Motorcycles

Triumph teases upcoming retro, middleweight Trident streetbike

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The Triumph Trident is set to return as a middleweight, entry-level neo-retro roadster
Triumph Motorcycles
Tank scoops look very R NineT to us
Triumph Motorcycles
Simple, round neo-retro headlight
Triumph Motorcycles
Triumph's middleweight triple engines have been winners for decades
Triumph Motorcycles
Friendly flat-bar nakedbike design
Triumph Motorcycles
Minimalist round dash
Triumph Motorcycles
A very clean back end – at least, without indicators and license plates
Triumph Motorcycles
Underslung exhaust keeps things tidy
Triumph Motorcycles
The Triumph Trident is set to return as a middleweight, entry-level neo-retro roadster
Triumph Motorcycles
View gallery - 8 images

Triumph has taken the unusual step of presenting a "design prototype" of its upcoming Trident, a neo-retro middleweight roadster that presumably uses the outstanding 765cc 3-cylinder engine from the Street Triple.

The Trident name harks back to a bike produced between 1968-75, jointly developed by Triumph and BSA. Triumph sold it as the Trident, BSA as the Rocket 3, and its 58-horsepower, 740cc inline triple made it a sophisticated and high-performing bike for its day, and a genuine contender for the "first superbike" monicker that eventually stuck to Honda's CB750. It returned for a bit in the 1990s as a fairly unassuming 900cc triple roadster.

This new Trident evidently aims to take the terrific performance and handling characteristics of the harder-edged, racier-looking Street Triple and put them in a friendlier, more accessible package with the kind of softer, retro design features that seem to be sticking around as extremely popular choices.

Triumph claims it'll be a "competitively priced" "entry point" into the roadster lineup, that the eventual production design will be "a pure, minimalistic form, with clean lines and uncluttered features ... with signature tank knee indents and key cues from our iconic Speed Triple's muscular poise."

A very clean back end – at least, without indicators and license plates
Triumph Motorcycles

The back end is certainly clean and uncluttered without any indicators or license plates on it. The tubular frame is not unattractive, and highlights the engine nicely, but certainly doesn't give the same sense of curvaceous majesty as the one at the heart of the Speed Triple design. The tank as seen here gives perhaps too much an echo of the R NineT for our liking, but that bike has been a monster seller for BMW. Headlight purists will enjoy the simple round headlight, and the small circular dash looks nice, too.

Due to hit dealerships in Spring 2021, with more information to come in the interim, this looks like a lovely entry-level mid-sized motorcycle, something perhaps to go up against Yamaha's popular XSR700. It does feel a few years late to the party, but then the neo-retro thing doesn't seem to be going away any time soon. We look forward to seeing how it looks in production form.

More photos in the gallery.

Source: Triumph Motorcycles

View gallery - 8 images
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4 comments
David V
Congratulations to Triumph. A prototype that could fit into nearly any motorcycle company's range. What's "Triumph" about it. I'm sure it'll be a great bike to ride. But many - most even - riders buy bikes on an emotional level and I don't see ANY connection with this bike to any bike in the current Triumph catalog let alone the pre-history of the current Triumph brand. It has nothing in common with the old Trident. Even worse than the Rocket 3 - ugliest bike EVER. "Neo-retro". Where's the retro ? Where's the "Neo" ?
Disappointing. Of course now that Triumph bikes are made in Taiwan, why even bother naming them after legendary British machines. I would call this "Egg-fried rice".
Mayakovski
Looks like a nice entry level bike. But has no visual connection to being a Triumph, or any other brand. Just a nice generic bike. Cute, but nothing special. Sell it real cheap (close to Royal Enfield prices) and you'll have a success. Try to price it like a Triumph and it will fail.
David Whyte
One comment adequately sums up my feelings from looking at this hideous nightmare. 🤮. The end.
Worzel
I'm not keen on the visual appearance of the handlebar and fork clamps. Something along the lines of a shaft collet clamp would be smoother and tidier. Design going backwards. It will appeal to some people, but not me. The real question is, will it appeal to enough people to make it economically viable to produce?