Triumph Trident 900 (Am I mad?)

[humpbackmaniac]

I bought an old Trident 900 for my best mate as a wedding present, and have been generally tidying it over the last couple of weeks and I have fallen in love with it. (in a good way not a weird way!)

It started when I rode it home, raining, cold, 80 miles home but still took the slightly longer twistier last five miles. Now it looks great, sounds nice but could do with a little more bass and volume added to it. Handling is laid back shall we say but it gets so many admiring looks and is just a lovable type of thing. So now I want one. Am I going mad? I have a K8 Hayabusa that we ride out together on and its just not as much fun worrying about the depreciation that every mile is doing to my Japanese Jet Fighter.
Am I mad to give the Booozer back, finance payments have just broken even on depreciation, and spend a couple of grand on a tidy Trumpet?



And in context outside the pub! Next to the current hugely expensive tool. Excuse the gormless fool on the chopper, he's having a midlife crisis!

[y2blade]

your mate needs to turn around...he'll hurt himself trying to ride like that!

biking is all about what makes "you" happy...follow your heart and go for it


i love your Busa ..the 08 has really grown on me as i didnt like it at all when i first saw it at the NEC but now i've seen a few around they look really good

Edited by y2blade on Monday 28th April 09:40

[humpbackmaniac]

Thanks, I actually think it looks better in pictures than it does in the flesh, strange that, if you are thinking of buying one, think hard. You can forgive it anything when the taps open as it is devastatingly fast, a religious experience as my friend called it, but the build quality is truely shocking! Mine is rusted, fluffed, paint worn through and completely unsupported by Suzuki "customer services" I will never buy another Suzuki.

[black1]

yep you ave lost it !!

[y2blade]

humpbackmaniac said:

Thanks, I actually think it looks better in pictures than it does in the flesh, strange that, if you are thinking of buying one, think hard. You can forgive it anything when the taps open as it is devastatingly fast, a religious experience as my friend called it, but the build quality is truely shocking! Mine is rusted, fluffed, paint worn through and completely unsupported by Suzuki "customer services" I will never buy another Suzuki.

i used to work in a multi-franchise dealers w/shop (suzuki,honda,kawa,yam,ducati and triumph) so i know what to expect from them all as far as build quality and warranty claims

my next bike will be a ZX10 or a (pre owned) 08 blade ..thats the short list so far but it may grow as im not changing until the end of this year as I want to do this season on my old faithfull blade

Edited by y2blade on Monday 28th April 09:52

[RizzoTheRat]

I quite like the look of that Trident, though I've been slightly put off trumpets in general by
a) the fact that I don't fit on the the new Sprint ST
b) the hideous exhaust on the new Tiger
c) loosing sight of the road when following a mate on a Trophy 1200 when it put a conrod through it's crank case at about 90mph

[dern]

y2blade said:

my next bike will be a ZX10 or a (pre owned) 08 blade ..thats the short list so far but it may grow as im not changing until the end of this year as I want to do this season on my old faithfull blade

I saw an 07 blade in repsol colours outside waitrose on saturday and started to think the unthinkable - two blades isn't excessive, is it?

OP: You've got to get what you fancy, regret is rubbish

[sprinter885]

That Trident looks real tidy -I reckon you should keep it.
I had a '98 Sprint Sport with same (885 cc)engine. In fact that's where me log-in name comes from of course.

They're a great sound & plenty of guts too but a bit lardy which will help to keep your licence!
That model Trident always seems a bit of a classic look to me and I think originally formed the basis for the Speed triple ?

[Hooli]

thats a lovely looking trumpet, id keep it.

[Rubin215]

Keep it! Keep it! Keep it!

Over the years I have had many, many bikes, but nothing has come close to the past few years when I have become addicted to first generation "New" Triumphs.

So far I have had;

Daytona Super III 900,
Trophy 900,
Trident 750,
Sprint 900,
Daytona 1000.

Still have the Trident, the Sprint and the Daytona 1000.

Sprint is an everyday commuter; dropped once at minimal cost. Comfy, reliable, economical; does exactly what it says on the tin.

Daytona was bought by accident when no one outbid me on ebay; fab "old school" sportsbike which needs a firm hand if you intend to "make progress..."

Trident is my "Sunday best" which I can ride like a hooligan, safe in the knowledge that it will not get me into "You're in big trouble now, Sonny Jim..." territory.

The Trident also gets the most attention of any bike I have ever owned.

Cheap insurance with Carole Nash or Footman James, home serviceable (valves are a pain though, so best get a pet Triumph mechanic to do them}, and generally you can pick these older Triumphs up with minimal miles from obsessional former owners for buttons and washers.

Keep it! (Or give it as the intended present and buy another one for yourself!).

[humpbackmaniac]

Thanks Rubin, It did cross my mind to keep it for a while but the balding chap in the first picture is the recipient and now has ownership, albeit ownership in the manner that I keep it in my shed and am changing the plugs as we speak!
Might keep my eye out for another one.

[Mattmeister]

i too have a hankering for an old trumpet, remember the first speed triples of similar vintage to that trident?.... allll black....

someone post a pic!