It is with pleasure that I announce an end to my year-long-or-more flip-flopping indecision on bikes, as I am now the proud owner of a 2002 Triumph Sprint ST:
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I remember drooling over the old Sprints in the mid 90s, if that tells you anything about saving money for a while. ;) Fortunately, the longer you wait, the cheaper once-cutting-edge stuff gets! And as much as I love traditional bikes, I'd about had it dealing with carbs.
I don't think the 955 STs are particularly rare, though I think Triumphs in general are somewhat of a novelty, possibly because there just aren't as many dealers out there as the Japanese bikes. Seems a shame to me, but what can ya do!
Thanks for the reply... not sure if the quiet-ness is due to LJ, or due to Triumphs not appealing as much to the furry demographic. ;)
You would think Triumphs would appeal based on one of their models being the "Tiger".
I like Triumphs, although in the long run I'd probably get a Japanese bike first and be like everyone else. They're nicely "retro" (at least some models are) and they do have a nice sound however. Good choice on the sport-tourer, btw.
Actually I'm kinda curious now as to how many cruiser vs sportbike vs other such things there are in the demographics here. I wonder if I can post a survey to a group. Hmmm.
Honestly Japanese bikes are pretty solid and pretty well sorted at this point. And the parts and dealer network as I said above are MUCH more favorable. There's TWO Triumph dealers in the entire state of Michigan, as far as I know... and the Detroit area one is about 35 miles from me. So that will make service a big pain, but we'll see how everything goes.
Yeah, it is definitely "distinct" -- people seem to either love or hate them. We'll see if it backs it up with performance in a couple months when the snow melts. ;)
You have good taste. I myself have an '07 Sprint 1050. I also kind of liked the fact that it's non-Japanese and that you don't see too many of them. I was shopping for a 750 or so sport tourer, like my old Interceptor. I found they are now making motorcycles taller or my lags have gotten shorter. Most every bike I sat on I was on tip toe when sitting on it. I found with the Triumph my feet were flat on the ground and it felt smaller than most 750's even though it's a 1050. It just felt like a good fit. Being a triple, the engine is a tad buzzy but not overly so. Overall from the little I've ridden it (long story) I am quite pleased. I know Atpaw cheetah is a Triumph fan. Don't know of any others off hand.
Excellent. :) I came very close on a 2006 myself. I never thought about it but now that you mention it I guess I was tiptoeing around a bit more looking at recent bikes than my old '89 Katana.
Yeah, Atpaw was the one that I knew of. :) I'll have to keep my eyes open though -- thanks for the response!
Hey, I think I remember you from kangaroo days. :) Anyway, thanks! Sucks on the credit situation. Of course, the 955 era Speed Triples are getting pretty cheap these days too!
Nice bike. I am also a Triumph fan but more toward the sixties and seventies, although had an 82 750 Bonneville I wish I still had. Other than that one Triumph, a Honda fan all the way.
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I don't know much about that specific model, and I can't recall if I have actually seen one, are they particularly rare birds?
Congrats and have a ton of (safe) fun!
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I don't think the 955 STs are particularly rare, though I think Triumphs in general are somewhat of a novelty, possibly because there just aren't as many dealers out there as the Japanese bikes. Seems a shame to me, but what can ya do!
Thanks for the reply... not sure if the quiet-ness is due to LJ, or due to Triumphs not appealing as much to the furry demographic. ;)
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I like Triumphs, although in the long run I'd probably get a Japanese bike first and be like everyone else. They're nicely "retro" (at least some models are) and they do have a nice sound however. Good choice on the sport-tourer, btw.
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Actually I'm kinda curious now as to how many cruiser vs sportbike vs other such things there are in the demographics here. I wonder if I can post a survey to a group. Hmmm.
Honestly Japanese bikes are pretty solid and pretty well sorted at this point. And the parts and dealer network as I said above are MUCH more favorable. There's TWO Triumph dealers in the entire state of Michigan, as far as I know... and the Detroit area one is about 35 miles from me. So that will make service a big pain, but we'll see how everything goes.
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I myself have an '07 Sprint 1050.
I also kind of liked the fact that it's non-Japanese and that you don't see too many of them.
I was shopping for a 750 or so sport tourer, like my old Interceptor. I found they are now making motorcycles taller or my lags have gotten shorter. Most every bike I sat on I was on tip toe when sitting on it. I found with the Triumph my feet were flat on the ground and it felt smaller than most 750's even though it's a 1050. It just felt like a good fit.
Being a triple, the engine is a tad buzzy but not overly so.
Overall from the little I've ridden it (long story) I am quite pleased.
I know Atpaw cheetah is a Triumph fan. Don't know of any others off hand.
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Yeah, Atpaw was the one that I knew of. :) I'll have to keep my eyes open though -- thanks for the response!
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