Triumph Sprint ST

The sports tourer. It's a bit of an ambiguous moniker isn't it. It's been variously employed as the name given something that used to be a cutting-edge sports bike that time has rendered blunt, a title for slightly down-spec tackle and a derisive term delivered of cumbersome lardies that don't quite make it into the luxo-battleship class.

But all those are wrong. So what does constitute a sports tourer then? Well, a true sports tourer is a bike that can be pushed along with verve while offering running gear that allows spirited going (chassis dimensions and configuration, suspension capability, clearance, grip etc). But wait, there's more...

A fair dinkum sports tourer will allow you to sit on it all day and not consider a bus ticket for the return journey, carry a pillion in relative comfort, load up good, optional, factory-branded luggage, it will boast a generally high level of wind protection and feature very good reliability. Toss in the fact that most purchasers of such machines expect to be able to enhance their bikes with a big range of factory add-ons and you can see that building a proper sports tourer demands a whole lot of a manufacturer. In fact, in many ways, this category comes closest to demanding the "perfect" motorcycle than any other.

Achieve this though, and the rewards will be high. How? Well, as mentioned, owners will add-on. This brings in a whole bunch of extra bucks after sale for the factory, often via subsidiary suppliers who pay for the right to make bike-specific gear and/or pay the manufacturer a cut of the take via a healthy wholesale/retail arrangement.

Secondly, riders of these bikes use them. This means that service regularity is good and parts demand is high. Did I hear another "ker-ching" from the collective bike distributors' accounts departments just then? In short, it all adds up to high risk/high return business. So, accordingly, the sports tourer class is vibrant and the space to watch when it comes to market growth. And there are a few that do it particularly well.

Who? Triumph for starters - which brings me to the star of this show. The Hinckley brand's Sprint ST has been universally acclaimed as the heir apparent as king of the sports tourer category. This definitely didn't sit well with those that had become pretty confident that Honda's VFR800 was perched at the head of the realm. It certainly didn't expect an entirely new model from, what I'm sure the Big H still considers a "boutique" manufacturer, to push it in the showroom, but while the big Trumpy was still firmly placed second, it was clearly the hot competitor. Impressive from a bike that was launched just four years ago.

WHAT'S THE NEWIE GOT?
So now we've got a new Sprint ST. Is it better? How is it different? Will it become top dog? Questions, questions. Settle down now and I'll try and tell you.

Let's look at the new bits first. The new 120PS powerplant is identical to the new 955cc triple in the new Speed Triple and Sprint RS. Using high-pressure die-cast crankcases for both strength and lightness, the DOHC 12-valve liquid-cooled engine's new cylinder head utilises 1mm larger inlet valves and 1mm smaller exhaust valves, set at a narrower included angle. Both inlet and exhaust ports are redesigned for better gas flow and the new cast pistons run in steel liners. Compression ratio is increased from 11.2:1 to 12:1 while crankcase breathing is revised to minimise power loss. The new donk is 2.5kg lighter.

A bigger airbox feeds the new closed loop fuel-injection system which has smaller, lighter injectors, while plug-top ignition coils provide the fire. The closed-loop system features an oxygen sensor that monitors and adjusts the air/fuel ratio at varying engine speeds to optimise engine performance. The fuel-injection mapping is tuned for mid-range torque.

The alternator is now located on the left-hand end of the crankshaft and the starter motor drive is located on the right. This layout reduces one of the old engine's bugbears in noise, especially at idle, as there's now no need for a gear-train to drive the alternator. And a revised claw-type gear-change mechanism gives a much smoother and more positive shift action. This we can vouch for after our launch test. The bike has a very nice, light gear change, representing a quantum leap on previous incarnations.

The exhaust system has new headers and balance-pipe to boost midrange and for the emission-police German and Californian markets, a secondary air-injection system is fitted to minimise smellies. Cooling and lubrication systems are changed with the coolant radiator featuring a thinner core.

The twin-spar aluminium chassis and single-sided swingarm remain unchanged. A nice idea is the two-position exhaust, either fixed high for added cornering clearance, or lower down to allow room for fitted luggage. Bodywork is nigh-on the same with the graphics changed.

FIRE IN THE HOLE
Our launch timetable took us on a relaxed two-day ride through the south Gippsland twisties in Victoria. Perfect ST habitat and the bike didn't disappoint.

Ergos are excellent with the instruments neat and clear with just a touch of elegance. Finish is a strong point and I like the fool gauge and white-faced tacho. It all looks so... well, finished.

Get things underway and the first thing that hits home is that lovely sound. Just love the burble of a big triple and the aftermarket can ($799) is a must for those lucky enough to be lining up for a new ST.

Power delivery is clean and smooth - just like a sports tourer should be. Tuned for mid-range, the engine is just right for its intended task.

Brakes are brilliant. Best in the class by a well-travelled country mile.

I'd like to see a little more suspension adjustability with the front only allowing pre-load and the back offering pre-load and rebound fiddling, but that's being a little picky. After all, this thing is the best priced option of its type at $15,990, and that's where you save a little if you're building a motorcycle.

Still it's suspended well for most uses. I like the fact that there is that aforementioned range of good add-on stuff. Wind protection is good and the bike looks nice, if just a little dated now.

WILL IT SELL?
The bike has been a huge winner for Triumph and the company will be expecting even bigger things. It sold 340 in its first year (1999), 253 in 2000 (alongside its brother the RS which pinched 105 units in the same category), 2001 saw the company move 286 (97 Sprint RSs as well) and 47 went in the first three months of this year while the Sprint RS sold 27 in the same period. The new bike has a lot to live up to but expectation is high at Triumph Oz.

Dealer Development Manager Gary McDonnell sees it like this.

"It has always been "queen of the fleet" for Triumph, being the best seller in our range (until deposed by the Bonneville and now America) and shows no signs of abating.

"The fitment of the new, more powerful engine has only enhanced the Sprint's reputation further, and the fuel economy figures are almost unbelievable for the size and power of the engine. I think the latest iteration of the famous Triumph three-cylinder engine is the best yet."

Top of the sports tourer tree? Big ask, but I reckon the new ST will definitely be on the podium again, and who knows, that price has got to be a huge factor if you're in the market for a fair dinkum sports tourer.