Quick Ride
Quick Ride
ROUNDUP
TRIUMPH THUNDERBIRD SPORT Not really retro
THE THUNDERBIRD SPORT IS supposed to evoke memories of bygone British bikes, decades-old machines with endearingly quaint motors, pre-EPA exhaust notes and bicycle-like handling.
Sorry, Triumph, but not quite. In reality, the bare-naked Sport is very much a modern motorcycle, with a liquid-cooled, 12-valve, dohc three-cylinder engine, fully adjustable suspension (monoshock rear, no less), radial rubber and, thank goodness, up-to-date electrics.
Any allegiance to the past, then, is in the styling. Admittedly, the gas-tank script, headlight shell and mounting brackets, fuel-filler cap, perforated aircleaner covers, one-piece seat, rubber-wrapped footpegs and wire wheels pay homage to certain earlier designs. Everything else, though, is strictly current Bloor-era.
For the record, the year-2000 model (third in the T’bird Sport series) has new mid-Sixties, Daytona-esque gas-tank striping and a redone 3-into-2 exhaust with a single chrome reverse-megaphone muffler on each side of the bike. (Earlier versions had both silencers mounted on the right, reminiscent of the Craig Vetter-designed X-75 Hurricane.)
Otherwise, the steel-framed package is unchanged. The blocky, T-300-series engine displaces 885cc—down 70cc to the top-of-the-line 955i Daytonaand wears 36mm Keihin carburetors instead of electronic fuel injection. A six-speed transmission also is standard.
Given the Sport’s second-tier engine-and-frame package, it’s a (pleasant) surprise that the conventional fork and gas-charged shock are adjustable for spring
preload, as well as for compression and rebound damping. The similar-performing (though admittedly less expensive) Kawasaki ZR-7 featured elsewhere in this issue doesn’t have such upmarket features.
Out on the road, the 538pound (full of gas) Sport may not radar-lock on apexes with 955i or Sprint RS precision, but it gets up to speed quickly, and handles and stops well. Once the smooth-running engine is warm, acceleration is crisp and torque is plentiful. Unless you're getting off a Yamaha YZF-R1 or the like, there’s no wanting for more. (Well, the exhaust note could stand to be a few decibels louder-better to enjoy the Triple’s distinctive snarl.) As for the 17-inch Avon radiais and twin-piston front disc brakes, they offer more grip and stopping power than most buyers will likely ever need. Ditto cornering clearance. An added bonus-something that everyone can appreciate-is all-day comfort, a product of the slightly forward-canted seating position and thickly padded saddle.
Given those accolades, complaints are few. Some testers grumbled that side-to-side tran-
sitions take a bit more effort than anticipated, especially considering the breadth of the handlebar. Blame the bike’s relatively high center of gravity. Also, booted heels rub on the passenger footpeg brackets, and throttle response isn’t quite on par with Triumph’s latest EFI, particularly on cool mornings. Finally, it’s difficult to alter shock rebound damping with the bike on its sidestand; the linkage gets in the way unless the suspension is compressed. Accessing the compression-damping adjuster, however, is merely a matter of doffing the seat.
Minor quibbles, mostly. What’s really important here is that Triumph’s lineup is bursting with old-style machines-with more to come. Unlike the Adventurer, Legend TT and standard Thunderbird, though, this $8699 blast to the past is anything but retro.
Matthew Miles
