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29th July 2009 - Pure Ambition. News from the 2009 Global Dealer Conference in Birmingham, England. If, in the early eighties you were waiting for the Triumph Bonneville to be brought up to seventies spec, then you have only had to wait twenty five years.  But if you expected to see the long awaited new 1600cc Cruiser - the new Thunderbird - then you will have to wait a little while longer. Confused?  Well if you cut through the global conference spin its like this:  The new Thunderbird, expected this fall, won’t be with us until next summer, and the ’09 Bonneville gets a makeover that sees it emerge with seventies styling and more user friendly ergonomics. 2009 Triumph Bonneville Other model changes include an uprated ‘R’ version of the Street Triple, with high performance suspension and brakes, a cool matt graphic paint job, performance exhaust and other goodies, and a made-over Daytona 675. The 2009 Daytona 675 is lighter, more powerful, gets fully adjustable suspenson at both ends, new brakes and a quickshifter option. The big news on the Street Triple for dealers related more to availability (i.e. we might get some) than the arrival of the ‘R’. Triumph admitted that they could have sold twice as many Street Triples than they built. Triumph were optimistic about the prospects for this bike and built more for the launch than they ever have for a new bike. But the ecstatic reviews from the press ensured that this bike was a sell-out everywhere; we certainly could have sold many more than we received.  And in the UK, month’s old bikes are changing hands at higher than list.     Triumph Scrambler Customised with Factory Parts   Overall, no real surprises, but if Triumph had a new-found confidence about their product and brand at the 2004 global conference, then 2008 was marked by the scale of their ambition.  Triumph is now selling more bikes worldwide than they have in all their 100 year plus history - even more than in the “golden years” of the nineteen sixties.  They have doubled their US market share in that time, and have consistently been the fastest growing motorcycle brand in the world.  Triumph also have 140 design engineers at work in Hinckley on new product development - more than any other European manufacturer.  And yet when we pressed Mark Kennedy, Triumph’s US CEO about making more noise about these obvious brags, he said that wasn’t Triumph’s style. But they are quietly very ambitious, very determined and on the most amazing roll.	Triumph's new Thunderbird Cruiser Overall dealers were clearly disappointed by the delay with the new Thunderbird.  Triumph were close to giving the T-bird the all clear, but were not completely happy that there was enough moving mass inertia in the engine to overcome the naturally lusty pull from two 800cc displacement pistons. So they pulled the launch and made some significant engine changes that mean new crankcases and re-tooling. The bike got the clear thumbs up from the dealers, who felt it perfectly filled the brief for a bike that sits somewhere between the imposing Rocket III, and the Bonneville-based cruisers.  Although big cruisers aren't exactly our own cup of tea (althouth the Rocket definitely is) we did think that it was a pretty handsome beast. 2009 Triumph Street Triple R 2009 Triumph Daytona 675 So the boat now leaves next summer.  Dealer’s disappointment with that news was tempered by a lot of optimism that the bike was otherwise right on the mark - especially of course for the American market.  The impression the bike left me was of Victory-esque quality of finish, and up-to-date styling cues, balanced by Traditional Triumph lines. Triumph planned to distinguish it in the market place by unprecedented levels of handling in this class. For dealers used to having to move volumes of Japanese bikes and ending up discounting them to shift the metal, Triumph’s attitude is refreshing and unusual: The manufacturing acronym JIT (just in time) might be joined by: NQE (not quite enough) as this is Triumph’s philosophy for production quantities.  Ideally, there will be no dusty, discounted bikes in dealers, and the Triumph rider will benefit too - with protected residual values. 2009 Triumph Tiger - Special Finish
22nd May 2008 - Triumph Tiger Cub Triumph Tiger Cub Rumours not denied by Triumph So what’s next from Triumph? Very convincing mock-up of a Tiger Cub (well the name was always a great candidate for a come-back at least) and the usual grainy spy-shots in a recent Motorcycle News in the UK. MCN see the fun but easy to ride Street Triple and the practical and comfy Tiger 1050 as a potential winner. Allegedly a Triumph “factory insider” was quite happy to talk with the MCN journalist about testing the bike. They see the lovable 110Bhp Daytona 675 engine detuned to a still respectable but torquey 100bhp for the baby Tiger. MCN also speculate about a more hardcore off-road Tiger 1050 and 675 being unleashed by Triumph - but personally I’ll believe it when I ride it.	Street Triple R MCN also reports that UK dealers are already taking deposits for an only rumoured Street Triple R (perhaps they think the waiting list will be shorter than the current 9 months for the standard bike). If true it seems likely to be announced at Triumph’s only once-in-a-while UK-based global dealer conference this July. The bike is said to sport top spec. fully adjustable suspension and Daytona brakes, so it sounds ideal for the rider who wants to lose nothing of the Daytona 675’s delectable running gear, but in a streetwise package. 2009 Daytona 675 Wary perhaps of the somewhat disastrous Ducati 916/996 to 999 transition, Triumph look unlikely to mess with a very good thing for the 2009 Daytona. However, in a class red-hot with cutting-edge Japanese technology, Triumph can’t leave the bike completely alone. Rumoured changes include geometry tweaks (that inclination to turn-in sharper than you can look into a turn?), aerodynamics and exhaust system. How much will they dare to change, and how much will they dare not to change?
24th February 2008 - Pure Filf The downsides of being a dealer are too many to mention, but of all the upsides, being asked: “What bike are you taking tonight?” is one of the best.  So is going to the store from Blighty in January.  It’s been a bit quiet on the new Triumph scene, but I should get the chance to familiarise myself with some of the Ducatis. First up is the S4RS Tricolore Monster.  With the Termignonis fitted to our demo bike Lucho reckons this bike is generating a pretty amazing 150 Bhp.  It certainly wants to loft the front wheel on what feels like only half a handful.  This bike has quite a fan base at the store, and – in contrast to the Hypermotard - has an almost brutal power delivery.  Open it up from about 4 thou, in say second, and the clocks do a little hammer dance as the motor bangs them out.  However, the boys reckon that the Speed Triple handles better – unfortunately a foray into town isn’t enough to tell.     It’s plush - but I still lost the bet.  This was that I could get back from Starbucks with the coffee still un-spilt in those lovely hard bags with only those “sippable” cup tops.  Only to be greeted by that “coffee boiling, coffee spoiling” smell at the first lights.  Well at least I found out that the bags have handy drain holes that let your coffee dribble nicely onto hot exhaust.  What my fellow light-sitters made of the cappuccino maker at the back of the Touring can only be guessed.     And then there’s the race team.  OK, I might as well be the first one to leak the news.  Shawn Hunter lives in Ft. Lauderdale and popped in to make us a proposition.  Obviously we should have known Shawn, and what he does, but we didn’t – honest. “Let’s put it this way – Shawn probably single-handedly (is that the right word?) put the term MILF into the English-language” explained Jimmy, there to negotiate the deal.  You can check that out on Wikepedia (blimey he’s right).  Shawn and likely rider Michael Barnes had spoken to the manufacturers about sponsorship, but caused nothing but red – or in the case of the Japanese, inscrutable – faces but no cash. “So how do you feel about being associated with me?” – said Shawn.  Just at that moment we had located one of Shawn’s websites.  The three owners were crowded round the screen with Jimmy, Shawn and Michael the other side of the desk.  When we had all picked ourselves up from the floor laughing I think it was Martyn who was spokesman for the PT management: “No problem at all” he said. So it may even happen.  Hunter & Barnes have apparently negotiated factory race parts off Stefano Caracchi who is running the official Triumph factory World Supersports team from Italy.  So you may see the Pure Triumph Milfhunter Team in Formula Extreme in the US this summer.  Watch this space!	Next up is the new Rocket III Touring.  Everyone who has tried this loves it and I’m not disappointed.  We all love the RIII for its stonking response and the way it loses its mass once you’re rolling.  However, I’ve always felt that the bike needed higher quality rear suspenders and thicker padding on the seat.  It has a habit of sending a sharp jolt up from the base of your spine over potholes and even freeway joins (just released from Triumph this might help). Boy, what a difference the touring makes.  In fact I’m amazed.  The ride feels on a different planet to the standard Rocket.  Whereas the standard Rocket ride comfort is probably the only somewhat disappointing aspect of the bike, the first thing you notice about the Touring is the quality of the ride - a Bentley I would say.  It feels as though the wheelbase is six inches longer such is the stability of the chassis.  We argue about it later until someone looks it up - the wheelbase is half an inch longer.  But the ride is transformed, and also aided by a “sensible” section rear tire.  Stand aside macho looks, stand up comfort and manoeuvrability. Now I know what I’ll be taking for that two-up ride to California.     Next up is the Hypermotard.  Oh dear, I want one.  Suffice to say that this is the funniest bike I have probably ridden in my life.  Why is it funny?  I don’t know, but I couldn’t stop laughing every time I rode it.  Perhaps it’s because I like a bike that tends to waggle its front wheel at strangers, I don’t know; or the fact that I couldn’t look in the mirrors at the taxi drivers.  Why not?  Because every time I filtered (its OK, I’m not from around these parts) there was a steady click of HM mirror clacking on taxi mirrors.  Yes they do poke out a long way - and yes, if you filter fast enough you can almost make a noise like you did as a kid with a close peg and cardboard flap on your bicycle spokes.  Anyway, at least they flip back out the way so that you can filter at the right speed. Any other impressions?  Yes - and all good again - well mostly, and what isn’t is only our fault.  One evening Ian says: “Take a GT1000 - I’m not going to say anything, I want to see what you say”.  So we find ourselves parked outside O’Haras with a “matching” red and gray GT1000 - oh and matching Ducati tricolore jackets.  Nice kit but - ahem.  So I should have hardly have been surprised when squeezing through the crowded and noisy bar to overhear someone say - "have you seen the two faggots on the matching bikes. . ." Perhaps that’s why we covered the two miles back to Ian’s place in about 90 seconds.  What a blast - completely unexpected and as thrilling as teenage sex.  Sounds like damning with faint praise to say that the GT feels like the very best handling that the 80’s could offer.  But what a fantastic piece of high octane nostalgia.  If you ride a 1098 across town, you will never get near any kind of edge, but the way the GT squirmed its retro ass over the cat’s eyes was pure retro magic.  “Oh yes, they weren’t faster but much more visceral” – better in that way.  Any doubts about the GT1000’s real clout - especially on these two rental bikes with Termignionis - was quickly cast aside by a quick glance at the clock on the Harbor Bridge - was that really 104?  Obviously these two renters felt the same way about these great bikes. And created a truly great movie.
16th December - Blowing Hot & Cold Off to top London Triumph dealer Jack Lilley for their Christmas Bash. They put on a good show with a great band, but what caught my eye was this particular rendition of a Speed Triple (based on an ‘07 with nicely painted wheels). Now that would do me nicely. Good job guys. Mind you, glancing at my thermometer it’s minus 2.5 deg C. outside in Hampshire and only half past eight. Perhaps that’s why I gave a little shudder when I saw this girl at the Pure Triumph bash at the Voodoo Lounge in downtown Ft. L. Poor girl – they wouldn’t even give you a nice Pure Triumph T-Shirt to keep you warm. Still at least the leaf-blower duet has gone. Yes our neighbours have "his and hers" leaf-blowers. No honestly. They really are the device of the devil. So there they are trying to harness wind-power to replace fossil fuels, and we have fossil-fuel harnessed to make wind to blow leaves about. Isn’t that what the wind’s for? Why walk around with a two-stroke motor strapped to your back when everyone knows that two-stroke motors belong only in chain-saws and bad-attitude motorcycles. Still I’ve got a solution. They should be banned – unless you use a Harley engine. This is the perfect solution. Firstly they make about the right amount of power for blowing leaves, secondly, you ain’t gonna wear one for long. They should also make those pipes obligatory that they all use to crawl up US1 making a noise that sounds like they're blowing leaves. Jack Lilley Speed Triple Special	Evel Knievel Triumph Scrambler Special
24th November – Poor old Honda Is it just because I’m an old fart? I had to ask my daughter and her boyfriend (who bought the jolly green strumpet) because – well you know – I may just have got to that age. But I mean, where are the Japanese going with design? I had just been reading the naked middleweight shootout in December’s Bike magazine – if you want to know how they fared – well you should buy Bike mag of course, but I may be tempted to let the cat a little bit out of the bag. But the point at discussion was the looks of the offerings from all the Japanese factories, and the Street Triple. What I just couldn’t get was that all the Jap bikes – head on – were absolute mingers (or “Ten Pinters” as my Emma would have it – work it out. . .). With the possible exception of the Kawasaki Z750, they all had that “I think your headlight just melted” look. I know it was probably the MV Brutale that started all this. But why would the Japanese take the one unremittingly ugly detail from an otherwise stylish Italian bike and ape that? Because it’s the only sign of styling progress? Well sorry, but as Chris said – all those lights look like the units in your car – when you’ve got the hood up. The Suzuki GSR600 and the Yamaha FZ6 are the worst. The other thing on the Jap bikes are the exhausts. The Kawasaki was always a contender to be a looker, but it hasn’t worn well looks-wise. And now it’s got a new catalyser in the exhaust things have hardly improved. In fact - as well as getting a huge Star Trek style can, it’s apparently lost 4 bhp and gained 8Kg. In fact the Z750 now weighs 40Kg (90lbs) more than the Street triple – now wonder the Triumph leaves it for dead. Was looking at the new Audi A5 the other day and discussing the merits of design with a buddy. His take? (He is a design professional.) People won’t look at the price. If they fall in love with the looks, they won’t care what it cost. Nice for Audi. And I know you could say I’m biased, but I’d buy the Street Triple because of its look alone. But I’d hardly be unhappy in any other respect. If Honda forms the benchmark for all motorcycles built today – then they ought to be worried. Because not only is the Street Triple a better motorcycle –it’s certainly a better looking one. Photo: Bike Magazine All of these bikes were convincingly trumped on the street by the Street Triple. The quickest, nimblest and most fun, the Bike team had no problem putting at the top of its class – “It’s not just better, it’s far enough ahead to genuinely set a new standard for the class which will have the other manufacturers cursing Hinckley” “. . . without doubt it’s one of the standout machines of 2007.” Poor old Honda. However, when you factor in a pretty aggressive price on the Street Triple it’s no surprise that the bike is sold out in the UK until next summer. Past experience tells me that the US will take much longer to catch onto the latest winner from Hinckley, but with the measly allocation we’ve got from Triumph, I know that we will be fighting for every bike we can get hold of next year.
23rd September – New Triumphs for 2008 Well US dealers don’t get to see the new line-up for a couple of weeks, but new bikes were unveiled to UK dealers last week, and UK weekly MSN reckons it has the low-down. New 2008 Speed Triple: It looks as though Triumph have given the bike something of a makeover – and in quite an interesting way. Main changes are to the rear end, with the seat unit and tail end getting a new treatment – and new light-weight OZ style multi-spoke wheels. Triumph have gone for a new super clean look to the rear end with a new minimalist tail section and rear light assembly exaggerating even further the bike’s sawn-off shotgun look. Interesting how the look of this bike has evolved. If you want to see next year’s Speed Triple just go to Milan. The Italians took this bike to their hearts a long time ago and many small manufacturers there make some great accessories that for instance tidied up the back-end of the new for ’05 bike.   I remember hearing from Kenny our Triumph rep that the dealer channel had to lobby hard for Triumph to go for the gold anodized forks and disc calipers. I always thought that the bike had just the right amount of bling, so it’s interesting to see the fork legs look black, and the new bike appears to have silver-coloured Brembo brake calipers. Just making room for an up-spec model with gold Brembos and Ohlins forks – why not? I’m sure they’d sell. The move to Brembo brakes is interesting. Triumphs have mostly braked well, but there seemed to be two problems with otherwise great brakes. Firstly, for some reason Triumph changed the front master cylinder diameter on ’06 Speed Triples and Sprints. This was designed to introduce more feel into the braking experience, but they over-did it and put far too much travel into the lever. If you have an ’06 triumph with too much front brake lever travel, get the ’07 master cylinder conversion – it’ will sort it. The second problem is a bit more elusive – but the radial caliper on the Speed Triple seems to have an air trap in there somewhere – see previous blog for a fix for this from our brilliant tech Lucho. To me these two issues explain the mixed reviews that the Sprint ST and Speed triple brakes have received, and a perception in the bike press that they need fettling to get right – once done they’re brilliant. Anyway my take is that Triumph have outsourced the whole caboodle to Brembo. And if my experience with the Ducati 1098 (see Blog below) is anything to go by, they can’t go wrong. A good move I’ve no doubt. Likewise the move to lighter wheels and also discs and disc carriers. The more I think about this the more brilliant I think this is. Especially when you consider that the rumour is that power will also be up to around 140 Bhp. I love this because while the bike has got a little darker and more street credible, it’s sportier characteristics have been improved without giving it any of the obviously sporting accoutrements - low bars, flatter seat etc. - that would ruin its character and make it a “sportsbike”. All the better to stalk badly ridden sportsbikes at your local track day. Reducing unsprung weight is a no-lose strategy for better handling, performance, and even mpg and ride quality, with no downside on the street. Jolly Green Strumpet contemplates life with the tyre warmer set I remember riding my 955 Speed Triple at Cartagena circuit in Spain (coincidentally where Triumph do a lot of testing and developed the Daytona 675). We went down there for two of the best days of my life, shoveling the bikes into an eighteen-wheeler at Heathrow one dreary day in late November, and flying down a couple of days later to be re-united with the bikes in the sunshine of Southern Spain. I was a bit nervous to find that half of the other riders had loaded the truck with their track-day only tools, paddock stands and tyre warmers – and the other half of the riders were British Superbike riders - there to coach us – just as well I thought. But it wasn’t long before I realised that we could hold our own on the track – the S3 acquitted itself pretty well. However, the one place I struggled with was a chicane that demanded a flip flop left and right. I just couldn‘t get the old Strumpet to turn quick enough. Trying to keep up with R1’s and GSX’s had me standing on the footpegs mid corner. This in my effort to get body English from one side of the bike to the other fast enough to persuade the bike to change direction. Lighter wheels and discs? Yes please. Rocket III Touring Looks like Triumph have gone the whole hog (sorry, no pun intended) and produced a proper US-style tourer. Please let this mean that the true touring potential of this amazing machine is finally realised. New chassis, bodywork, lights, fuel tank and suspension look promising. The footboards still look high though (see blog) but perhaps a new seat has fixed this? Watch this space. . .
"Wonder if I could get the FL PD to consider these. . ." Your worst nightmare - or best. . ?	9th September - Happiness is a cop on a Speed Triple Some of you may remember Police Officer Jose.  Jose has taken care of us - shutting off the road for us on a couple of our Open House days.  He entertained us too - by riding super tight circles on his police issue Harley out the back of the store, footboards grinding - and himself by making sure he had a demo on all the more interesting Triumphs. (see blog) I've got to say that as well as sure knowing how to ride a motorcycle, Jose is just about the best example of an officer and a gentleman you could want to meet.  We all took to him as a friend and ask for him by name each time we need to close the road now (for some reason the guys in the store can't fathom out, he also seems to be the officer that the ladies would most like to get a ticket off. . .) Just don't upset Jose on his way to work though - he won't be riding his 45 Bhp 1000lb Harley, he'll be riding his brand new Tribal Orange 130 Bhp 400lb Triumph - so you'll be OK as long as you can muster the 160 mph or so to get away from him.  Judging by the way he rides though - good luck!
28th August – Pure Heaven & Hell I’m not sure how many of those I’ve got left in me.  Back in the Alps to do the Grand Raid and I’m learning those two truths about the human motor – The good news is it gets stronger with use, the bad news? It gets weaker with age (and just like the internal combustion engine – with altitude).   Six-pot Brembos anyone? Mountain bike development is going in two directions – fashion and speed. Alright, to be fair, probably fashion/comfort. On the fashion side, suspension has sprouted at both ends of the bike and has to be matched. Fat tires are taking hold too. XC riders who used to think three inches of fork travel was probably overdoing things, now get four inches at both ends and all sorts of “freeride” or “enduro” machines have appeared with five six or seven inches of travel. “Six inches is the new five” – crowed one magazine.   However, a quick look at the machines of the top finishers (best was one Thomas Dietsch, French national XC champ, covered the 121 km – 76m – in just over 6 hours. The ride includes traversing five Alps and an altitude gain of 15,000 feet) shows that limited travel forks, and carbon-framed hardtails rule the roost. Oh and skinny semi-slick sub two-inch tires – and quite often – cable pull rim brakes, that are lighter than the otherwise obligatory discs (with triple piston gold-anodised calipers if that’s important to you. . .) Best thing for me though was the kid on his old skool school bike complete with backpack on a rack, full mudguards and lights.  He finished – respect.
No not Fort Lauderdale, rural Switzerland Arpad explains the downfall of the Austro-Hungarian empire to Ian. . .	And would Monsieur like a Viper with his frites? And respect to my old friend Bernard at the little hotel we stayed at last year – the Relais des Mayens de Sion. Unable to get a room there this time we stayed 6,000 feet up the mountain and popped down to the relais for dinner. Bernard has taken his obsession for American muscle cars even further and built a whole showroom for them under the hotel. Thus making his charming hotel and restaurant a venue in more ways than one, and providing his guests with a guided tour once they have finished his excellent steak avec rosti (accompanied of course by a bottle of truly excellent local red – Dole - yum; well you don't think I'm just here for the racing do you?). The swap-over amused me. We set up a bike showroom and add a café. And this guy has a café and adds a showroom. . . And some sauce with your metal? And in the same breath have to mention our dear friend Arpad in Ft. Lauderdale. Aside from introducing a couple of hairy-arsed petrol-heads to an altogether out of their depth lunch at the Ft. Lauderdale Yacht Club (I had this terrible feeling all along that we were going to get found out. . .) Arpad showed us his showroom. Arpad is the living embodiment of why “living the American dream” still has meaning, and inspires millions. His family escaped the clutches of the communist regime of Hungary in the fifties, and worked his butt off to achieve a position of financial security and comfort.  Which he now enjoys on one floor of a condo near the harbor. Like Bernard though, owning and using great machinery isn’t enough, he has built a place to really enjoy them. You display the machinery (so far a pick of current Triumphs and Ducatis of course), you pamper and preen them, you spanner if it takes your fancy. But most of all, you invite your friends around and shoot the shit around a coffee table of fine automotive books and admire the scenery. A few saucy paintings – but nothing to scare the fillies - completes scene. Here’s to Bernard and Arpad!
27th June: Love & Lust In sunny Fort Lauderdale again and a chance to ride both the new Tiger and the Ducati 1098. Interesting because the Tiger has already won almost as many “Bike of the Year” awards as the Daytona 675 did last year. The 1098 has had a somewhat more mixed reaction. Getting some criticism for its lack of everyday refinement. Love Perhaps the Tiger isn’t the bike for a Speed Triple addict. The great thing about the S3 is it’s “Are you up for it?” attitude. It’s begging for a caning. “Go on, wheelie away from the lights – bet you can’t resist it”. “Go into this corner with your chin on the bars and elbows and knees all points in the air.” “Let’s go to the track and bait sportsbikes”. The well ridden ones will be faster, but what a kick riding round the outside of others on an unfaired bike arms akimbo.
So I admit I had hardly ridden the Tiger a mile across town when I gave my first verdict on it to Ian: “Not sure I’m ready for that yet”. But love needs time, trust and some faithfulness. How quickly one forgets that on most trips, sports and very sporty bikes quickly get to the point where the prospect of getting off them becomes more attractive than the prospect of staying on.	And that’s where the Tiger comes into its own. The height is no longer about trail pretensions, it’s about comfort. This is a touring bike for people who want a bike that fits but not a Winebago. For people who’ve grown up riding sportsbikes and want some of that with them on the longer trip.
Lust So then to the 1098. There is a whole debate raging about the looks. So here’s my view: With the exception of an MV Agusta (which are even more beautiful, but not as RED) no other bike on the planet will secure you that “It’s a Ferrari” look. Stuck behind a disgorging school bus, we soon had the whole bus load of kids falling over each other to get a look at the bike out of the back window. Like all such sculpture, far better in the flesh than a photo, it’s just the best looking big bike marque bike on the market. And yes the mirrors are hilarious, and the hand-fairing clearance on full-lock? Well, let’s just say “Odd”. But I promise if you buy one you just won’t care. Why? Because you’ll be so passionate about what this bike does well, that you’ll believe that it couldn’t do it if they had worried about things like mirrors. Like complaining about the cup-holders in a Pagani Zonda.
Limited to my Lauderdale airport perimeter-road test track (speed limit 35 mph, ahem) I was still blown away by the big Duke’s composure. I guess the comparison with the Daytona 675 recently thrashed around the same bumpy curves was inevitable. “Like a grown up 675” I thought. Spacious, surprisingly forward placed and low footpegs (will they ground?) and oceans of torque. A slight reluctance to turn on big sweepers compensated by amazing composure. Bumps almost big enough to kick me out of the saddle and I give the bike time to settle back – only to find it doesn’t need any. All race tracks are bumpy at race speed and I wonder if this chassis control is one of Ducati’s secret weapon?	And those brakes that frightened so many magazine testers? Well you have to hand it to Ducati for “just doing it”. While other brands probably spend more money consulting their “brake liability lawyers” than developing their brakes, Ducati said - “It should have these”. Thank God. If you enjoy the kind of acceleration that superbikes provide, why not the brakes too? They are fantastic. And as much of a kick as anything else about this bike. They gave me a huge grin every time I used them.  The noise is ace - that combined with the feel made me look down at every set of lights - I half expected to see a little pile of shaved brake pads on the floor, like cheese from a grater.  Too powerful? Rubbish. Like someone said in defense of fast bike - "The throttle works both ways" - so do the brakes.
13th May: Purism It’s finally going to happen – even though it wasn’t what we intended at the start. Someone at Triumph said – “You can’t take on another brand – you’re Pure Triumph”. Well he did have a point, and we certainly had to think hard about it. But with a spare showroom and a brand like Ducati knocking at the door, we owed it to ourselves – and the many local Ducati fans who wanted us to do it at least.
	Although Triumph and Ducati see each other as fierce rivals as we quickly found out - from our point of view we could not be more delighted. The two brands have between them two of the finest heritages in motorcycling history – and both are hugely resurgent at the moment. Triumph have produced an almost unparalleled recent run of world-beating bikes. The new Speed Triple and Sprint, Daytona 675 and New Tiger have beaten all-comers in magazine reviews all over the world. And Ducati leading MotoGP, second in World Superbike, and with the stunning 1098 just launched and the Hypermotard coming next month.
So Pure Triumph will be joined by Pure Ducati, and bikes should be arriving within a couple of weeks. We would have liked to have done it earlier, but perhaps the timing is actually right. We did want to prove that the potential for Triumph in the US was so strong that it would warrant the first fully-dedicated showroom for the brand. We also thought that specialisation was the best way to serve our customers – both in the store and on the web. Everyone likes to deal with a true expert, especially when it comes to that mind-focusing moment when you hand over the keys of your motorcycle to the dealer. Probably it was best that we focused for the first eighteen months on trying to prove we could get it as right as we could with Triumph.
So we will now take the same approach with Pure Ducati. In no way will our support for our Triumph customers be diluted. The brand – the bikes and clothing - will retain the same in-store space, and Ducati will get a new showroom. The idea will be of two different stores within a store. Meaning that visitors should get the best of both worlds – two of the most exciting brands in motorcycling today in the same place, but each receiving the treatment they and their customers deserve; including factory-trained technicians, and all the special tools that both machines require. So hopefully Pure Triumph and Pure Ducati won’t be the paradox that it could sound like. Both will be given equal reverence by us. And will there be a Pure Ducati website? Having created the world’s most visited Triumph dealer website – you betcha!
10th March: How many cylinders do you need?   OK, so we’re agreed, anything with two wheels and a hundred or so horsepower is the right basic formula.  But what’s the right number of cylinders?  Straight four? V-Twin?  Parallel twin? Or a yummy triple?  Oops sorry I think I’ve given the game away. . .   No country on earth in my experience has such a passionate affiliation to engine configuration than America.  I had a confusing discussion with Gino. Gino: “Oh man, I can’t understand why they (F1) don’t promote the hell out of it here”.  Me: “Well I don’t think F1 have exactly done a great job of it in the US.” (remember the fiasco of the ’05 US Grand Prix with half a dozen cars on the grid?)  “What’s the matter with them? They should be promoting the hell out of it?”  “In the US?”  “Yeah!” “So you don’t think they are?” “Hell no.” “So what should they be doing?”  “All they have to do is promote the hell out of the V8 aspect and they’ll go mad for it out here.  But they don’t get it. . .”  And honestly, I don’t think that it ever even occurred to the F1 crew that the move from V10’s to V8’s was a marketing opportunity in the US.   What Gino was referring to was something deeper seated in the American psyche than motherhood and apple pie, deeper seated then Custer’s last stand and Pearl Harbor - a V8 engine.   What else could explain the 45 degree V-Twin? It looks perfect, sounds cool, but makes as much mechanical sense as a square wheel.  If you held a competition today to invent an internal combustion engine, you would see everything under the sun, but you would never see a 45 degree twin.  But it doesn’t matter; viscerally, it works, so never mind the mechanical niceties – 30% of all bikes in the US have one.
So what does Blighty have to offer?  Parallel twins? No thanks.  My first “real” bike was a Yamaha RD400 2-stroke twin – sold me by a guy I was jealous of, he was buying a Yamaha XS750 - three cylinders and shaft-drive.  Mmm, in 1977, that sounded cool – and to prove the point doesn’t sound bad today.  And at least my Yammy was a 180 degree twin and sounded like a chainsaw massacre through its expansion pipes. Dividing a single cylinder engine into a 360 degree parallel twin may have seemed clever in the sixties, and Triumph built their heritage on the idea, but it’s never done it for me.	1976 Yamaha RD400
1975 Triumph Trident	Meanwhile, Meridan Triumph was soldiering on with the ageing Bonnie – ten years after its heyday, heavier, slower and still leaking oil. But, they were also trying to make the Triumph Trident work.  We’ve got a 1976 example in the café in the store, and somewhere in 1977, something patriotic stirred inside me looking at the Trident and said: “Yes, that’s it”. I know it’s not the perfect bike, but it’s almost perfect, and certainly one of the most beautiful bikes ever made.  The Honda 750 four about to help put paid to Meridan Triumphs was, well, nicely done, but slow and dull and boring to look at, to be honest considering what it could have been, but the Trident?  Ooh, something was definitely stirring. . .
Sadly of course it was all thrown away, in the mess that was the demise of the Meridan co-operative.   So how happy was I when I rode my first Hinckley Triumph in 1995?  I knew they couldn’t fail (although I’m not sure John Bloor would have felt like that at the time). Because they had the best motorcycle engine configuration that would ever be devised.    If America gave the automotive world the V8, then England gave the automotive world the straight six (to be perfected by the Germans of course). I must say, that having owned several of each, the syncopated thrum of a V8 is a draw for the perfect primary balance and turbine-like smoothness of a straight six.   What an under-used configuration though. Look at the number of V6s.  I had an Audi with a V6 – smooth, but completely anodyne, no charisma whatsoever, and a GM V6 – truly horrible.  So rough when you floored it that I always thought a big end had gone.  Now where will you find a straight six?  Small-engined BMWs.  Even the M3 is about to be a V8 – shame on them.	1975 Honda K750
Just so Triumph’s modern legacy will be the triple-cylinder engine.  I have yet to ride a straight four-engined bike that I wanted to own.  A V-four always sounded appealing, but to see the VFR (Interceptor in the US)  soundly trounced in every respect by the Sprint ST (and even more recently according to Bike magazine by a far more versatile parallel twin 800 from BMW) helped me change my mind.  So did my trips to France with Martyn on his VFR.  Despite its fairing and touring credentials, it was always the VFR we had to stop first for fuel for.  My Speed Triple went much further on the same tankfull.    So I was intrigued when I saw Bike magazine’s article: “The search for the perfect engine”.  Bike magazine devised eight tests to find the perfect motorcycle engine.  The first was the “Traffic light GP.”  The first bike to reach 100 feet?  The Triumph Speed Triple.  Yes, faster off the line than a Hayabusa and dare we say it a GSX-R1000.   Test 2: Low speed overtake? Yes, the Triumph Speed Triple: “. . . just as the Speed Triple swept past and pulled in front (of the truck) the Busa would still be alongside the trailer”.   Vibration? “The in-line four gets buzzy, Honda’s V4 is noticeably smooth, but the real surprise again is Triumph’s in-line triple – by far the creamiest motor here.” “If you were to choose an engine for all-day riding, with both comfort and character, on the basis of these results you’d choose the Triumph”   And in summary: ”it’s (Triumph’s triple) quick off the line and tasty in roll-ons, it’s got good fuel economy, it’s the smoothest layout we tested, it sounds unique, it has one of the best shaped power and torque curves.. . . Now, go and try one.”  Less is more, and 3 is definitely more than 4 - as well as an awful lot more than 2.	2006 Speed Triple - The Perfect Motorcycle Engine?

European answer to speeding motorists