Triumph Trident

the trident’s performance is strong for this class. the triple layout is the best of both worlds, having the torque of a twin with the free-revving exhilaration of an in-line four. With 90 per cent of peak torque on tap from 3,600 rpm, it drives positively from low down. You can make quick and easy progress without tapping back too many gears. But should you want to have fun, go down a gear or two on the smooth gearbox and the trident will deliver — even to the experienced hands. turn off the traction control and you can have some mono-wheel fun, too, all the while accompanied by that charismatic triple soundtrack. this is not a lacklustre “entry-level” bike.

i did hit the rev-limiter on a few occasions whilst getting a little too carried away. But, to be fair, most of my two days of test-riding was at altitude around the main volcano in tenerife, which drained power and didn’t do the new trident justice. the point is that this “entry-level” bike is far from being boring or worthy. i covered over 200 kilometres on day one and didn’t want to give it back come evening; in fact, i was already looking forward to day two and i couldn’t say that about many other bikes in this market.

Quoted wet weight is 189 kilograms, just about on a par with the twin-cylinder machines in this field, which, in theory, should be lighter, and the trident is considerably lighter than honda’s 208-kg cB650r. the weight isn’t intimidating for small and inexperienced riders, while the 805-millimetre (soft) seat is low and narrows towards the fuel-tank. i’m 172 centimetres tall and was flat-footed on both sides. there is a nice balance at low speed and, once restricted to a2 licence conformity, the trident shouldn’t be overpowering for new riders despite its masculine image.

showa suspension rules the springs at each end; there’s no adjustment on the front and only pre-load on the rear. again, triumph have done a notable job: they haven’t thrown budget, softly sprung, and underdamped suspension at the trident. For new riders, the suspension is forgiving, easy to get along with, and takes on 90 per cent of road surfaces with ease — it’s even happy bouncing over speed humps like an excitable puppy.

Let the engine shout, up the pace… and even at speed the set-up works well. Ground clearance is abundant, the trident doesn’t drag its pegs like some of the competition and holds a confident, smooth line. the natural riding position allows you to control and

Price: £7,195 (Rs 7.05 lakh)

Configuration: Water-cooled, in-line, three-cylinder Valve-train: DOHC 12-valve

Displacement: 660 cc

Bore x Stroke: 74 x 51.1 mm

Compression Ratio: 12.6:1

Fuelling: Electronic fuel-injection

Maximum Power: 81 hp @ 10,250 rpm

Maximum Torque: 64 Nm @ 6,250 rpm

Clutch: Wet multiplate, slipper

Transmission: Six-speed gearbox, chain final drive

Type: Steel tubular perimeter

Front Suspension: Showa 41-mm inverted fork

Rear Suspension: Showa single rear shock, adjustable pre-load Front Brake: Twin 310-mm discs, Nissin two-piston calipers Rear Brake: Single 255-mm disc, single-piston caliper

Front Wheel: 17-inch, alloy

Rear Wheel: 17-inch, alloy

Front Tyre: 120/70 ZR17 Michelin Road 5

Rear Tyre: 180/55 ZR17 Michelin Road 5

Rake/Trail: 24°/107 mm

Wheelbase: 1,401 mm

Seat Height: 805 mm

Ground Clearance: NA

Tank Capacity: 14 litres

Weight: 189 kg (dry)

throw the bike around with relative ease, quality michelin road 5 tyres performing reassuringly in the cold and damp we encountered on the test (despite being in tenerife). stability is also superb.

When you really push on, the forks lack a little control under heavy braking but, overall, when comparing its sporty ability to the competition, the trident’s handling is hard to fault. Yes, the showa suspension lacks adjustability but 99 per cent of riders won’t feel the need to twiddle anything and there is all-important rear spring preload adjustment for when you are adding a pillion or luggage. arguably, trick multi-adjustable suspension will only confuse new or inexperienced riders — at whom the bike is aimed.

up front, nissin two-piston calipers, grabbing twin 310-mm discs, are just about up for the job. they have a progressive feel, the lever is span adjustable, and, again, are ideal for new riders. aBs comes as standard, of course, but without an imu it is not lean-sensitive. the aBs isn’t too obtrusive, you can feel the rear working in extreme situations as the slipper clutch controls the rear wheel during aggressive down changes, but not the front.

experienced riders opting for the trident, perhaps as a second bike or moving down in capacity, will soon learn that while onefinger braking is fine in normal riding, extreme situations demand more than one finger on the lever. the stoppers are on a par with the competition, possibly stronger than some, but will seem underwhelming for those moving down from more expensive brake set-ups. this isn’t a slow bike and the stoppers are just about sufficient.

a few hundred pounds can make the difference between a sale and a goodbye, especially as customers are likely to be budget-conscious new riders or more experienced riders getting back into bikes.

Yamaha have a new mt-07 just round the corner (its price is still to be confirmed) but with the 2020 model positioned at

£6,697 (rs 6.56 lakh), i’d estimate an on-the-road figure below the £7k (rs 6.896 lakh) mark. Kawasaki have also updated their Z650 for 2021 — the new model hasn’t been launched yet, but its price has been confirmed at £6,849 (rs 6.71 lakh). honda, meanwhile, are arguably the trident’s closest competition with their in-line fourcylinder cB650r, again updated for 2021 and currently priced at £7,199 (rs 7.06 lakh).

although the triumph’s £7,195 (rs 7.05 lakh) showroom price may be slightly higher than the Japanese competition (our test bike a little more with heated grips and paint job), the cost of ownership should be lower. the first major service is at 16,000 km, which represents a significantly wider interval than the aforementioned bikes, while workshop hours are also reduced, meaning it takes less time to service and maintain, thus saving owners money.

triumph quote 60.1 miles per gallon (mpg) or 4.7 litres per 100 km. riding aggressively on mountain passes, i whittled that down to 5.4 litres per 100 km (or 52 mpg), which, considering my over-excited throttle hand, was an excellent return. the fuel light came on

at 190 km, which again isn’t bad from a 14-litre fuel-tank. riding normally, i’d expect around the 21 km/l claimed figure, which would give a tank range of 300 km.

the thai-built trident is a completely new bike for 2020 and even at a standstill oozes quality. at face value, £7,195 (rs 7.05 lakh) looks good.