| | | | Update : Triumph 2008, a peak into the future… |  Written: 20/02/2007 : 10:29. Read 22877 times (41/day). | Triumph in the immediate future is all about fuel injected parallel twins, a new naked triple middleweight, Rocket III luxury tourer and big bore parallel twins. A bit further ahead than all that we might just see that elusive litre plus sportsbike after all…
  80 votes | |
| |
.::Last News::.
The new Daytona 675 naked will apparently be (or has been) named Sport Triple 675.
And my source keeps saying that a new big Daytona is due this year rather than in the future. Something about August being mentioned. Triumph denies.
I will start with the facts that can be proven and that has been confirmed to us by Triumph or a Triumph insider:
Fact 1: Triumph will add fuel injection to its entire retro parallel twin-motor range. The new fuel injection has now become necessary to tackle Euro 3 (oh how I am starting to hate that word as not only are the manufacturers forced to comply, but I have to use it in every bloody news article that I write…). Last I spoke to Triumph about this there were plans to design a sort of “dummy” carburettor to keep the classic looks.
Fact 2: There is a new Daytona 675 based Speed Triple. It has been seen in finished shape at the Triumph factory by one of our sources. My source could exclusively reveal that the new 675 based triple naked will get these Speed Triple design features: the famous double headlight and double stubby S3’ish high silencers. The new bike (it will not be called either Daytona or Speed Triple) will get a new name. When I have finished with the facts, I’ll give you our thoughts. Triumph’s new middleweight keeps suspension, brakes, chassis and the 675cc triple engine from the Daytona 675. But the 675 motor has been tweaked for even more midrange punch and slightly less top-end. Perhaps the best thing we have heard yet about the new middleweight is that it will retail at just above £5.300 in the UK putting it in direct competition (which in the 675’s case is really good…) with the likes of Honda’s CB600F Hornet and even the dead cheap Suzuki GSR600. Last fact about the new naked 675: The bike will be launched already in June and that could mean that it can hit the showrooms already in 2007!
Fact 3: Triumph is always in the process of developing new models. Lately that has involved around 5-6 new models at all times where 2 and sometimes even 3 of these has been launched in a year. That again tells us that around 2-3 new projects are started each year. Not all of these new projects turn into a roadbike in the end. And some projects can take many years to finish.
Fact 4: Triumph is looking to make more of a distinction between the different Rocket III models. When the 2.3 litre Rocket III was launched in 2004 it created a huge vacuum between the parallel 900cc engine and the new 2.300 triple engine.
So with the facts spelled out, here comes the fun part where I get to speculate a bit. I mentioned that the new naked 675 will get a new name. In the world of Monsters, Fazers, Hornets, Raptors, Bandits, Shivers and Tuono’s Triumph needs something striking. Such as the Hurricane 675 that also takes care of British heritage-Sounds different than Speed Four anyway.
Now over to what everyone wants to know. This can still not be confirmed and hence I am mentioning it here rather than under facts. This is related to Fact 3 and it is now safe to say that Triumph at least has done the research needed. A new big Daytona has soon been speculated to death and that is one of the reasons that we haven’t even bothered to commission a mock up. However, the latest I hear is of a 1200cc triple from a source that is close to the factory. But bear in mind that the official Triumph comment is still that there will be no Daytona 1050… No 1050 it is then. I never interrogate my official Triumph sources, but I did specify a 1200cc triple and got the answer that there will be no Daytona 1050. So just keep thinking what you were thinking and Triumph will soon enough let us in on what is going on regarding big news like this.
As to new parallel twin models it makes sense with a new bike in between the 900cc models and the Rocket III. A model such as the America would suit such a big engine that most likely will be in the range between 1300-1600cc. This is a big market in, yes you guessed it, America where Harley-Davidson rules with its big twins.
Last, but so not least is the rumblings about a Rocket III luxury tourer. Luxury tourer is also a huge market in the US of A and Triumph would be silly not to make more use of the power packed Rocket III platform. Hidden behind a huge fairing less people would have less to say about how the motor itself looks like and it can only be a win-win situation for Triumph to make one. With the 200Nm triple motor such a bike would make mincemeat of Honda Gold Wing and all Triumph needs to do is buy sofas at Ikea, mount them on the Rocket III frame, make at least 110 litres of in-built luggage space and invest in more plastic and a good stereo! Voila, you have got a Rocket III luxury tourer!
Words: Tor Sagen/CG’s: Robert O’Brien
| |
|
| | Public Poll
Who will be the 2008 Moto GP world champion?
|
| | THE BLOGS | | | | PICTURES TOP 10 | | | |
|
