Text by Janie Omorogbe

Triumph is the world’s fastest growing manufacturer. Their recent sales have boomed across the board, with a substantial 22 percent of their total 49, 812 bike sales being attributed to North America. But if the British manufacture is to continue their growth spurt and encourage new buyers from across the pond, they need to address the glaringly obvious gaps in their motorcycle range. There are certain segments where Triumph aren’t represented at all. There isn’t a small trailie for example or 1000cc sports bike, (despite constant badgering from UK journalists.) But for now, the Hinckley based brand has decided to concentrate on filling the yawning void between their entry-level, 865cc powered Speedmaster and America and their humongous 2.3 litre Rocket III.

Statistics show a massive fifty percent of purchased cruisers are powered by engines between 1401 and 1700cc. So it’s no surprise that Triumph have invested a lot of time and energy into producing the perfect sized plug to stem the flow of escaping bike sales, particularly from the US. Of course, that means competing directly with the King-of-all-cruisers, the legendary Harley-Davidson, but Triumph are keen to point out that they are by no means expecting to knock the established Americans off their proud pedestal, or even challenge them to a head-to-head of bike sales. They’re more concerned with expanding their own range, and offering an alternative to the Japanese low riders.

The first step was to dismiss the notion of using an air cooled V-Twin engine, (the traditional choice for a cruiser.) In order for the Thunderbird to state a realistic claim on the market, it had to be totally individual and not just another Harley-clone. It had to show dedication to the British heritage. It had to be an unmistakable, traditional Triumph. Hence the liquid cooled 1597cc parallel twin powerhouse. It isn’t a bored out Bonnie, or a Rocket III lump minus one cylinder, it’s a completely new engine and it’s one that’s been designed specifically for the Thunderbird. American designer Tim Prentice was also assigned to the project, which started five years ago with a blank sheet of paper and although I’ve now ridden the result of his efforts through the Spanish hillside outside of Barcelona, I have no doubt that this isn’t the end of the story. Not by far.

The Thunderbird is pleasing to the eye. That’s the best way to describe it. It’s pleasantly inoffensive and subtley enticing, but it’s hardly the lairy chromed cruiser that middle aged dreams and cashed in savings policies are made off. But in a way, that’s half the attraction. It’s a blank canvas that you can make your own by splashing out on lashings of chrome, leather saddlebags or stylized footpegs. And that’s just scratching the surface of the one hundred accessories and seven thousand pounds worth of extras available for this bike. And you can bet your bottom dollar this is barely the tip of the iceberg. If the Thunderbird is successful, there could be a whole family of T-bird brothers, all powered by the same smooth engine, but with different styling and characteristics. It works for Harley-Davidson after all.

Triumph are dipping a cautious toe in the cruiser pool with the bike’s intentionally conservative styling, because they already consider the engine configuration to be a radical step away from the norm. Despite that, the Thunderbird still manages to capture a sense of quiet elegance and unmistakable quality. It feels and looks like a finished product. Not all cruisers do. The dash fits snugly on top of the wide 22 litre tank and incorporates a chrome surrounded Speedo, two trips, a fuel gauge, clock and distance to empty, which should be quite impressive as Triumph claim the Thunderbird has twenty percent more fuel efficiency than most other cruisers.

But this bike isn’t really concerned with a battle for sales, performance or power figures, it’s about character. Where Harley-Davidson are famous for their air-cooled engines, the water cooled parallel twin is Triumph’s signature dish. And it’s delicious. The low revving, muscular mounds of heavy torque are served in a smooth, faultless delivery that satisfies a really lazy appetite to gear changing. There’s no need to stir the ‘box endlessly to find flavour and punch as you can taste the potential from as low as 1500rpm, with the 85bhp peaking at 4,850 rpm and 108lb.ft of torque poised at lowly 2,500 rpm. Moreover, the transmission uses the first belt drive seen on a Triumph for eighty five years. It’s as smooth as the power delivery, totally unobtrusive and dismisses the need for a grimy and higher maintenance chain.

Where cruisers often have the tendency to feel as unsteady as a newborn foal at slow speeds due to the raked out front forks, the Thunderbird’s handling feels confident and reassuring at any pace. Triumph have focused their attentions on making it easy and rewarding to ride and as a result, it feels neutral and remarkably manageable. The brakes are strong without being potent, and even if you dive for the front mid corner, the bike won’t startle you by suddenly sitting up. For extra security, an ABS version is also available for an additional £600 (and a two tone colour scheme for £295). Tight and tricky u-turns are easily executed, as long as your arms are long enough to cope with the bike’s ample steering lock and wide handlebars, and it feels relatively stable in the faster sweepers. Of course, there is a softness to the suspension which becomes evident if you’re intent on riding as though you’ve straddled a sportsbike, but the flip side is a plush comfort that encourages a more relaxed ride. That said, the footpegs will start to drag as you expect more and more lean from the bike, which is inevitable because it handles so well. But although you’ll touch down as often as a good American football player, you’ll still be scraping the pegs (or aftermarket footboards) less than a typical American cruiser.

The Thunderbird fits the gap in cruiser market as neatly as it was intended to. It certainly has competitive performance and handling within the limitations of the genre. And it has a stronger identity than many Japanese customs. Performance, identity and a string of bling on offer. What more could you ask?


Tech Box
Model        Triumph Thunderbird. from £9,499. ABS £10,099
 twin tone colour add £295.   
Engine            1597cc liquid cooled, parallel twin       
Power            85 bhp @ 4,850 rpm   
Torque            108 lb.ft @ 2,750 rpm               
Transmission        6 speed   
Dry Weight        308 kg / 678 lbs   
Seat Height        700mm / 27.6 inches   
Fuel capacity        22 litres / 4.8 gallons
Fuel economy        53.9mpg with mixed use
   
   
Contact        Triumph Motorcycles 01455 251700
            www.triumphmotorcycles.com

Pictures by Jason Critchel

Text by Janie Omorogbe

It’s a strange thing. Trust. It takes a while to gain, requires a lot of faith, but once it’s established, it’s yours to own.

It’s the same deal between two people, a rider and machine, or a man and his dog. He may have a potentially aggressive Pitbull straining at the leash, but that doesn’t mean he will be bitten. Not if the animal is restrained.

Ducati’s 1198S is an animal. Especially in comparison to its predecessor, the equally stunning, but less potent 1098. The R version was equipped with DTC, Ducati Traction Control and we loved the idea of being able to muzzle our monsters at will. But it worked by retarding the ignition before eventually cutting the spark, instead of the fuel supply, so the technology was only suitable for use in conjunction with a race exhaust. The 1198S also benefits from having DTC as standard, but because its system works by interrupting the fuel injection when the level of grip is compromised, it’s safe to use with road legal catalytic exhausts and the standard ECU. It also has DDA, Ducati Data Analyser which records the performance of you and the bike which you can download and produce later as evidence during the inevitable pub banter.

Ducati’s superbikes always look so intimidating and serious. Perhaps it’s the deep red paint that highlights the athletic bodywork. Perhaps it’s the legendary badge that has graced the top step of MotoGP and World Superbike podiums alike. Or perhaps it’s just the thought of straddling all those thoroughbred stallions in a focused racing crouch and wondering if I’ve really got the balls to stick the throttle on the stop. Can I trust myself not to get carried away with £14,950 of Italian magnificence? Or can I trust the DTC?

First up though is the difference in the engine capacity, which has resulted in an increased power output of 10bhp to 170bhp @ 9750rpm and torque to 97.lb.ft @ 8000rpm. It’s ferocious. Wind the throttle back, and the 1198S is capable of rendering you utterly speechless. It fires you forwards like a human cannonball with a ballistic rush of power that batters your senses. The power that surges from the two beefy cylinders is utterly predictable. It’s smooth and precise, running hard until it hits the 10,500 redline, unless you slide up another gear and renew the charge. A track you know and pace you’re comfortable with suddenly seems like a distant memory as corners fill your vision with alarming speed. Braking markers fly past unannounced as your throttle hand falls for the Italian’s spell and sticks the ride on fast forward.

Such explosive power needs to be harnessed in a way that will encourage you to exploit the bike’s potential. Or at least try to. The lighter ‘S’ version is a higher spec model than the standard 1198, with extras like ‘GP Replica’ seven spoked forged wheels and  fully adjustable Ohlins as opposed to the base model’s Showa suspension. Not to mention the DTC. And on track, it feels harmonious.

Overcooking corners can be easily rectified by leaning the bike outside your comfort zone. Its high speed stability is as impressive as its eagerness to turn sharply or correct a wayward line. And despite feeling initially cautious, it soon became apparent that the bike responds best to a firm hand and a confident rider. That said, there’s also a kindness to its nature that guides you through mistakes, rolling through turns as if your excessive speed is just a number.

The eight different settings on the DTC are far from that though. The higher the digit displayed on the MotoGP styled dash, the more secure the safety net. Here’s where the trust comes in. The trouble with safety nets is that you can’t always see them. Try standing forty feet high in the air and jumping onto a black net, suspended above black carpet. In dimmed light. In lycra. I’ve done it and it’s not pleasant. So it’s little surprise that I selected level eight on my first track session at Pau Arnos in France, to build my confidence in the system. I needn’t have bothered. It’s as effective as dipping an oversized cargo net in day glow orange, jumping is no longer an issue. You can snatch the throttle back, with a healthy degree of lean, with zero risk of orbit-launch. A row of red lights flash on the dash to show the system’s been activated and it continues to serve and protect until the appropriate traction is resumed. Nice. Rumour has it, it’s nigh on impossible to highside above level three. Level four it is then.

More throttle, more acceleration, more fun. The bike lights up on the exits and takes the edge off the power without interrupting the flow of your riding. It’s confidence inspiring and it flatters your riding, whatever level that may be.

The 1198S devoured afternoon on track and I savoured every moment. The riding position’s focused and firm, and ideal for these circumstances, although less so for the road. But the DTC will suit both environments and most riders. Trust it.
  

Tech Box

Model            £14,950 Ducati 1198S                     
Engine            1198.4cc L-Twin
Power            170 bhp @ 9750rpm   
Torque            97lb.ft @ 8000 rpm               
Transmission        6 speed   
Dry Weight        169kg / 373lb   
Seat Height        820mm / 32.2 in   
Fuel capacity        15.5 litres   
   
Contact        www.ducatiuk.com
 

Pictures by Jason Critchel

Text by Janie Omorogbe

It’s been a year, twelve whole months of waiting for KTM’s RC8R, the more powerful, refined version of the RC8 superbike. Aesthetically, the Austrian manufacture’s first attempt at a litre sports bike was a no brainer. It was (and is) simply stunning, with sharp angular lines and a rear end that’s sharper than a wasp’s tail. But there was a sting to it too. The gearbox was sloppy with a penchant for false neutrals. The vibey twin cylinder engine disguised its true potential with a linear predictability and the power delivery often felt snatchy and abrupt, especially in the lower gears. Bygones. This new and improved RC8R is the bike we’ve been waiting for and although there’s no denying KTM’s first efforts were indeed valiant and worthy of praise, this latest version has sorted the niggles and then some.