Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128138
2002 Triumph TT600 and Sprint RS Mike Vaughn, Triumph CEO Vaughn has been with Triwnph since 1998. He was an executive at Kawasaki Motor Corp. from 1974-1990. How has your experience with Triumph been so far? Very rewarding. There is a lot more participation in the whole process at Triumph than there was at Kawasaki. There are very few layers of bureaucracy, so you have more of a hands-on kind of feeling than I did at Kawasaki. Your sales are up, which has to be encouraging in such a tough marketplace. Yes. It seemed like for the couple years after Triumph first came into the country in 1995, there was that original spike in enthusiasm for the product, and then it kind of dipped. We had some problems that we had to correct - pricing and things like that - but since 1997 we have seen a pretty steady increase. What models do you feel create the most interest in the Triumph brand? Do you see more enthusiasm for niche models, such as the Speed Triple or Bonneville? You know, it comes and goes. What we find is that if we lose visibility in the media, sales drop. The minute that visibility comes back, sales pick up. You have experienced growth in the sales of the TT600 as well, which is probably something that critics might have argued would not be possible because that category is so tough. Yes we have, and it is surprising. We knew that we needed to get into that market because it is a much younger demographic than where we have been. Frankly, some of the initial test reports on the TT600 were less than stellar, and we were real concerned that it would fall on its face. But people have picked up on it in spite of the fact that it is not the ultimate 600. and '02 model is much improved. We allowed for one 45-minute session aboard the RS and were pleased to discover that the smooth hone of the original RS package remains intact. Thanks to the new triple, the power builds from way low on the tachometer - around 2000 rpm. The RS doesn't necessarily provide a huge, raw rush of power, but rather is very linear in feel, especially in the midrange. We are also impressed with the shifting action of the RS, which doesn't display a hint of notchiness. Of course, at track speeds, the balanced, Cadillac-like suspension of the RS make it a bit of a handful. Once again, we would recommend stiffening the springs with the preload adjusters before getting too aggressive, but given the RS's intended use, we'd still have to give it high ratings on the track. Same goes for the bike's all-day ergos. If there's an area that we'd like to see improved on the RS, it is in the front brake department. The twin 320mm rotors and four-piston rotors do an able job of stopping the RS, but the lever travel was a bit excessive for our tastes, no matter which of the four adjustable cam positions we had the lever set to. It's a minor complaint, but we suspect the brakes could also be easily updated. If you're looking for a bottom line here, then it is that you should really check the Triumph Sprint RS out if you are looking for a good all-around machine that you can pack the miles on. It works well, sports a different look and marches to the beat of that awesome fuel-injected engine. Call it a triple play that we would love to get caught up in. CN The Interceptor Interceptor? Triumph's "all-around" Sprint AS benefits from a seriously revised Inline triple engine. Midrange power was the goal. Mission accomplished. Where would you like to see Triumph in five years? I think that we would like to see between 15,000 and 20,000 motorcycles sold per year. Right now we're at a little over 6000 per year, and if sales would sustain the way they have now, we could see 9000 units sold this year. I don't kno.... how big Triumph can get right now. We have a new factory that's coming onHne, so we'll certainly have the capacity to build 50,000 units per year. that has been placed in the new Speed Triple. The new motor features high-pressure die-cast crankcases that are both stronger and lighter, and the crankcase breathing has been altered to change power loss. The DOHC 12valve cylinder head now employs 1mm larger inlet valves and 1mm smaller exhaust valves, set at a narrower included angle, and both inlet and exhaust ports have been reshaped for better gas flow. New cast pistons ride in steel liners. Adding more oomph, the RS's compression ratio has been jacked from 11.2: 1 to 12: 1. The engine checks in some five and a half pounds lighter than last year. A larger, reshaped airbox directs air into a new closed-loop fuel-injection system, which features smaller, lighter injectors. The closed-loop system also features an oxygen sensor that moni- [1@&)(J tors and adjusts the air-fuel ratio at varying engine speeds for better engine performance. The fuel-injection mapping has been tuned to place more emphasis on mid-range torque. Same as with the new Daytona 955i, the alternator is now located on the left-hand end of the crankshaft, and the starter motor drive is located on the right. Triumph claims that this configuration helps to reduce noise, especially at idle, because it eliminates the need for a gear coupling to drive the alternator. In the transmission, a revised claw-type gear-change mechanism is supposed to gives a smoother, more positive shift action. The RS exhaust system has new headers and uses a balance-pipe, once again to boost midrange performance. For the German and Californian markets, a secondary air-injection system is fitted to minimize emissions. Triumph officials say that the system has a minimal effect on performance when compared to a 49state model, but that the difference is so slight that it is hardly worth noting. Other improvements have been made to the cooling and lubrication systems, the radiator featuring a thinner core to increase efficiency without a size or weight penalty. .The twin-spar aluminium mainframe and twin-sided swingarm, and the brakes and suspension remain unchanged. The 2002 is available in two color choices: Acidic Yellow and Jet Black. 5J[JfJ@ fP@G!J[JfJ@ Discontinued Triumph Models • Legend • Adventurer • Trophy 900 New Triumph Models • Daytona Centennial • TI 00 Bonneville Centennial • Bonneville America • Speed Four (see sidebar) 16 JANUARY 23,2002' cue I _ n __ s 5J (2)&J[2jiJ @[f)@@@ WD[f)D@ CJ (J[}f]&J(JIfB [f@&JDDW &J fP@G!J[?g The soon-to-be-released Triumph Speed Four combines streetfighter looks with high specification components throughout to deliver genuine sports bike perfonnance. Unllke the more budget-oriented machines currently available in this sector. generally based upon older models, the Speed Four platform is derived from the latest 2002-specification TT600. The fuel injected, inline four-cylinder engine features new cams, pistons and liners and Is tuned for a broad spread of mid-range power and torque. It shares the same chassis as the TT600, so from the outset the rider is assured of superb handling and agility. In addition, the Speed Four has fully adjustable front and rear suspension. The Speed Four draws inspiration from the Speed Triple and shares the same distinctive twin headlamps. A color-coordinated seat cowl completes the bodywork. The compact instrument console features an analog tachometer, digital speedometer and digital twin trip meters, clock and temperature gauge, plus a low fuel warning light. The Speed Four will make its U.S. debut at the Atlanta Cycle World Show in late January. It will be available in three colors: Roulette Green. Tangerine Orange and Jet Black.