CYCLE NEWS CRUISER BUYERS GUIDE
TRIUMPH
RETRO LOOK,
MODERN TECH
Not only did the old Triumphs give Harley-Davidson a run for their
money at the track back in the day, now the British manufacturer
runs neck-and-neck with H-D in the nostalgic design department.
Both companies enjoy a rich history in the cruiser segment, so
why wouldn't they flaunt it? Just like Triumph's modern classic
stable, its cruiser line takes its styling cues from the golden age of
motorcycling; we're talking the epic Steve-McQueen King-of-Cool
era, and of course, the iconic TR6 Trophy from The Great Escape.
Obviously you'll never be as cool as Steve McQueen in a white
t-shirt, casually sprawled out in the shade of your Desert Sled
taking a long, smooth drag, but you can try with Triumph's modern
iterations of the bikes that defined the brand 50 years ago.
Although Triumph's cruisers share a lot of DNA with their scram-
bler forbearers from the 1960s and 70s, riding one is a different
matter. When the company brought out the Bonneville Bobber
two years ago, they mated bob-job style with the latest iteration of
Triumph's Bonneville machines for a new spin on an old classic.
If you want something more modern looking, there's the Speed-
master. Triumph's factory custom motorcycle hit the market in '02
and has been upgraded several times since. The latest big change
to it was the addition of the Bonneville's high-torque 1200cc mill,
helping it keep up with modern performance while maintaining
its signature style.
