New Triumph Trident To Lock Horns With Kawasaki Z650, Honda CB650R And Yamaha MT-07

The Trident will arrive on our shores by early-2021

• The Trident has been one of the most important motorcycles in the British bikemaker’s legacy.
• The upcoming bike marries old-school charm with modern flair quite well.
• It will be powered by a mid-displacement inline three-cylinder engine.

Triumph is one of the few bikemakers in the world that offers a wide variety of motorcycles. It offers everything from naked (Street Triple and Speed Triple) and adventure motorcycles (Tiger 900 and Tiger 1200) to the Bonneville family of neo-retro bikes and the Rocket 3, the world’s torquiest bike. Triumph is seeking to add another line of models to this already extensive portfolio. Something which represents the heritage of the British brand but is still modern and youthful. Something to plug the gap between the Bonneville family and the Street Triple (which shall be called STR further in this article for ease of reading) series. Thus, it has revived the Trident name for its upcoming mid-displacement naked bike.

The mid-displacement model segment has been quite popular in developing markets like ours. These bikes give budding enthusiasts a small taste of what lies in store if they progress on to bigger and meaner motorcycles. And even if they don’t, these bikes are more than capable of giving you the jollies. Motorcycles in this segment usually have twin (parallel or V) or inline four engines. The KTM 690 Duke was the only loony single still around until Euro 5 choked the life out of it. If you notice, there are no triples in the segment and that’s what Triumph aims to capitalise on with the Trident. 

A triple-cylinder engine is clearly evident from the design prototype, looking eerily similar to the one found on the STRs. With the entire revamp of the STR series in 2017, all three models ran with the same 765cc motor. For 2020 though, the R and the RS retained the 765 mill while the S got a smaller 660cc unit. For the Trident though, Triumph will be bringing back the old 675cc motor that was found on the old gen Street Triple 675.

The 675cc engine used to produce 106PS and 67.8Nm in its Euro 3-spec guise. The same engine would be a bit overwhelming for someone who is just stepping up from a sub-400cc motorcycle. Motorcycles like the Kawasaki Z650 or the Yamaha MT-07 put out roughly 70PS and 65Nm, while the Honda CB650R makes use of its extra cylinder to dish out 105PS but a similar torque figure as the other Japanese bikes. Even the India-bound Suzuki SV650, which has the same V-twin engine from the successful V-Strom 650XT, produces 76PS and 64Nm. Hence, Triumph would ideally like to position the Trident between the twins and the inline four, with the performance on tap expected to be around 80-85PS and around 70Nm. Triumph states the Trident’s motor will have a “perfect balance of low-down torque and top-end power,” which should keep both the noob as well as experienced riders excited. The engine characteristics would be better suited to daily commutes than the STR even though the latter models have become more well-rounded for 2020.

Another key area where Trident might just triumph over the Japanese bikes is in electronic rider aids. The Z650, SV650 and MT-07 do not offer any riding modes, traction control or switchable ABS. The CB650R is the only one that comes with a couple of rider modes and traction control. Triumph is expected to kit the Trident to the brim with rider aids, just like it has done on the STR series. The aforementioned three aids will definitely be present along with perhaps a bi-directional quickshifter as an option.

Triumph has developed an all-new chassis from the ground up for the Trident. It isn’t using the same taut twin-spar frame from the STR. But as you can spot from the images, it is rather likely to be a tubular steel perimeter frame that uses the engine as a stressed member. Cornering dynamics are likely to be sacrificed with a slightly raked-out front lending the Trident a bit more friendliness compared to the extremely agile STRs.

The prototype motorcycle’s swingarm gets a familiar gullwing-type design, although the dimensions would be quite different from other Triumphs. Given that it will be a more cost-conscious motorcycle, Triumph will opt for non-adjustable suspension hardware for the bikes. The stock tune is expected to be softer in comparison to the STRs. They might not be as adept at handling as the fancy Showas or Ohlins, but will definitely aim to offer a better riding experience over our erratic road surfaces. Even the braking hardware seems to be a couple of notches lower than the STRs with Nissin floating calipers anchoring the Trident. The design prototype looks like it’s running on Michelin Road 5 rubber, which in our experience, have turned out to be great street rubber for all weather conditions. 

These images of the Trident design prototype reveal quite a European style, a departure from the old-school British charm of the Bonnies or the stiff upper lip sophisticated vibe of the STRs. The Trident might have been conceived in Hinckley but it is Varese that it has received its form. The Italian influences on the design arrive thanks to Rodolfo Frascoli and his design firm. Frascoli has been part of the design process of several motorcycles like the Triumph Tiger 900, the Suzuki Katana, and even the Bajaj Dominar 400. The tank shape is quite like the BMW R NineT with the relatively short subframe lending the Trident an open and clean rear look. The single-piece seat too is a bit Scrambler 800/1100-esque and so is the round LED headlight. The info cluster is a fully digital roundel and is likely to be a colour TFT unit. 

Triumph will be building the Trident at its facility in Thailand and commence global deliveries by early-2021. The bike will hopefully arrive on our shores by March 2021 via the CBU route. Judging by the kit on offer and the bike’s intentions, it is likely to be priced at around Rs 7.50 lakh, making it one of the most affordable Triumphs you can buy in India. If Triumph wants to make the Trident a tempting proposition, a Rs 7 lakh introductory pricing could very well do the trick.