TEN MINUTES WITH…

STEVE SARGENT – TRIUMPH PRODUCT OFFICER

FB: The middleweight naked sector is absolutely savage. What was most important to you to nail, the cost, performance or styling?

SS: Well, it’s got to be all of those things really! In that segment, it’s probably someone’s first, brand new big bike, or they are upgrading from a learner-legal machine. At this point in their journey price is a big factor, but they want the best they can get. What we’ve tried to do is hit a good price point, but in terms of performance, give something that you just can’t get from other bikes in the category.

FB: And it performs well! How important is it to have the branded components, like Nissin and Showa, or can you get better, unbranded stuff cheaper?

SS: Yeah, so there’s a trust thing there from a customer. If you’re using well respected, trusted parts from brands that they know, like Showa and Nissin, it gives people confidence. It’s the same with the tyres, equipping the Trident with Michelins. It’s nice to give that confidence, and give them great stuff on a bike, especially at this level. We think it’s worth it.

FB: Does it jack up the price much, and how do you then even it out against competition?

SS: You have to look at the bike as a whole thing; when you have a price in mind that really sets the tone on what you can afford to spend. The challenge then is to spend the money on the components that are important to a customer. For this it was brakes, suspension and tyres, and then a nice TFT package. Surprisingly, a lot of people were very keen on Bluetooth connectivity as well, so we work that out, and then we have to pull back on other parts. It’s hard work!

FB: Do you think now there’s more focus on gimmicky tech than out-and-out performance?

SS: I think it depends on the customer. If you’re talking about a classic bike customer, maybe an older, very experienced rider, a lot of them won’t want to go near it. On the opposite end of the spectrum, riders coming into biking now have already been living with tech all their lives, so if something doesn’t connect to their phone, it’s almost alien to them – it’s about going with the time.

FB: Is there anything you wish you’d have done differently?

SS: In all honesty, not at all. It’s taken a lot of time and development, and I think when you look at the Trident and line it up with the competition, I don’t think there’s an aspect where it is lacking.