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| Archives - Production Motorcycles | |
New Bike Tests: 2010 Triumph Thunderbird - From RoadBike August 2009
 The Fabulous Thunderbirds By Steve Lita, Photos by Jason Critchell and Paul Bryant You’ll recognize the name, of course. Triumph has used the T-bird logo on several iterations of cool machines. Originating in 1950 as a 650cc twin, the Thunderbird’s legend was cemented when it was ridden by Marlon Brando’s character Johnny in the 1952 movie The Wild One. The first Thunderbird of the Hinckley era was the three-cylinder roadster released in 1995. It quickly became one of the best sellers in the range and remained available until 2004. There is a huge cult following for the bike, which infamously played a lead role alongside Pamela Anderson in the 1996 B movie Barb Wire. The Thunderbird makes its return to the Triumph line due to customer demand for a cruiser to fill the gap between the 865cc America and the massive, 2.3-liter-powered Rocket III. Triumph was smart to pick the 1600cc range for this project, as most of the popular V-twin cruisers out today are above the 1500cc mark. This bike fills out the product range and provides a cool alternative for cruiser fans. American designer Tim Prentice of Motonium Design started work on the project in August 2004, and split his time between Triumph’s Hinckley headquarters and his LA studio. His objective was to sketch something between a custom cruiser and classic cruiser, but with a muscular feel. One look at the T-Bird’s profile, and you’ll see he hit the mark. It has typical cruiser features like feet-forward pegs and a low seat. To me the bike looks to be in perfect proportion, with traditional lines except for that missing V-thing under the tank, and after a ride, I don’t miss it. On that topic, Triumph decided from the start to make its own way with a parallel twin for power. The engine was to be refined and without distracting engine noises. This cruiser was to have the best handling in its class, go where the rider wants it, and be comfortable to ride.
Triumph completed the entire cruiser-owning experience by developing 100 factory accessories available from the launch date (see sidebar). Performance was built in with two brakes spec’d for the front, and optional ABS designed in from the start of the project. The all-new T-16 engine is clean, neat, and uncluttered. There’s a minimal amount of visible cabling and pipework on display around the chassis and power plant. Triumph did this without resorting to covers to hide some of the less aesthetically pleasing parts or naughty bits. The new Thunderbird measures 1597cc, making it the world’s largest production parallel twin, with 85 bhp standard. Best part? There’s a big-bore kit available as a dealer-installed accessory. The fully road-legal kit includes larger pistons, liners, and revised camshafts to take peak power to 97 bhp (when fitted with standard exhausts), with torque rising to a stump-pulling 115 ft-lbs. More on that in a moment. The double overhead camshaft engine features four valves and twin spark plugs per cylinder and, to aid starting, the exhaust camshaft is equipped with an ingenious decompression system. On startup, under 550 rpm and when the starter button is engaged, the decompression ramp on the ends of the exhaust camshaft engages exhaust buckets on right and left cylinders (one per cylinder). This simultaneously opens the outer exhaust valve slightly to decrease compression and ease initial startup. Upon running (over 550 rpm), the centrifugal flyweights open to allow the ramp to disengage, allowing the exhaust buckets to completely close. A 270-degree crankshaft was chosen to deliver the aural experience expected by cruiser riders, bringing a satisfying thump through the classic, slightly upswept twin exhaust pipes. Two pistons pump up and down inside the bores, and at 800cc, each is almost the size of Triumph’s former Big Twin. Twin balancer shafts in front of and behind the cylinders, as well as a torque compensator fitted to the end of the crankshaft, smooth things out. But Triumph engineers kept just enough heartbeat to satisfy. Eliminating high-pitched mechanical sounds was a primary focus, and helically cut gears in the transmission reduce lash and mechanical noise.
The radiator was designed to maximize cooling in the smallest package possible. The water pump is located inside the engine to reduce unsightly external plumbing. I will add this about the cooling system: you definitely know when the fan fires up, because it’s not a lightweight. The exhaust pipes are twin-skinned chromed stainless steel so the chrome won’t blue, and fumes are sent through a catalytic converter. The Thunderbird is the first belt-driven Triumph since the mid-1920s, when rudimentary leather belts were used. Today there’s a tough, tungsten-carbide thermal spray treatment on the rear pulley to aid in wear, durability, and longevity. Shifting was precise and smooth, with not one false neutral to be found. Sixth gear is overdriven with a 0.0909:1 ratio. Chassis stiffness was a primary concern, and the Thunderbird uses the engine as a stressed member. There are no frame rails under the engine, so maintenance do-it-yourselfers will need to find a safe way to lift the T-Bird for at-home service. Up front, conventional Showa 47mm forks work the bumps well, and out back the chromed twin shocks have five preload settings to cater for everything from solo riding and two-up touring. I quickly bumped up to step two on the preload to stiffen the handling a bit. The Bird comes stock with Metzeler ME880 Marathon tires in 120/70R-19" at the front and 200/50R-17" at the rear. That sportbike-style rubber at the rear aids in the Thunderbird’s agile handling. It’s quite easy to transition from extreme left-to-right lean (and vice-versa), with no tangible flop. The Triumph’s “as usual” 90-degree valvestem on the wheels is a favorite of mine for ease of maintenance. The brakes feature 310mm floating discs on front with Nissin four-piston calipers. Out back a Brembo two-piston floating caliper stops the same diameter fixed disc. This is the first Triumph cruiser to have the option of ABS, and I was fortunate enough to have access to a demonstrator unit for my test ride. It was a welcome option and boosted riding confidence. The instrumentation has a tank top chrome nacelle and features a speedometer, a small integrated tachometer, and an information display. A button on the right-hand switchgear allows you to scroll through the functions of fuel gauge, two tripmeters, clock, and range-to-empty indicator. The turn signals are self-canceling. Also, on the left handlebar switchpod is an accessory switch, equipped from the factory and ready for that accessory upgrade. I found the mirror location requires a slight elbow tuck, but I’ve seen worse. The 27.6" saddle height is among the lowest in the class, and the feet-forward riding position was perfect for my 6', long-legged frame. The rider seat itself is wide and well padded, with taped seams to avoid water seepage. Aside from the clean appearance of the chassis and engine, the only outward announcement of the proud Thunderbird are small Triumph badges on the fuel tank, Triumph’s trademark triangular insignia on the engine casings and instrument assembly, and a small Thunderbird emblem on the speedometer. Talk about clean. I like that the fuel tank shows no visible sign of welded seams. More details abound in the LED taillamp and real steel fenders (although the radiator shroud and sidecovers are plastic). Coolant is checked via a small window to the rear of the right sidecover, and the oil check is done with a dipstick into the crankcase. Valve adjustments come at 10,000-mile intervals. Unfortunately, there are no helmet locks anywhere on the Thunderbird; however, there are two steering head locks. The first is a tumbler-equipped lock cylinder; the second is a large eyelet frame tab with an equally hefty chunk of the lower triple tree for a common padlock, a nice security feature. While enjoying my ride on Triumph’s new, full-size cruiser, I was writing the review in my head, but I couldn’t stop thinking about the ’80s rock/blues band The Fabulous Thunderbirds and humming one of its hits. This English-built bike has all the right cruiser features in all the right places, and power is not lacking. There’s a built-in nostalgia, class, and uniqueness that comes with owning a Triumph product. The Thunderbird has proven to me it can beat the same old, same old V-twin cruisers at their own game. Yes, it’s “Tuff Enuff.” RB
Tech Sheet List Price $ 12,499 std., $13,200 ABS |
Sorry, folks. You can no longer define cruiser as a “V-twin-powered, feet-forward, low-seat, road lounger.” Triumph, the company that just a few years ago decided to produce bikes powered by “different” engines, went and did it with a big parallel twin. Look at its product offerings, and you’ll find side-by-side twins, in-line triples, and longitudinal triples. If you want a Triumph, just say no to Vs. That’s cool. We motorcyclists like our individuality. I’m about to introduce you to a new cruiser that’s different enough to stand out from the crowd, yet correct enough to satisfy most any cruiserphile. 
More ingenuity is found in the fueling. The rate of speed of throttle twist is measured, and the ECU reacts to the rider input to give the Thunderbird automatic sport and cruise modes. Gentle application of the throttle results in an equally soft and smooth power delivery, while the ECU recognizes rapid openings and subsequently delivers maximum available punch. Each cylinder has its own O2 sensor and runs a separate fuel injection map. Fuel is induced through twin 42mm diameter throttle bodies whose external finish is designed to match the lines of the engine and further the sanitary appearance. Fuel and ignition is controlled to each cylinder independently, and the T-16 reportedly uses 17 percent less fuel than some other cruisers. 
You can take the Thunderbird down a street rod or touring path with more than 100 genuine Triumph accessories. Looking for a more aggressive power cruiser look? Try a color-coordinated headlamp cowl, wide handlebars, and shorter silencers. Want to take trips? Convert the Thunderbird into a fully dressed bagger with one of three quick-release and lockable windscreens, removable passenger sissybars, saddlebags, floorboards, auxiliary lamps, touring seats, backrests, and highway pegs. Have a thing for bling? There are plenty of parts in chrome, from fork lowers to complete wheel assemblies. One of my favorites is the chrome front caliper cover with subtle Triumph logo. Go to www.TriumphMotorcycles.com and click on “Create My Triumph.” 