Triumph’s Hat into the Ring

YOU CAN’T UNDERESTIMATE THE IMPORTANCE of this bike for Triumph. The Trident jumps into the entry-level naked market as an attractive, punchy middleweight to take on the strong and established competition such as Yamaha’s MT-07, Kawasaki’s Z650, and Honda’s CB650R, all of whom have new models for 2021.

This segment counts for an increasing number of sales and is key for manufacturers hoping to attract new riders; getting them on-board with their brand as soon as possible. The British brand hopes the all-new Trident will feature highly in their sales chart in 2021, but have they got it right? Two days of testing should uncover some answers.

The capacity of the triple engine is 660 cubic centimetres. Therefore, some may assume it’s an electronically de-tuned Street Triple S, but that’s not so. It is based on the older 660 unit and is furnished with 67 new components. This obviously means a serious re-design: new crank, clutch, and gearbox with different ratios (see interview box).

Compared to the Street Triple S, first, second, third, and fourth gears are shorter, fifth and sixth taller. As you’d