VOLUME ISSUE MARCH , P101
The TF 250-X left a
good first impression
on us. But we're not
finished with it yet;
we have plenty more
testing to do.
and does not have an aggres-
sive abrasive seat cover that
will tear you up before the
end of the day. However, if
you favor a gripper seat cover,
Triumph offers one through its
accessory parts catalog. After
spending nearly three hours
on the TF 250-X, I can vouch
that the rider triangle position
is very comfortable for both
sitting and standing, as it pro
-
vides more of an on-top feeling
than an inside-of-the-bike feel.
I credit this to the somewhat
thicker seat foam. I am not
overly tall nor short at 5'11",
and when seated, the Triumph
does not require much knee
bend to get my feet up onto
the pegs.
The Triumph is an excellent-
handling motorcycle. It feels
light and nimble and quickly
gets in and out of turns with
-
out asking too much from the
rider.
Due to the nature of the
Gatorback track, having some
corners at the bottom of hills
and long straights, the stock
13/48 gearing felt spot on,
given the very linear power
curve. The Triumph was also
built with strong overrev and a
pleasant exhaust note due to
the lightweight stainless steel
exhaust and resonator. The
muffler, by the way, is repack
-
able, which is another nice
feature. The overrev certainly
helps get you up and over
jumps without having to shift;
however, if the shift from
second to third gear is not con
-
sistently executed correctly on
hills, you may consider trying a
49-tooth sprocket on the back.
Overall, the Triumph is plenty
powerful, and if you like to
get the most out of each gear,
you'll love how the TF-X revs to
the moon yet still has sufficient
bottom and mid. If I compare