I have owned my 2003 Triumph Trophy T312 1200cc since March 2006. I bought it with 9000 miles on the clock, all documents, full service record and in totally immaculate condition for only £3000. This was my first "big" bike after having a series of 600cc machines. My initial fear of it being ... Read review
I have owned my 2003 Triumph Trophy T312 1200cc since March 2006. I bought it with 9000 miles on the clock, all documents, full service record and in totally immaculate condition for only £3000. This was my first "big" bike after having a series of 600cc machines. My initial fear of it being too big, bulky and heavy were reasonably unfounded as I seemed to adapt reasonably well and quickly to riding it. Having said that, I am 6ft tall and ... ...strong enough to cope. Anyone who is significantly smaller may struggle with it. The build quality of the bike is excellent.
Regarding features, everything seems to be very well put together, all plastics fit and meet perfectly and the paintwork is impressive. All user controls are very well positioned and easy to use too. The riding position is excellent. Well suited to long journeys, however there are 2 gripes I have. Firstly, the ... more
I have owned my 2003 Triumph Trophy T312 1200cc since March 2006. I bought it with 9000 miles on the clock, all documents, full service record and in totally immaculate condition for only £3000. This was my first "big" bike after having a series of 600cc machines. My initial fear of it being too big, bulky and heavy were reasonably unfounded as I seemed to adapt reasonably well and quickly to riding it. Having said that, I am 6ft tall and am pretty well built so I felt that I was strong enough to cope. Anyone who is significantly smaller may struggle with it. The build quality of the bike is excellent.
Regarding features, everything seems to be very well put together, all plastics fit and meet perfectly and the paintwork is impressive. All user controls are very well positioned and easy to use too. The riding position is excellent. Well suited to long journeys, however there are 2 gripes I have. Firstly, the screen looks as though it would keep you safe in a tornado but in the real world I find that I suffer from quite bad wind buffeting on my helmet when I am at 70+mph. There are aftermarket screens available which add a little extra height to the screen and alleviate this problem very significantly. I also find that there isnt much protection from the elements for hands, and with this in mind I fitted aftermarket heated grips which make a big difference. Secondly, I find that the seat is a little bit narrow. This is most noticeable on longer trips and can cause a little discomfort when getting off the bike. Again there is a solution to this problem, usually rectified by the fitting of a Corbin gel seat. But please remember, just because I note these areas which I feel could be improved it does not mean that everyone will have these concerns. Bikes arevery much an item of personal choice and there is no such thing as the perfect bike for everyone. If there was then there would only be one bike manufactured in the world, and how exciting would that be??? The panniers are an excellent addition to the bike. Large (but not waterproof!!!), easy to install and remove, and spacious.
Handling of the bike is excellent at all speeds. I find it quite remarkable that such a large bike can be so well balanced at speed, but be careful with manoeuvres at speeds of less than 10mph as the weight of the bike may cause concern for anyone not used to it.
Looks wise, I actually like the bike a lot. The appearance was one of the factors that encouraged me to look at the Trophy in the first place. The twin headlamps give a menacing appearance and the factory fitted panniers certainly give the impression that this is a machine that is purpose built for distance touring....which it is.
Fuel consumption is OK. I find that whilst the tank looks like it holds a lot, in reality it doesnt. With reasonable speed and no hard accelerating I find that I need to refill after approximately 170-180 miles.
But overall i love the Trophy. I had a European trip in June 2007 to the south of Germany and whilst the weather was atrocious the bike coped admirably without any problems. And I guess that was a very important test for the Trophy.....put it in extreme circumstances and it still produced the goods. A great high speed tourer with lots of torque and power when needed but equally capable at much lower speeds.
Advantages: Great all round bike Disadvantages: May be too large for shorter people
...top box. I have the triumph panniers but the top box i have is made by shad. The triumph top box is an optional extra and expensive new. It can be purchased on ebay though but you will need to be patient to locate the colour you are after.
It is a large bike but is ideally suited to those longer in the leg. It fits me perfectly as im just over 6 foot.
The comfort is variable but some people chose to fit an alternative seat such as a corbin or instal ... ...better due to the width of the seat.
I commute everyday on mine 20 miles each way and find it ideal as the farings keep the worst of the weather off and the heated grips are great in the winter. It may be a big bike but i still manage to commute through the streets of London on it. It is more manouverable than you expect expecially as it is about 7 foot long.
If you find the buffeting from the wind too much alternative wind shields/screens are ...
wildtinsey 09.10.2006 (21.03.2007)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Triumph Trophy 900/1200
Advantages: Excellent riding position, Clear well laid out controls Disadvantages: should have been a shaft drive
...Only thing that let the Triumph experience down was the exceptionally poor service by Nottinghams Triumph dealer.
They didn't bother to let me know the bike wasn't ready so let me ride thier crappy loan hack 40 miles for nothing...and didn't even wash the bike after a £600 service bill. AND Who happily let me ride off with loose brake caliper bolts. The Foundry in Kent however made up for this - they are the dudes! ...
lazykatz 08.02.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Triumph Trophy 900/1200
Comfort
Handling
Looks
Features
Fuel consumption
Quick review of Triumph Trophy 900/1200
Bought a 900 new in 1999. 46000 miles later came off it due to sleeping bag !!!. Very little damage due to the strenght of the bike. Repaired it and its like new. I find it a great handling machine with enough grunt for spirited riding. Compared to my st1100 its different and brilliant in many ways. Screen not high enough for me, but good rain protection. Low speed needs higher gear due to stalling. Brakes fairly good. Luggage excellent. Its a pity it was dropped from production. Will keep as its a very good looking bike, ladies love it. ...
hepdam 17.07.2008
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Triumph Trophy 900/1200
