Spy Photos: 2013 Triumph Trophy 1200

MCN has snagged photos of an undisguised 2013 Triumph Trophy 1200. Sharing its 1,215cc triple with the new Tiger Explorer, the new touring bike will be equipped with ride-by-wire, switchable engine maps, traction control and ABS as standard. In the ADV bike, that engine develops 135bhp. MCN reports that the Trophy will be officially launched at the Cologne Motorcycle Show in October; Germans have an odd obsession with British motorcycles, possibly linked to their strong predilection for sexual humiliation and losing all those wars.

Wes Siler. May 10th, 2012 - Permalink - Comments (12)

Gear: Alpinestars 365 GoreTex gloves

If you ride in all weathers, you’ll be familiar with the motorcycle glove conundrum. Race gloves provide huge levels of protection and intuitive feel, but your hands will get frostbite if the ambient temp drops below 60. Winter gloves are occasionally capable of keeping your hands a tiny bit warmer, but they tend to lack impact protection and bulky insulation removes all feel. Is there a third way? That’s what these Alpinestars 365 GoreTex gloves set out to achieve, employing new laminated membrane technology and ditching the insulation to enhance feel, while adopting the knuckle protectors off the flagship Astars GP-Pros. :continue:

Wes Siler. May 2nd, 2012 - Permalink - Comments (46)

Dead animals, drinks, vintage Triumphs and Drake McElroy in Sao Paolo

Sao Paulo is one of the many places I really, really want to go, but haven’t had a chance yet. Luckily, FMX judge/athlete Drake McElroy can make us feel like we’re there. Being an X-Fighters judge doesn’t look so bad, does it? :continue:

Wes Siler. April 27th, 2012 - Permalink - Comments (6)

A custom bag for your custom scrambler

It’s no secret that we’re huge fans of the high-end custom bikes coming out of Philadelphia-based Hammarhead Industries. Much more than just looks, they’re genuinely boosting the functionality of the Urals and Triumphs and Hondas they’re based on to a whole new level. All that while remaining super tasteful and understated. You can apply the same plaudits to the company’s burgeoning range of accessories, like this new backpack. Waxed cotton and leather construction will make it water resistant and incredibly strong, but keeping the logos off it and the colors all black means you can use this equally well off the bike too. Handmade by D’Emploi in Brooklyn, quality should be as high as Hammarhead’s bikes.

Wes Siler. April 3rd, 2012 - Permalink - Comments (44)

Watch a Triumph Street Triple get very, very dirty

What happens when you take a Triumph Street Triple stunt bike, complete with cage and short gearing and fit it with knobbies? Good things happen. Very good things. :continue:

Wes Siler. April 1st, 2012 - Permalink - Comments (25)

Watch Ernie Vigil stunt…a Triumph Scrambler?!

Videos of our buddy Ernie Vigil wheelying, drifting and just generally misbehaving on a motorcycle are a dime a dozen. But they’re usually on a generic sportsbike or a Triumph Speed Triple or some such expected machine. Here, he does all that on a 58bhp, 500lbs Triumph Scrambler. The result is, unexpectedly, beautiful. :continue:

Wes Siler. March 20th, 2012 - Permalink - Comments (26)

A T100 for Triumph’s 110th

2012 is Triumph’s 110th birthday (we’ll ignore the period in the ‘80s when they were temporarily dead). To mark the occasion, there’s this special edition Triumph Bonneville T100. It receives a really nice “Aluminum Silver and Khaki Green” paint job and the 1902 Triumph crest on the sidecovers as well as various chrome parts. There’s only 1,000 being produced for the entire world and they’ll carry a $1,400 premium over the regular T100.

Wes Siler. March 15th, 2012 - Permalink - Comments (37)

A tale of two Bonnevilles

What you’re looking at here is the 2012 Triumph Bonneville T100. It swaps in a 19-inch, spoked front wheel, tubes, two-tone paint, a flat seat, more conservative suspension geometry and higher, narrower, more swept back handlebars for a $1,400 premium over the standard Bonneville. Worth it? Nope. Those mods effectively ruin what’s otherwise a great bike.

Photos: Grant Ray :continue:

Wes Siler. March 8th, 2012 - Permalink - Comments (66)

40 years later, Paul Smart remembers the Imola 200

In 1972, Paul Smart won the Imola 200 aboard a a Ducati 750 equipped with Fabio Taglioni’s as-yet-unproven 90-degree, desmodromic valve L-twin. That victory kickstarted Ducati’s production bike race program and gave the company an engine architecture that is still winning Superbike races in 2012. Some time ago, Paul put memories of the race into words. Here they are along with historic images from the race. :continue:

Wes Siler. March 2nd, 2012 - Permalink - Comments (19)

Why you don’t want the best motorcycle you’ll ever ride

What makes a motorcycle good? Is it big horsepower numbers and a long list of novel technology? Its ability to triple the highway speed limit? Is it presence in a TV show or its ability to impress your buddies on a motorcycle forum? This new 2012 Suzuki V-Strom 650 has none of that. When it leaked last year, we even called it boring. But, after spending over a month on it, that opinion has changed totally. The V-Strom might not be the sexiest motorcycle out there, but it is the most broadly capable we’ve ridden.

Photos: Sean Smith :continue:

Wes Siler. February 27th, 2012 - Permalink - Comments (96)

Search Tags