More Triumph trouble for Garner...

Fast Eddie said:
BritTwit said:
Fast Eddie said:
Interesting thing about the Thruxtons is that the riding position is actually really quite tame,.............

I figured the Thrux would be comfortable given the elevated clip-ons Triumph used.
They place the rider's hands at about the same level as a good set of drag bars, or M bars.
I like the standard Thrux look a little better. Its frontend is a bit more retro/café style than the R's USD forks.

Good news. :)

I surprised myself with this but, I agree with you, I actually prefer the looks of the base Thruxton too!

Looks aside, the R promises to ride/handle better than the base Thruxton and should also be a little lighter than a base Thruxton. The Showa Big Piston fork is a high performing fork and also very light in weight. The Ohlins rears are also a handling upgrade and the Brembos are a stopping upgrade plus should also knock a bit of weight off. I prefer the appearance of the R but even without that would go for the R upgrades anyway. The cost of the suspension upgrades alone if purchased later, as some have done with their earlier Thruxtons, likely exceeds the price dif between the base bike and the R. I believe the R also gets a more open exhaust all in stainless, also an upgrade some might add later to the base Thruxton.
So all in all the R is pretty good value.
At least that is my rationalization. :mrgreen:

Glen
 
Triumph does know how to build lite but has never before shown it on a retro, I hope this changes.

As for comparison to a Norton I don't think they are in the same league!

Carbon fibre ( the real stuff ) is not considered plastic in my circles, bike or auto, nor is it chemically the same and is the reason I bought a Special Factory model! It is used in the Aerospace Industry quite often for is strength to weight where normal plastic is unuseable.
Anyone who paints over it is blasphemous IMHO!
 
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon- ... ed_polymer


I'm sure that Triumph will offer lots of CF bits in their accessory catalogues. They seem to have figured out how to cater to every single buyer set in existence, including the Carbon Fibre crowd.

The factory race kit is sounding very interesting. According to the whispers, it adds 16 horses to the Thruxton and drops 12 pounds.

If the price is right, they will sell a lot of these kits.
Too bad we can't factory order with the kit already in. That won't work though, the bikes would be difficult if not impossible to export and register with the catalytic unit removed etc.

Glen
 
Triumph will sell every one they can make! I can't wait to have my Thai Twin and my British Special in the same garage with my MIlwaukee Thunder!
 
Fast Eddie said:
However guys, there is one area where (in my opinion) Norton scores over the new Bonnevilles...

The new Bonnies are all made in Thailand...

I know, I know, we are a global economy and all that, but I think this is a negative, quite a big one actually.

Some times things mean something to us, Harley's have to be made in the US, Ducati's have to be made in Italy, the French shouldn't be allowed to make anything, and Triumph's should be made in England. That's just the way it is.

And before any of you get imaginative with your replies, don't bother as my wife beat you to it years ago telling me that I'm stubborn, old fashioned, even bigoted, but that's also just the way it is!

Base model 750 Harley's are now made in India.....
 
Fast Eddie said:
However guys, there is one area where (in my opinion) Norton scores over the new Bonnevilles...

The new Bonnies are all made in Thailand...

I know, I know, we are a global economy and all that, but I think this is a negative, quite a big one actually.

Some times things mean something to us, Harley's have to be made in the US, Ducati's have to be made in Italy, the French shouldn't be allowed to make anything, and Triumph's should be made in England. That's just the way it is.

And before any of you get imaginative with your replies, don't bother as my wife beat you to it years ago telling me that I'm stubborn, old fashioned, even bigoted, but that's also just the way it is!


FWIW Ducati and Honda both make bikes in Thailand currently, I own one a Thai built Honda (a CB500X) and it is put together very well and has been trouble free so far. My biggest issue with the new 1200cc Triumph twins is the fake Amal Monobloc carbs :cry:, fake carbs are bad enough on the current Bonneville but fake 50 YO carbs are even worse, wish they had just gone with a cover like the new 900 twin.
 
So i guess that means we can go to a Harley dealer to by an Indian. :lol:
Actually the new 500cc and 750cc liquid cooled V twins that Harley manufactures in India, are intended only for the Asian market.
For now at least. According to HD.
 
bluto said:
My biggest issue with the new 1200cc Triumph twins is the fake Amal Monobloc carbs :cry:, fake carbs are bad enough on the current Bonneville but fake 50 YO carbs are even worse, wish they had just gone with a cover like the new 900 twin.

I am right there with ya, Bluto. I swear I might have reconsidered my 961 purchase had the Thruxton R displayed more style. I know it's going to be care-free compared to the 961. But why the carburetor facade?!
 
contours said:
bluto said:
My biggest issue with the new 1200cc Triumph twins is the fake Amal Monobloc carbs :cry:, fake carbs are bad enough on the current Bonneville but fake 50 YO carbs are even worse, wish they had just gone with a cover like the new 900 twin.

I am right there with ya, Bluto. I swear I might have reconsidered my 961 purchase had the Thruxton R displayed more style. I know it's going to be care-free compared to the 961. But why the carburetor facade?!

I think the fake carbs add to the vintage look. Much like the tank strap and other details. I would prefer if the fake carbs were more like the actual throttle bodies but I don't think the new ones are.

I got to crawl all over the bikes yesterday:

thruxton-details-t23722.html

More Triumph trouble for Garner...
 
I originally thought the faux carbs were a bit much in the EFI 865 Bonnies, but after seeing the new 1200's in person, to my eye, their fake carbs actually work to improve the the classic style.
If they don't hurt performance, then I approve of the disguised throttle bodies. Bare throttle bodies would look too ubiquitous.
The look is another distingishing point between ordinary modern bikes, and modern classics.
 
BritTwit said:
So i guess that means we can go to a Harley dealer to by an Indian. :lol:
Actually the new 500cc and 750cc liquid cooled V twins that Harley manufactures in India, are intended only for the Asian market.
For now at least. According to HD.


And the European Market as well...........but I suppose according to the idiot wearing a Guinea pig on his head, us Europeans are all part of Asia now.
 
bluto said:
Fast Eddie said:
However guys, there is one area where (in my opinion) Norton scores over the new Bonnevilles...

The new Bonnies are all made in Thailand...

I know, I know, we are a global economy and all that, but I think this is a negative, quite a big one actually.

Some times things mean something to us, Harley's have to be made in the US, Ducati's have to be made in Italy, the French shouldn't be allowed to make anything, and Triumph's should be made in England. That's just the way it is.

And before any of you get imaginative with your replies, don't bother as my wife beat you to it years ago telling me that I'm stubborn, old fashioned, even bigoted, but that's also just the way it is!


FWIW Ducati and Honda both make bikes in Thailand currently, I own one a Thai built Honda (a CB500X) and it is put together very well and has been trouble free so far. My biggest issue with the new 1200cc Triumph twins is the fake Amal Monobloc carbs :cry:, fake carbs are bad enough on the current Bonneville but fake 50 YO carbs are even worse, wish they had just gone with a cover like the new 900 twin.

Just to clarify, I never assumed for a minute that building bikes in Thailand would negatively effect overall quality. Possibly the opposite actually, as they know they have to 'prove themselves' so will probably it extra effort in to do so.

My point is mainly about customer perception and 'value' ... but... perhaps most people care less about this than I first thought to be honest.
 
Just to clarify, I never assumed for a minute that building bikes in Thailand would negatively effect overall quality. Possibly the opposite actually, as they know they have to 'prove themselves' so will probably it extra effort in to do so.

My point is mainly about customer perception and 'value' ... but... perhaps most people care less about this than I first thought to be honest


I Agree with Eddie . I AGREE WITH EDDIE ! I would NOT have bought my Norton if it was made in China or Thailand. And I certainly would not have paid what I paid for it either !!
The other important point here is that Hinckley Triumph would not be getting away with this Thailand manufacturing if it or he wasn't ALREADY ESTABLISHED IN ENGLAND as a maker of good British motorcycles . Now that they have their name and reputation (TRIUMPH) , now its time to reduce some costs (manufacture in Thailand) . This concept is practiced by most large concerns APPLE , HARLEY , HONDA ... So lets not kid ourselves thinking that if Triumph closed all England operations that that would not affect them very negatively. But what they might do is slide more and more of the manufacturing to Thailand and keep the England Corporate office presence. I hope this never happens. TonyA
 
Stuart Garner was very very passionate about bringing the Norton brand back "home" to England. Pretty much about keeping it a hand built limited production boutique bike as well. I kind of doubt (unless greed and power prevail) he will move to an automated production in Thailand. If so, I'm sure the use of plastics would become more prevalent, there would be cost cutting and the aura of the bike would suffer.
 
Ducati build the Scrambler in Thailand. One of the reasons was avoiding Taxes and Tarriffs in that region.
 
speirmoor said:
Ducati build the Scrambler in Thailand. One of the reasons was avoiding Taxes and Tarriffs in that region.

I didn't know that.

It kinda blows my argument away! As I understand it, Ducati simply cannot make enough of those to keep up with 'the market'.

So 'the market' clearly doesn't care they're made in Thailand!
 
With my old Brit bikes I have always proudly made the claim " I'll have you know that the parts falling off of this motorcycle are only of the finest British quality!"
Will have to find a new excuse for this Triumph, unless it turns out that it's a smoothie like the Daytona nd the parts all stay on :D

Glen
 
Fast Eddie said:
speirmoor said:
Ducati build the Scrambler in Thailand. One of the reasons was avoiding Taxes and Tarriffs in that region.

I didn't know that.

It kinda blows my argument away! As I understand it, Ducati simply cannot make enough of those to keep up with 'the market'.

So 'the market' clearly doesn't care they're made in Thailand!


They don't announce "Proudly Made in Thailand" .
 
TonyA said:
Fast Eddie said:
speirmoor said:
Ducati build the Scrambler in Thailand. One of the reasons was avoiding Taxes and Tarriffs in that region.

I didn't know that.

It kinda blows my argument away! As I understand it, Ducati simply cannot make enough of those to keep up with 'the market'.

So 'the market' clearly doesn't care they're made in Thailand!


They don't announce "Proudly Made in Thailand" .

No, they are going to claim "Proudly Designed in England"
 
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