews.com.au

Motorcycle News, News

Triumph Scrambler 1200 Bond Edition

May 22, 2020 mcnews Leave a comment

The first fruit borne from Triumph’s collaboration with EON Productions for the 25th James Bond film, No Time To Die, was revealed overnight in the form of a Scrambler 1200 Bond Edition.

Exhaust number board and lower side panel finisher with 007 branding

Limited to 250 units, only seven of which are heading to Australia, the blacked out Scrambler will be pitched at $27,100 +ORC when they land here this August.

Triumph Scrambler 1200 Bond Edition

We here at MCNews.com.au really rate the Scrambler 1200 XE that this new special edition is based on, check out our full review on the model here.

Triumph Scrambler 1200 Bond Edition

The Bond Edition steps up the exclusivity level with 007 logos featured throughout the bike, including a Bond start-up sequence on Triumph’s second generation TFT screen.

007 start-up sequence on the TFT dash The Bond logo also makes it onto the genuine leather seat. Black anodized rear and high-level front mudguard Gold accented engine badging Black powder-coated swingarm and sprocket cover Triumph Scrambler 1200 Bond Edition Triumph Scrambler 1200 Bond Edition

The engine is the same big 1200 cc 27-degree parallel twin we are accustomed to in the Scrambler XE with 90 horsepower and 110 Nm of torque and in the Bond Edition has the full suite of six riding modes including Off-Road Pro that disables both the lean-angle sensitive traction control and ABS systems.

Triumph Scrambler 1200 Bond Edition

Showa provide the 47 mm fully-adjustable forks while Ohlins supplies the dual piggyback shocks, both ends have a generous 250 mm of travel.

Triumph Scrambler 1200 Bond Edition

The Triumph Scrambler 1200 Bond Edition will be available in Australia from August at $27,190 plus on road costs but you would have to get in quick as only seven of the machines are expected to arrive Down Under.

Source: MCNews.com.au

Motorcycle News, News

Triumph screens 007 Scrambler edition

May 21, 2020 mcnews Leave a comment

Triumph has announced a new Scrambler 1200 007 Edition to cash in on its star billing in the 25th James Bond film, No Time to Die, to hit the screens in November.

The British company would have a paid a tidy sum for their first 007 film product placement which included the Scrambler 1200 and Tiger 900.

Tiger 900

But the limelight has been dimmed a little. They claim they are the only motorcycle in the partnership, but there is also a Ducati Scrambler in the trailer.

And the film was to have been screened in April before this limited edition model was released.

However, the film’s release has been pushed back to November because of the pandemic.

007 edition

The Bond 007 edition Scrambler 1200 is limited to 200 units and costs a whopping $A27,100.

That compares with the road-based XC at $20,300 (plus on-road costs) and the off-road-oriented XE at $21,700.

Each Bond Edition motorcycle has a unique billet riser clamp with laser-etched individual edition numbering and comes with a special Bond Handover Pack that includes a numbered certificate of authenticity hand-signed by Triumph’s CEO Nick Bloor.

Of course, there is 007 branding, a special 007 “shutter” startup screen message, black anodized mudguards, grab rail, sump guard, and infills, black powder-coated swingarm and sprocket cover, an Arrow muffler with carbon fiber tips, a stainless steel headlight grilled, and black rear wheel adjusters.

There are no performance updates, except the muffler.

The engine is the same 1200cc parallel-twin with 66.2kW of power and 110Nm of torque.

Product placement

Filming No Time to Die

The price for product placement in a movie can be up to about $A500,000, but for a Bond film it can be a whole lot more.

In fact, Heineken is believed to have paid $A65 Million to get Bond character Daniel Craig to sip their beer instead of a martini in the 2015 film, Spectre.

So we have no idea how much Triumph has paid to have the modified Scrambler 1200 and Tiger 900 included.

Craig’s stunt double on the Triumph Scrambler 1200

So why is a baddy riding an 803cc Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled in the main chase scene?

Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled

Bond film espionage?

Has Ducati snuck in some free screen time in an apt case of Bond film espionage or did they pay, too?

Or is this a deliberate effort by Triumph to make their scrambler competitor look bad by being associated with buddies while their Scrambler is associated with the hero?

Bond movies are usually associated with exotic cars, but motorcycles have also featured over the years.

Most have been BMW vehicles, although there was a run of Ford-owned cars for a while, including Aston Martin.

Good to see Bond back in an Aston Martin DB5 for No Time To Die (with a Ducati in pursuit)

Bond rode a three-wheeled Honda US90 in 1971’s Diamonds Are Forever, a Cagiva W16 in 1995’s Goldeneye and a BMW R 1200 C cruiser in the Vietnam chase scene in the ’97 Bond film, Tomorrow Never Dies.

Bond slides a BMW cruiser

There was also a Honda Montesa Cota 4RT in the 2008 Quantum of Solace and Aussie stunt rider Robbie Maddison road a Honda CRF2050R across Istanbul rooftops in 2012’s Skyfall.

Meanwhile, BMW has dominated the Mission Impossible and Jason Bourne movie franchises and Ducati has not been shy about product placement with the Venom and CHiPs movies.

Of course, Triumph has probably the most memorable motorcycle scene from any movie.

Their TR6 was used as a Nazi BMW in the chase scene in 1963 film, The Great Escape.

Former TT racer and larrikin daredevil Guy Mart in plans to replicate that jump on a Triumph Scrambler 1200 this Sunday (8 December 2019).

Guy practises for his jump attempt

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Motorcycle News, News

2013-2017 Triumph Trophy models recalled for wiring issue

May 6, 2020 mcnews Leave a comment

Motorcycle Recall Notice

PRA No. – 2020/18297
Date published – 6 May 2020
Campaign number -SRAN 574

Supplier – PS Importers Pty Ltd
Traders who sold this product – Australian Triumph dealers
Where the product was sold – Nationally
Dates available for sale – 1 December 2012 – 30 June 2017

Triumph Trophy (2013-2017)
Triumph Trophy SE (2013-2017)

Click here for VIN List

Model Years 2019-2020

174 affected motorcycles

What are the defects?

If not routed correctly, the wires exiting the ignition switch may be damaged by contact with the front brake hose.

What are the hazards?

If the wires are damaged, motorcycle lighting may be lost unexpectedly or the engine may stall, increasing the risk of an accident or injury to the rider and other road users.

What should consumers do?

Owners of affected motorcycles will be contacted by mail to arrange a time to bring their motorcycles to a Triumph dealer for a repair, free of charge.

To find a Triumph dealer, visit https://www.triumphmotorcycles.com.au/dealers/find-a-dealer

Triumph Trophy SE

Source: MCNews.com.au

Motorcycle News, News

2020 Triumph Rocket 3 Review | Rocket 3 GT and R Tested

April 1, 2020 mcnews Leave a comment

Motorcycle Test By Trevor Hedge

The original Rocket III made quite a splash with its gargantuan 2.3-litre triple back in 2004. Starting out as something of a naked roadster, with a difference, before developing a touring style bent with more comfort, wind protection and other travel related accoutrements in the Rocket III Touring. The model line has been fairly popular in Australia with more than 2200 Rocket III machines hitting Australian roads.

Triumph Rocket III History – Click to enlarge in new window

For 2020 the Rocket III has now changed its moniker to Rocket 3 and has had its biggest ever revamp. It is essentially all-new, and most definitely a major leap forward in every respect while packing a much bigger punch than before. It is now offered in two models, Rocket 3 R and Rocket 3 GT. Their respective catchcrys are ‘ultimate muscle roadster’ for the R, while the GT is given the tag line ‘built to go further, in more comfort’.

2020 Triumph Rocket 3 R and Rocket 3 GT – The GT is seen here with passenger back-rest

Triumph Australia have priced the new arrivals at $27,990 for the R, and $28,990 for the GT. For that you’re getting some pretty epic bang for the buck. I should also highlight just how much cheaper the Rockets are to buy here than in the UK. Brits have to fork out 20,000 pounds for these machines which works out to almost 40k in our money.

Triumph Rocket 3 R is a handsome beast but misses out on the milled face rims that adorn the GT

And bang, jaysus there is some bang. Let’s start with the engine, it is all about the engine. I mean just look at the thing, it is all engine!

What brought home to me just how bloody strong and effortless the low down pull from the Rocket 3 is was jumping back on the long term KTM 1290 Super Adventure S after two days on the Triumph. Less than an hour after getting off the big triple I headed home on the KTM and as I wound the throttle on to pull away it felt like twisting the throttle of a Royal Enfield…

Triumph Rocket 3 GT front of shot with accessory bags, luggage rack and pillion back-rest

Seriously, the KTM LC8 engine is one of the most epic in motorcycling, and truly hedonistic once the revs rise, but I had never before had the feeling that the rush of torque on the KTM had any sort of real delay, but now all of a sudden it really did feel like I was waiting for the grunt to arrive… This is an engine with 108 Nm of torque at 2500 rpm, now all of a sudden it felt pretty lifeless until the tacho swept past 6000 rpm on the way to its peak twist of 140 Nm at 6750 rpm. The last of the big twin Ducati sports-bikes, the 1299 Panigale R Final Edition makes about the same torque as the KTM but at a much higher 9000 rpm, so it would feel even more breathless down low than the Austrian when compared to the Brit.

Rocket 3 does not naturally lift the front on its own due to the rear suspension linkage lay-out and takes some coaxing to lift rather than spin

By 2500 rpm the Rocket 3 is already making 200 Nm on its way to a 221 Nm peak at 4000 rpm. That 2500 rpm figure understates why all of a sudden it felt as though I was waiting for the kick from the KTM. Just off idle the Triumph is already generating way more meaningful thrust than any sporting motorcycle musters anywhere in their RPM range.

I guess a lot of people interested in the Rocket 3 would be instead measuring it against the latest and greatest from Harley-Davidson. Now I don’t think anyone has ever described a Harley as powerful, but they do grunt pretty well off the bottom. The latest Milwaukee-Eight engines make 160Nm of torque at a relatively early 3500 rpm but compared to the prodigious pull of the Triumph the H-D still feels very poorly endowed. Just off idle the Rocket 3 is already making more torque than the Harley makes at its peak, and then rockets through to a power peak that is almost double that of the American bike…

Triumph Rocket 3 R steers quite well considering that fat 240/50-16 rear hoop

Really though, it is not until you jump off the Triumph and on to something else you thought was grunty, before you realise just how much bigger the Brits balls are. The smooth power delivery of the Rocket 3 serves to understate just how strong it actually is. You know it has plenty of stick, but you just don’t realise just how big that stick is until you compare it to something else back to back. Simply put, the fact of the matter is that nothing can hold a candle to the Rocket 3 when it comes to effortless shove.

And you can use all of that grunt, all of it, all of the time.

The front hoop is of a somewhat more regular size than the fat rear and measures 150/80-17

The beauty of all that twist being so low in the rev range means you get to enjoy it from every stop sign or traffic light. Your not sailing past the national speed limit before you get to feel that mighty torque shove. Sure, in top gear the Rocket 3 is only turning 2000 rpm at 100 km/h, but you do get to spin it up to peak torque a few times on the way there without the threat of having your motorcycle confiscated by the fun police for a month in the process.

For such a massive engine the gearbox and clutch is surprisingly slick and really does make a mockery of the archaic shift mechanisms we suffer through on the big twin cruisers. The shaft drive system negates the need for chain or belt maintenance and overall the whole drivetrain feels very polished indeed.

Triumph Rocket 3 GT with accessory bags, pillion back-rest and luggage rack

The shaft-drive is new for 2020 as is the more precisely engineered helical cut gearbox and torque-assist hydraulic clutch. Pretty much everything inside the crank-cases has also changed, as have the crank-cases themselves.

Despite the significant increase in capacity Triumph have shaved 18 kilograms off the engine and a total of 32 kg from the drivetrain as a whole. They are some pretty massive numbers and indicate that Triumph has really put everything they have learned in recent years into the new generation Rocket 3.

Above 4000 rpm, incidentally by which time you are doing over 170 km/h and still 3000 rpm from red-line, a few vibes can be felt, but below that it is a very smooth experience.

Triumph Rocket 3 R handles pretty well

The only other mild criticism I can level against the drivetrain is that the Rocket 3 could bring a little more theatre to the riding experience. This could be easily remedied by a set of aftermarket pipes adding dramaturgy to the histrionics.

On the pipe score however, top marks must go the stylists for getting the look of the headers just right. They are the styling master-stroke of the whole machine and punch your optic nerve right every time. I just wish the auditory nerve was hit as hard. There is a bit of crackle and pop on over-run that adds to the experience but it would be nice to hear it exhale fully under power.

2020 Triumph Rocket 3 R hydroformed headers are beautiful

Surely it can’t be long until someone hangs a turbo off those headers? I mean they are out in the breeze just begging to blow through a snail and at only 10.8:1 compression the stock engine could probably handle a bit of boost.

2020 Triumph Rocket 3 airbox is fed via the front of the frame

Plumbing that compressed air back around the other side to the air-box and triumvirate of throttle bodies might be a little harder though, and your right leg might get a bit warm… Still, I am sure some glorious bastard has a turbo system in development right now, and all power to those up for such a task, may the force be with you…

Trev made a little too much smoke by going up a few gears so had to roll out of this one as nobody could see the bike…

The new chassis seems largely up to the job. The new aluminium frame is stronger but 50 per cent lighter than before. All up the new generation Rocket 3 is 40 kg lighter than its predecessor. It even turns reasonably well considering it wears a fat 240/50-16 Avon Cobra rear hoop. If you get up to the sort of lark pictured here you will be glad to know that rear wheel removal is a simple five nuts and off it comes affair, with nothing else to remove in order to get the rear wheel out.

Triumph Rocket 3 R smoking it up at the Rob Roy HillClimb Circuit

The forks cope with big hits fairly well but the same can’t be said of the rear shock. Rear suspension design is always a compromise on machines such as these and while the lay-down shock appears to be a high-specification Showa unit that is fully-adjustable and sports a piggyback reservoir, it only has 107 mm of rear wheel travel to play with and that is always going to be a big ask on our shitty roads. Preload adjustment is by hand-wheel which makes dialling in some more spring support an easy task but still, big hits make their way through to the rider. The hits come harder on the GT due to its more upright riding position.

Triumph Rocket 3 piggyback shock and hydraulic pre-load adjuster

Don’t get me wrong, the Rocket 3 handles like brilliantly compared to anything cruiser based. There is no wallow or twist, just don’t expect the cornering prowess afforded by a sports-touring bike or adventure machine.

Triumph Rocket 3 handles well enough and is well ahead of anything cruiser based. Ground clearance is pretty good

On smoother tarmac the package works well enough but if carrying a pillion you would want to hope they were light. On the passenger score, the way the pillion pegs fold out when needed, yet disappear into the flanks of the machine when not is a particularly brilliant piece of design that I am sure will be copied by manufacturers the world over.

The pillion pegs fold away so neatly that you don’t even know they are there

It isn’t the easiest of bikes to master in regards to tight parking manoeuvres as despite the throttle being wonderfully smooth once opened, the initial pick-up from closed reminds you that a whole lot of engine is spinning underneath you. I am sure a more deft touch could be developed by the rider if on one all the time though.

Triumph Rocket 3 has pretty good ground clearance

Through sweeping bends it holds a line well and is agile enough to inputs despite its long wheelbase and relaxed rake.

On the comfort scale the Rocket 3 fares pretty well also. The seat is well designed and offers great support in all the right places. The GT gets a more comfort oriented seat but both options give little to complain about. The seat on the R is 773 mm from terra firma while the GT rider sits almost a full inch lower at 750 mm.

2020 Triumph Rocket 3 GT gets a nice milled finish on the rims

The GT also gets a slightly larger but still fairly minimalist windscreen while the rims score a milled face that stands out a little more from the all-black finish the R has on its rims.

Triumph Rocket 3 R rims miss out on the milled finish seen on the GT rims

I expected to hate the forward foot controls on the GT but they actually grew on me. The relatively generous ground clearance is not compromised, nor is shift quality or brake operation. That must have took a lot of work to get right and kudos to Triumph for not cutting corners and doing things half-arsed. The pegs can also be moved through three settings that tailor the reach by 25 mm each way.

2020 Triumph Rocket 3 GT

The mid controls of the R are adjustable through 15mm in the vertical axis and while they feel the most natural at first, I am actually a little torn between which lay-out I preferred. Kits are available from Triumph to put the forward controls from the GT on to the R, and vice-versa.

2020 Triumph Rocket 3 R and Rocket 3 GT have different riding positions but both are quite amenable

The reach to the bars also presents a stark difference between the two models with the GT bars more upswept and a much easier reach than the R, which has its grips 125 mm further forward. The stretch to the bars on the R felt a little long at first, but I soon became accustomed to it and didn’t find them uncomfortable at any point during our two days on the bikes. Neither lay-out is particularly extreme and thus both prove quite agreeable. Again, home work has been done well and there are further nice touches like the wiring being ran internally through the bars to clean up the look of the cockpit. Nice.

2020 Triumph Rocket 3 R cockpit is nicely finished

High-end Brembo Stylema radial mount calipers are pukka sports-bike level stoppers and do the business well. The fronts are aided by a generously sized 300 mm rear which is also a radial mount four-piston Brembo thanks to the ingenious way it mounts to the single side swing-arm. Both ends are powerful and progressive.

2020 Triumph Rocket 3 scores top shelf Brembo Stylema stopper rather than the more budget Brembo offerings

The nicely sculpted and finished fuel tank holds 18-litres of go juice which is handy as the big donk doesn’t mind a sip. Our riding was not exactly done with economy in mind, we burned around eight litres per 100 kilometres but if ridden normally I am sure that would drop to under seven or better, making a 250 kilometre touring range feasible.

2020 Triumph Rocket 3 R fuel tank is 18 litres, and it doesn’t mind a sip…

Full-colour TFT instrumentation is comprehensive, works well and is angle adjustable to suit riders of differing heights. Keyless ignition is standard, and the electronically operated steering lock is activated at the touch of a button. The GT also scores heated grips as standard while they are a $329 plus fitting option on the R.

2020 Triumph Rocket 3 R

Triumph’s long awaited bluetooth functionality has finally arrived and delivers turn-by-turn navigation instructions via the display. The system is driven via a paired phone running the ‘My Triumph’ app and is an optional ($295 + fitting) extra via a connectivity module. This also facilitates integrated phone and music controls via the left bar when a bluetooth equipped helmet is paired to the system. Your GoPro camera can also be paired to the system and controlled via the bars.

Switchgear works well enough

Cruise control is standard across both models along with four riding modes and top shelf Continental IMU driven lean-angle sensitive ABS and traction control systems. Hill hold control is also standard as is an under-seat USB power source.

Triumph Rocket 3 R and some slghtly older automotive art

The LED headlights look striking with their eyebrow daytime running lights and the LED theme continues throughout from front to back in all the lighting systems. Tyre-pressure monitoring ($389) and a quick-shifter ($499) are also available on the options list.

2020 Triumph Rocket 3 GT

Strapping luggage to the Rocket looks as though it would be problematic but Triumph have a smart range of integrated options that add useful amenity to the bike for commuting or touring duties.

Both bikes tip the scales just over 290kg dry but you never really feel that heft as the bike hides its mass well.

Triumph Rocket 3 armoury

You really have to give the Triumph guys kudos. The bean counters have allowed the engineers the freedom to deliver all those very smart touches that make the Rocket 3 that little bit special.

Compare the engineering smarts of the big triple to American iron and it really does make the Yanks look more than a bit silly. I sincerely hope Triumph give us a more dressed bagger model formed from the sturdy and well engineered back bone of the Rocket 3.

2020 Triumph Rocket 3 R and GT

Triumph’s new generation Rocket 3 is strikingly handsome and has the balls to back up its machismo looks, all the while displaying a polish and poise that makes the whole package exude a certain level of quality. I think these traits will engender pride of ownership and satisfaction in anyone that hands over their hard earned to take one home for good.

Triumph Rocket 3 R

Triumph Rocket 3 R/GT Specifications

Source: MCNews.com.au

Motorcycle News, News

Interview with Peter Stevens Managing Director Paul Chiodo

February 19, 2020 mcnews Leave a comment

Australian Motorcycle Industry News

Some big news broke last week with Peter Stevens announcing the sale of its famous Elizabeth Street premises to a Chinese backed developer for $31.5 million.

While businesses regularly change premises for various reasons, few have the history behind them that the Peter Stevens motorcycle precinct situated at the top of the Melbourne CBD enjoys and thus the move signifies the end of an era for motorcycle retailing in Melbourne.

Even those of us that do not hail from Victoria, but have simply visited Melbourne over the years, have marvelled at the motorcycles on the footpath outside the Elizabeth Street string of motorcycle shops. The first of those stores came under Peter Stevens stewardship some 44-years ago and were followed in time by also bringing the neighbouring two sites into the P.S. portfolio.

Peter Stevens sell Elizabeth street premises

For me the history angle of the sale holds just as much interest as the financial reasons behind the deal. I would not be on my Pat Malone on that score.

My own first visit to window shop and ogle shiny new motorcycles on Elizabeth Street was as a fresh faced Western Australian 16-year-old navy recruit visiting Melbourne for the first time. My first ever weekend leave from recruit school had me heading into the big smoke after catching the train into the CBD from Crib Point down near HMAS Cerberus. As a motorcycle mad kid it was only natural I would gravitate towards this shiny row of motorcycles on the footpath as I trod my way around Melbourne for the first time.

The Elizabeth Street motorcycle precinct though dates back to even before Peter Stevens, as motorcycles have been retailed on Elizabeth Street for over 100 years. Motorcycle meets were staged on Elizabeth Street from the 1890s and the Milledge Brothers opened the first motorcycle shop on the street in 1903. It would not be out of order to suggest that more than a million motorcycles have hit the streets from those stores in that time.

Elizabeth Street Motorcycle sales precinct celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2003

One would imagine a fair percentage of people working across many facets of the motorcycle industry across Australia would have spent at least some of their time working in those shops.

Hundreds if not thousands of apprentices would have learned their trade as motorcycle mechanics in these stores.

A major fire in the Harley Heaven store in late 2002 caused extensive damage to the building and saw the store gutted. Major refurbishment works were required before the doors could be opened again.

The reasons for the sale are, no doubt, many, including the never ending and problematic tunnel works for new train lines and the increasing focus towards making the Melbourne CBD a much more pedestrian, tram and cyclist only space. Traffic congestion and space constraints has already seen the service departments of the Elizabeth Street stores moved out to Peter Steven’s Kensington Street complex.

Peter Stevens sell Elizabeth street premises

Peter Stevens Group Managing Director Paul Chiodo is the second generation of the Chiodo family of brothers that originally started the Peter Stevens Motorcycles operation some 50 years ago.

The 44-year history of the Elizabeth Street stores is deeply entwined with his own family history, a lineage that started in Australia when his grandfather Anthony emigrated from Italy early last century and started one of Melbourne’s first specialist Italian grocery stores.

No matter how much sense the sale undoubtedly makes from a business angle, it still must have been a major wrench for the Chiodo family, on a personal level, to sign off on a significant part of their history.

Paul Chiodo – “There are two aspects that have driven us to sell the property, they are equal to each other really. The complexities of retailing in the CBD, we are the last ones there with Yamaha City, for good reason. There are not really any motorcycle shops in the CBD of major cities. The council does everything they can to make things difficult for us, I am not sure whether that is intentional or not intentional, but the city is changing. The huge number of apartments and the changing nature of the area, we are some of the last retail stores in that precinct which has now largely been overtaken with the service industry and cafes etc. rather than a retail environment.

“Tonight at council there is going to be a vote whether to prevent motorcycles from being able to park on the pavements in the CBD. I am not sure whether that will go through but it likely will. We have always parked motorcycles out the front of the stores, used bikes, so that might no longer be an option after tonight.

“We retail hundreds of motorcycles out of there each month. Those bikes need to be dropped off by trucks, the distance from where they once were dropped off to where they now must be dropped off is now quite a distance away from the stores. Staff then must push those motorcycles through the CBD in order to get them to the store. It just adds yet more complexity to doing business in Elizabeth Street.

“Then we get to the rates and land tax on those premises. Since it has been revalued we are paying near on a million dollars a year. And next year word is that it might be in excess of a million dollars. And that is before you pay any other expenses it is truly a ridiculous amount of money. That means the viability from that perspective has become very difficult as the value of the property has gone up.”

Despite credit having never been cheaper, it seems these are very difficult times for every single area of retail in Australia. How is the current drop in motorcycle sales affecting your short and long term business planning at Peter Stevens?

Paul Chiodo – “We have been adjusting to the market in many ways over the past three years as the industry has suffered a decline. We are a dynamic business and continue to adapt and change the emphasis to different aspects of our business. Used bike sales and our workshops are growing rapidly.”

It must almost put coal-face staffing issues in an almost constant state of flux. The balance between the bottom line, and the need to retain the vital experience and knowledge of quality staff must be an almost impossible task?

Paul Chiodo – “We have got a huge number of people that are in our ten year club, and we have a ten year dinner that gets bigger and bigger every year and we have a number of people that are in our thirty-year club so there is a massive amount of retained experience in the business, and we celebrate that.”

Peter Stevens took over the distributorship of the Moto Guzzi and Aprilia brands not that long ago, what is happening in that space this year?

Paul Chiodo – “The new 660 from Aprilia has been announced and it is a significant anniversary for Moto Guzzi coming up shortly and the horizon looks bright for both of those brands.”

Aprilia RS 660

Triumph seems to be going great and is the success story of your suite of brands?

Paul Chiodo – “We have had some good growth in January compared to the same period 12 months ago. The new Tiger 900 lands arrives this month.

2020 Triumph Tiger 900 GT arrives in Australia shortly

“The new Rocket III has had an incredible response and is sold out for the next few months at least. The Bajaj joint venture that was announced will see Triumph move into some new categories of the market and that is all really exciting and we recently re-signed a new long term contract with Triumph.”

The new Rocket III is sold out until the middle of the year

There is some encouraging growth on the scooter front with that segment of the market bouncing back well after a few years of pain. To be fair it was the bottom end of the scooter market that had fell apart predominantly, while the more premium brands you retail did not suffer such a marked drop, are Piaggio and Vespa still doing quite well?

Paul Chiodo – “The delivery market has been a strong growth area with Uber style delivery bikes and Vespa continues to be a very strong brand.

Vespa GTS Super Tech 300 HPE

“It will be interesting to the see the influence of electric bikes on the motorcycle industry in the coming years. The Harley-Davidson LiveWire arrives in September which of course we will be retailing through our Harley Heaven stores. There are also a number of new products from different suppliers that will enter the Australian market.”

Harley-Davidson’s LiveWire lands in Australia this September

Thanks for the time out of your busy schedule Paul.

Source: MCNews.com.au

Motorcycle News, News

Triumph updates Street Triple R

February 12, 2020 mcnews Leave a comment

Triumph’s updated Street Triple R with new styling and a cleaner, more responsive 765cc engine will hit Australia in the second quarter.

Pricing will be released close to the release but as an indication the previous R model cost $15,950 (plus on-road costs), while the S is $14,100 and RS is $17,650.

Like the S and RS, the new R gets the updated styling.

Street Triple R styling

Twin LED headlights;
New sporty bodywork;
Compact muffler;
Restyled mirrors with more adjustability;
New paint and graphics schemes with red rear sub-frame.

Like before, there is a low version with a 780mm seat height.

Engine updates

The engine is now Europe 5 compliant with 88kW of power and 77NM of torque.

Triumph claims it has a more responsive feel, thanks to 7% reduced rotational inertia.

They also claim it improves low and midrange usable torque.

It comes now comes with three riding modes (Road, Rain and Sport)

There is also a new Triumph Shift Assist up and down quickshifter with slip and assist clutch.

It also features Brembo calipers, hi-spec fully adjustable Showa suspension and Pirelli Rosso III tyres.

Accessories include:

Scrolling LED indicators
Water resistant luggage with quick release mount;
Colour-coordinated belly pan and seat cowl;
Fly screen visor;
Machined mirrors and reservoirs;
Arrow slip-on silencer;
Tail tidy;
Internally wired heated grips; and
Paddock stand bobbins.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

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