Triumph Thruxton reviews

After riding large motorcycles for the last 15 years, Gold Wings, Rune, H D Softail, I decided on a smaller bike since I live in the mountains of central California. I liked the looks of the Thruxton and bought a nice used one with 3000 miles on it. This bike is quick, light, and has a broad power band. It has a semi sport bike seating position and a rather firm seat. The gear box is smooth and easy to shift with an extremely light clutch. As a rider with 50 years of riding the back roads of California this bike took me back to my youth. If you are looking for a bike that looks different than the run of the mill crotch rocket, with great handling, and an engine that is not fussy about what gear your in, this could be the bike for you. Show less

I somehow managed to score a 2010 Special Edition (white/red stripe) from a local dealer. So far the dealer experience has been good, the work is done fast and properly, with none of the phony sales I've dealt with at other dealers. Bike Pros: This bike is awesome. Man, its just cool, I mean "cool". I'm almost afraid to put miles on it. It looks good, rides good, and even has the 2011 digital gauge setup. However, I think only the SE has the digital gauges. It's a Hinkley Triumph, so reliability is second to none. You can put a 100k miles on these new Triumphs and they never leave you stranded. Both rideability and build quality are great. Bike Cons: Its got a bit of a weight problem (like most of the 'classic' style Trumpies) and while it looks racey, it can't hold a candle to the modern Japanese and Italian superbikes. However, I would hope that if you're in the market for more cc quantities, you'd be moving more towards the Triumph Daytona, or perhaps something along the lines of a Ducati. Of course, you can always get a rebore kit for the engine, if you're looking for the best of both worlds. I'm still pretty blown away by the attention this particular bike receives. It's one of the few modern motorcycles in which you can wear a pudding bowl helmet while riding and not look like a dork (or at least think you don't look like a dork). Show less

Back in the day, I grew up with Hondas and Yamahas. My first cafe style was the CB400F, played with it and "unofficailly" raced it against Triumphs. Over the years I grew up, switched to crusiers, then Harleys. When I saw this bike for the first time, I instantly went back to the old days and the sheer joy I got out of the cafe style. I sat on it, took a test ride, then it was on the truck headed home. What I like about this bike, besides its beautiful retro lines, is the simplicity, engineering, and sport-like ride. It handles very well, quick and nimble, along with a smooth engine and good performance - all being very manageable. What I didn't like, is the seat and I found that I needed to put on a larger toothed front sprocket. With the stock setup, at highway speeds, there was a buzzing of mirrors, handle bars, and pegs. The larger sprocket (19 tooth) dropped the rpm's by 500 and makes the 65 to 70 mph very comfortable. Years ago I would have kept stock or even a smaller sprocket but I am happy with this conservative modification. The price may be a $1000 or so high for similiarly built domestic or Japanese models, but Triumph is a great name with very good quality, so it is worth it. I have a Harley Ultra for weekend enjoyment and the Thruxy for weekday excitement. Show less

I have really enjoyed my Thruxton. It is smooth on the power and ride. I get lots of compliments by regular folks, other riders and even cops. The accessories are great in transforming your ride to the way you want it. The only complaint, like the other reviewers, is I wish there was another ten to twenty horses but only occasionally do I need it. It's more for the sheer thrill of accelerating fast. I'm very happy with my purchase. Show less

The Thruxton rides as good as it looks. It has sufficient power to allow you to have fun with it. It could use a little more, but for the most part, I only notice the need for an increase in power when accelerating on the freeways. It handles pretty smoothly, not bumpy like sport-bikes, but it can keep up with them. Everyone that has ridden it marvels at how smooth the engine is and how it doesn't vibrate. The part with the Thrux- pull up next to a group of Harleys, and everyone will be looking at YOUR bike, not the silly Harleys... Show less

Very pleased overall with the bike. I used to own a sprint st and was used to a more sporty handling and more horsepower, but now that I have driven a while I really enjoy the ride. I would like it if the bike had more power, so I am adding pipes and open air kit. I also learned a lot from british customs products about performance options on these bikes. The bike gets a lot of looks and I also think the bike is an instant classic. Show less

I always wanted a Bonneville since I was a kid, but went through a series of Jap bikes (plus a couple of Beemers) before I got the Thrux. This bike is fantastic. Airbox eliminator, K&Ns & re-jet gets me 70+ r/w hp. It handles great, has just the right amount of power, and as is mentioned in most reviews, the bike gets so much attention whenever I stop, no matter what bikes I'm riding with. Mostly I do day rides up through the mountains, but did a 1000 mi. three day trip last Fall OK. I am thinking about bar risers as my 64 y/o neck feels some strain after a few hours. Show less

This is my second bike, my first being a 1986 Honda VFR fixer upper. I researched for 2 years before I bought my 2005 Thruxton and I am not disappointed. I chose this bike over any other bike simply because it offered the very best combination of the features I wanted. Sure, there are faster, louder, meaner, more agile bikes out there, but most bikes that excel in one category fall way short in the others. The Thruxton actually manages to put it all together quite successfully. Want power? Plenty of acceleration here for me. Something that looks good? In my opinion, no bike looks sweeter than a classic (or classic-looking) Triumph (I'll admit the Ducatis are pretty sexy looking too). Want a mean sound? You've got a variety of non-EPA approved aftermarket pipes available. Got twisties? This bike is not bad at all. Reliability? So far, everything is rock solid (no leaks, no repairs, no problems of any kind). How about something intangible? Triumph is the oldest motorcycle marque still in production (yeah, even older than Harley) and what an illustrious history it has had over (most of) its 100+ years. Put it all together and the Thruxton is a bike you will enjoy riding, looking at, and talking about for a long, long time. The only shortfall I can come up with is maybe comfort. The sitting position is more aggressive than a cruiser's or even Triumph's own Bonneville, and your wrists can take a while to get used to it. Also, the gas tank is smallish (about 3 gallons), so this would not be my first choice for a touring bike (but people still use it for that). But bottom line, I could't be happier (Oh, mine is racing yellow with checkered stripes, gorgeous). Show less

I love the bike! It stands out in a crowd and does not blend in with all of the other bikes or look-a-like cruisers or the everyday crotch rockets.' It is still sporty and you can also put the saddle time in (Iron Butt from Jacksonville, NC to KC, MO). I can't count the times I have come out to find people looking at the bike and the first thing they usually ask me is what year it is. It is so much fun and I have nothing bad to say about it. Show less

This is the most fun you can have with your clothes on. Absolute blast for carving corners. Will probably upgrade to a corbin gunfighter, and change handlebars, as I also like to tour. Got the matching Triumph bags, but am disappointed with the tank bag...should be magnetic instead of straps...already melted straps trying to attach to tank. Great looker though and a real attention getter. Everyone wants to know how old it is...ha ha. Show less