Triumph Trident - Is It A Good Choice For New Riders?

Triumph has been a long-standing name as a motorcycle manufacturer and in recent years they have really been putting their best foot forward both in the development of motorcycles and understanding the changing needs of the motorcycle industry.

Launched in early 2021, the Triumph Trident burst onto the scene with its 660cc triple engine, a whole host of tech features and modern retro styling… it was instantly a hit.

Before we get too deep into the review let’s just have a quick look through some key stats:

We’ve had this bike for two weeks to get a chance to really get familiar with it. One of the big reasons we love the Trident is it is incredibly beginner-friendly. Now don’t mistake that for a bike that’s lacking the ‘fun factor’ because this bike certainly isn’t short of that. What I mean by beginner-friendly is that it is very measured and predictable making it an ideal steed to really hone your skills as a rider.

The first thing that struck me was just how agile this bike is. The short wheelbase and 17-inch wheels make it ultra manoeuvrable perfect for navigating the urban environment and great fun on the country roads. At 189kgs this triple is easy to negotiate when off the bike and even better when on it. As well as being lightweight, the Trident is fairly small in stature making it very approachable for shorter/lighter riders.

The Michelin Road 5 tyres are a welcome addition and give you really great feedback from the off. The Showa suspension is smooth as you like and again really help give the rider confidence through corners and under heavy braking. The Nissin brakes provide excellent stopping power with ABS as standard to make sure you keep it shiny side up in surprise situations.

The three-cylinder 660cc engine provides enough kick to put a smile on your face without scaring you silly. The power delivery is very linear, which to put simply means as you engage the throttle, the power that is delivered to the rear wheel is very consistent, giving you a familiar and confidence-inspiring ‘feel’ (with no hidden surprises). There is a choice of rider modes to choose from, albeit only a choice of two, being road and rain. Not much more you need than that really.

We’re a big fan of three-cylinder engines as they bridge the gap between the torquey twins and the high revving inline 4s and this 660cc triple does that beautifully. It sounds great too, which is pretty miraculous for a euro 5 compliant stock exhaust!

We took it for a few test runs with a pillion on board too and I have to say, it remained very comfortable and coped incredibly well with the extra weight on board.

A big feather in the cap of this Triumph is the first major service that comes in at 10,000 miles which is a far bigger interval than any of its nearest competitors. As well as the choice of 4 colourways (Crystal White, Sapphire Black, Matt Jet Black & Silver Ice and Silver Ice Diablo Red) Triumph enable you to customize your Trident with 44 additional items from the factory.

One that I’d be particularly keen to try is the quick-shifter which enables you to seamlessly float through the gearbox without having to engage the clutch. Heated grips, ‘My Triumph’ connectivity and USB charger are just some of the choices available.

If you’re riding on an A2 licence then Triumph also provide an A2 complaint kit from the factory. This can be easily removed at any Triumph dealership.

Overall we feel the Trident should be near to the top of your list for the first big bikes. It’s lightweight, comfortable and it does a great job at looking after you as a rider. If you want a bike you can quickly jump on and get to grips with whilst filling you with confidence to work on your skills then this Trident could well be the one for you. To make things more tempting for you, Triumph also offers fantastic finance options for both PCP and HP. With a £1500 deposit, you can pay just £87.22 p/m over 36 months.

As always we recommend heading out to your nearest Triumph dealership and booking yourself a test ride so you can see just how great this bike is first-hand.