Classic

1960 Triumph Thunderbird

Advantages: Free road tax, reliable, appearance, ease of maintenance
Disadvantages: lack of security needs aftermarket locks

Bought as several boxes of disparate parts, I at first wondered if I'd lost my marbles. It was a 1960, bathtub model, but of course they'd gone. The loved/loathed slickshift was present. A strip of the engine showed pretty good nick, but many non standard parts, like an alloy head and Bonnie cams. Pistons were 9.75, up from standard. As I couldn't warrant the cost of nos bathtubs and didn't want fibreglass, I left the alloy head on, even though ...
...so that left a bit more meat. After nearly a year, she was ready for testing. Filled up with unleaded (valve seats modded), Second kick! After 30 years, she was running. Out for mot, straight through the test. Picked up a tax disc, I asked if they wanted a cheque for £0.00, but they didn't. Performance? A decent unrestricted 125 would give her a run, only 4 gears, drum brakes, no turn signals etc etc. Fun? In spades. What makes it even more pleasant ...

Daytonastar 04.01.2008 · Read full review
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Review of Triumph Thunderbird

Traditional Motorcycle.

Advantages: Classic styling, budget price, low seat height.
Disadvantages: No frills, not much chrome (for me that is an advantage!)

...to me like a sixties Triumph twin on steroids. It uses a tasteful satin black finished T3 series triple engine housed in a frame that enables shorties like me to easily reach terra firma (a definite plus point). It is a traditional bike that will commute, tour (saddle my be a little firm for some), & it has enough ability to scratch too. It definitely isn't a sport bike. The suspension is firm at the rear & softish at the front. The single disc is ...
...own idea of what a Triumph should be. The support from the manufacturer was less than impressive. The standard seat fixing is something worthy of a backyard special. It is agony to get the screws in & out. The access is very poorly designed. I complained forcefully at the time (Mine was one of the pre-production batch) & all they did was to extend the same nasty arrangement to the Thunderbird as well :0( ...

Ballacraine 06.04.2003 · Read full review
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Review of Triumph Legend TT

My T-Bird.

Advantages: Where do I start. I find that it rides like my old 250.
Disadvantages: Now that I know the my bike, I find that it does not have enough ground clearance for a sport titled bike.

...X11, the naked BLACKBIRD. 4) Triumph Thunderbird Sport, 2000 model in opal white and tangerine (I belive this was the last of the T-Bird models to be made). Due to an accident at work I am now disabled can't work and have lost a lot of my physical strenth, I also have polyneuropathy. I am know unable to manage large, heavy bikes. So needed something lighter and more managable. The polyneuropathy has afected my feet badly, causing me pain day and ...
...awaiting compensation to come through Triumph desided to stop making the T-Bird Sport. I was able to locate an new T-Bird in Scotland, I was told it was posibly the last new one in the country. But it was more than what I had got. Then we found our's down London way. I'm a six footer and 150% hevier than I should be due to several working accidents. But two up the T-Bird is fast enough for us. We'er having a screen, as the wind blast gets to be ...

TBIRD 03.09.2002 · Read full review
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Review of Triumph Thunderbird Sport

Riding the Dream

Advantages: Beautiful Classic Looks
Disadvantages: None

Triumph is a name that will go down in History, people a hundred years from now will be talking about these classic motorcyles, Thunderbird, Bonneville, names to invoke the `rocker' in all of us. Compared to todays `plastic rockets' the Thunderbird is slower (but is still capable of over 100mph), but that unmistakable Triumph twin sound and the roadholding as you accelerate through the bends belies their age. I toured around Scotland on mine back ...
...and the rest of the Triumph family may take a bit of getting used to (no electric start for a begining) . A major plus for these classic Triumph are all the spares you ever need are available from a wealth of suppliers the world over. Once riden never forgotten. ...

superlover 21.06.2004 · Read full review
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Review of Triumph Thunderbird