Triumph Trophy 900

It's not that rushing for the key rack is the thing that's frightening, that's been going on for years. After all, I've always been first in line when the sprint has started for the key to bikes such as the Bimota SB6, Honda RC45, Ducati 916, Triumph Speed Triple, Suzuki GSX-R750, etc, etc. Just because I like riding around with my nose on the front guard and my bum in the air doesn't mean I can't run quickly, especially where a sportsbike is concerned. However, of late there have been two keys that have occupied my attention, the one to our longterm BMW R1100 RT and the one to Triumph's Trophy 900.

BARGING TO THE FRONT

Normally I'd be willing to forgo some of that unquestionable touring bike comfort for the convenience and managability of something more nimble for the city commute. There's nothing more frustrating than being caught in peak hour traffic on a land barge, and having your opportunities of sneaking to the front of the traffic queue markedly diminished. Let alone the additional strain on the thigh muscles of having to hold a touring mutha up at the traffic lights. But in the case of our longterm Beemer and Triumph's new Trophy 900 there doesn't seem to be as much trade-off, hence the rush for the keys.I'll admit to the Triumph catching me by surprise. It's the first time I've been able to throw a leg over the '96-spec Trophy, and it's quite a different steed to the earlier models, if not so much in specification as in perception. The earlier Trophys always struck me as slightly overweight sportstourers, rather than sporting upmarket 'tourers'. The styling was somewhat bland, the finish inside the fairing less than acceptable (with messy bracketing, etc) and the weather protection wasn't all that fantastic. Enter the '96 Trophy, and all of the above have been addressed.

PULLING RANK

Sinkers went for a gallop on the four-cylinder Trophy 1200 at the model's Down Under release earlier this year (Vol 45 No 21), and Sir Al gave us his thoughts on the 1200 just prior to that in Vol 45 No 16. As for me, I hadn't been near either the 1200 or the 900 until a couple of weeks back, when I overruled the office minions to attend the local launch of the Trophy 900 (and '96 Speed Triple) at Apollo Bay (Vic) in the midst of the Great Ocean Road biking Mecca. Really, the only difference between the 1200 four and the 900 triple is the additional cylinder, 15kg more weight, ten more horsepower and 25 percent more torque (and at 1500rpm lower). I'll admit up front that I've always preferred the three-cylinder Triumph powerplant to its bigger four-cylinder brother, whether it be in a Daytona or a Trophy, and it's only that additional torque figure which gives the four any advantage. I'll trade that off any day for the 'special' feel and exhaust note of the triple, even if it does mean rowing the six-speed gearbox slightly more to keep up the same pace. Incidentally, both the four and three redline at 9700rpm. The Trophy 900 claims 98ps at 9000rpm and 8.50kg-m at 6500rpm, exactly the same as the Speed Triple. The Speed Triple we tested last issue had just on 100 horses at the rear wheel when it graced the DynoBike dyno, so there's no doubting the engine is a strong one. Admittedly our Speed Triple had a freer flowing exhaust and carb jet kit, but you get the drift.

WHAT'S A TROPHY?

The marque's sportstourer, initially the Trophy was differentiated from the sportier Daytona by bodywork and items like brakes and suspension. With later models the engines were re-tuned to better suit the Trophy's mile-munching role, and more recently wheels, brakes, etc have been uprated to the point that in its latest guise the Trophy is a most specialised and complete sportstourer. In fact, the new bike is a pointer to Triumph's future. The company has made no secret that the modular concept, on which the current range is based has forced compromises. Now as the reborn English maker's production capabilities increase, the 'room' for more tightly-focussed, less generic models is increasing. The Trophy is one of those bikes, and by up-speccing it as Triumph has done it's moved the bike into another market niche. So what sets the '96 Trophy apart from its predecessor? Both Sinkers and Sir Al have covered that in reasonable detail, so I'll only delve into a brief recap here.

A NEW LOOK

First up, the 1996 Trophy is easily distinguished by its new-look fairing. The twin chrome-surround headlights are eye-catching, while the aerodynamic bodywork adds bucketloads of individuality over the relatively mundane predecessor. Helping in the looks department are the integrated panniers, which are easy to operate and remove from the bike. They work a treat, and don't stick out like dog's balls either. The fairing is much more stylish (and effective) than before, with a rakish screen that kept my shoulders out of the weather, and helmet buffeting to a minimum. There is a higher-screen option for those that wish to be fully ensconced. The instruments are classy with their chrome bezels (although the odometer reset dial is difficult to use with gloves), the quality of finish is high, and the handling package is predictable and capable. Add in the lower seat height achieved via a cutaway in the foam, and the Trophy is suddenly appealing to a much wider audience than before. The top-heaviness of earlier Triumphs is camouflaged somewhat as a result, although there's no denying that at 220kg (dry weight), it's still a big bike. For a fully-equipped sportstourer the Trophy 900 can be hustled along quite quickly, being nimble enough not to cause heart-failure in the twisty stuff, and comfortable enough not to cause numb-bum in the straight stretches.

A RELAXING RIDE

The 900cc triple provides a relaxing off-beat lilt that's noticeable via the exhaust note and pleasant rumbling through the pegs and bars, and it's an engine that encourages you to short-shift and ride the torque curve rather than spin the tacho needle around the dial. Sure, the 1200 four eats the triple for torque, but that's not to say the 900 is gutless. It's all relative, and as I've said numerous times before, the 900 triple engine is a gem. The four-piston brakes are progressive and adequate (rather than over-kill like the six-piston option) for the bike's weight and usage, and the Bridgestone BT54 radials were well up to 'sporting' use along some of the twists and sinews of the GOR. In fact, the two Speed Triples that were along for the ride were never far ahead of the bigger and bulkier Trophy... The 25lt tank gives a range of just over 300km before reserve is needed, with consumption hovering between 13-15km/lt, depending on usage. There were some minor glitches on the test bike, such as a sidestand that had the bike leaning precariously at standstill, and an ignition switch that refused to rotate all the way to the lock position. I'm sure they'd be quickly attended to under warranty. For someone with $16,950 to spend on a 'luxury' sportstourer, the Trophy 900 is well worth a look.