Testing ramps up for Triumph dirt bikes

Triumph’s off-road aspirations appear to be coming into focus, with news the Triumph factory was recently visited by off-road aces – and Triumph test and development riders – Ricky Carmichael and Ivan Cervantes.

The pair visited Triumph’s British headquarters to review and test the latest development prototypes of the brand’s looming new enduro and motocross models, which are still very much under wraps but are obviously edging closer to an official release.

Related reading:
Could Triumph be building a dirt bike range for 2022?
Triumph confirms development of motocross and enduro models
Ricky Carmichael puts new Triumph Tiger 1200 to the test

Both Carmichael, seven-time AMA Motocross Champion and five-time AMA Supercross Champion, often referred to as the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time), and Cervantes, who has five Enduro World Championships to his name, have been involved with Triumph in one form or another for at least a couple of years, although it was only formally announced last July that they were involved in Triumph’s fledgling off-road program.

Now the two greats recently spent a week with the Triumph motocross and enduro team in the UK, meeting passionate Triumph fans before rolling up their sleeves to examine the off-road models’ progress, then testing the latest prototypes.

Carmichael said the project was coming together incredibly well.

“It’s been a pleasure to finally come to Triumph headquarters,” said the Florida native.

“Meeting everyone in all of the departments, seeing how it all works and getting to put the names to faces of those who I’ve been working with for so long – I’ve been incredibly impressed throughout the project, right from my first test with the team in the US, and it's great to see how much progress they have made to this point.

“To see the masterminds at work, and the dedication and motivation from everyone has been absolutely incredible. The sky is the limit and I believe everyone's hard work on this project will mirror the level of the Triumph brand. It’s an exciting time to be a part of this historic project!”

Cervantes too was thrilled to witness the project’s momentum first hand.

“For me, this is a huge moment,” he said.

“We’ve tested the bike many times, but it was wonderful to ride with Ricky in person, and so satisfying to see how happy he is with the setup we’ve developed. We’ve made some very big steps and some very productive changes, and I’m very happy with where we are.

“I’ve worked for a long time on this project with an amazing team, who all share the same goal: to be competitive from the very beginning. I can’t wait for the next steps!”

Triumph Motorcycles Chief Product Officer, Steve Sargent, said being able to utilise the pair’s expertise was delivering huge benefits.

“It was a pleasure to have both Ricky and Ivan with us for a whole week and to continue to take full advantage of their experience with the development of our off-road prototypes,” he said.

“Having both legendary motorcycle racers together to contribute to such a crucial phase of the bike’s development is invaluable.

“Together we share a single-minded ambition to launch motorcycles that are 100 per cent capable of winning; that bring something new and different to riders in both worlds; that encompass all of Triumph’s expertise and capability; and that leverage everything Ricky and Ivan know about winning and developing bikes that deliver consistently race after race.”

Triumph Motorcycles is remaining tight-lipped regarding any specifics for its new enduro and motocross models, and neither has it indicated any approximate timeline for when they may officially surface. However, as the drip feed of info continues, rest assured we’ll be hearing more about Triumph’s latest major new off-road push in the not-too-distant future…