TRIUMPH THUNDERBIRD 900 (1993-2003) Review and used buying guide

Year: 1997

I've owned this bike from 270 miles it has now done 37,000 Iv'e replaced the water pump and cush drive that's all. For me it's all about the retro look and this bike still has the best look out there. I have added a king and queen saddle, chunky ally grab rail and noisy pipes there's nothing else I can do to improve it.

Version: Thunderbird 900

Year: 2001

Annual servicing cost: £100

I have owned this bike for 18 years and it has never let me down. still looks and sounds great. I do need to use it more(also have an explorer 1200) don't leave too much fuel in if not using often as modern fuel seems to go off very quick.

Buying experience: I purchased the bike when 3 years old from Triumph main dealer.

Version: Sport

Year: 2000

Annual servicing cost: £180

Great bike very solid and well built with great sounding engine: not like the modern triples with the whine they have. Poor turning circle can be a pain when manoeuvring on the drive

Buying experience: Bought from Padgetts online and PX my previous bike, delivered about 100 miles and no extra cost Paid £6000 which was asking price and had reasonable PX against MT07

Version: Thunderbird 900

Year: 2003

Annual servicing cost: £150

Still one of the best looking bikes out there in my opinion, it's bigger and has more presence than a Bonneville and turns heads everywhere I go. I've changed a few things to make it the perfect bike for me: Lower handlebars (from Speed Triple), TOR silencers (Wow!), upgraded front brake, shortened rear mudguard (the original is sooo long!), Halcyon bar end mirrors, chrome clock backs, and chrome grab rail :-) I originally bought the bike as it was such a good price and I intended to sell it on, I still have it almost 3 years later and I have no intention of ever selling it so that's the best recommendation I can give.

Version: TB

Year: 1995

Good handling, great sound, nice broad powerband. Not so good is, dash lights, coils and air filter replacement.

Buying experience: Private deal. Paid the man his asking price no questions. $2500

Version: Thunderbird Sport 900

Year: 2003

Annual servicing cost: £200

It got grunt kudos and character...It's old school!

Buying experience: N\A

Version: Early model

Year: 1995

Annual servicing cost: £200

Handsome recreation of Meriden Tridents in their last form in a somewhat overblown way. Far less hassle than a Trident T160/T150 yet still simple to look after, but porky and cumbersome to push around for parking.

Year: 2003

Annual servicing cost: £100

I would definitely recommend it to a friend. A bit too tall and a very poor (excessively large) turning radius. Terrible stock seat. Cramped riding position for a taller rider. Great power band. Plenty of acceleration. Good fit and finish. With mods it is now a great bike and often my go to when choosing one of my bikes for a day's ride.

Buying experience: Bought privately with less than 1500 miles.

Version: Sport

Year: 2000

Annual servicing cost: £200

I've owned mine going on 4 years now. My 7th bike and probably my favorite overall. Truly a fantastic bike in general, not even counting the fact that you can pick one up for around 3 grand. Possibly the most rewarding bike to hustle along. You'll learn from it.

Buying experience: Bought used with 18k on it, and some damage for $2800. Had the tank/tail repaired and painted for $450. I get compliments all the time.

1998 T BIRD SPORT, In flaming red, How cool are we? we ride a T BIRD , not a bandit! or a divvy, not even a fat hog! No a Triumph T Bird, i would still love it if it was as unreliable as a hardly rideable, but it ain't . custom pipes differently air filter and a dino, 85 bhp, more that enough for our roads with all the silly speed limits and cameras and car drivers on phones! This is a keeper for me, i have left strict instructions to the wife to send it to the grave with me, I going to ride that bad boy on the road to hell, Grinning like a fool all the way! Also own a trident 900 sprint, 100bhp from stock, you guys would love it, Great day to day bike, keep the T Bird for the sun, also look for Trident 900 Daytona 900 Trophy 900, all are close brothers off the T Bird, to be had fore a song, come on Triumph remake the T Bird sport, a reworked speed triple would do nicely,

Got this 95 t bird for a song but it needs TLC I've had one before and its the only bike I've regetted selling. I'll keep this for a while as it ticks all the boxes I need in a bike and a few more. Tank range could be better and that seat will have to go but the ride is good and iI really like the look.

Well now the old girl is sorted - took some time and money but running well. A modern classic of the future - oil and filter change plus addressing issues below have given the bike a new lease of life. Rock on!

Got this a 1995 N reg' on the cheap from a mate - now I know why! Somewhat of a project - dodgy electrics, brake discs fore and aft needing replacing, sticking clutch plates - but the engine still pulls well! Had a t-bird sport before - better bike all round, but you get what you pays for I guess. My wife calls it the project. One day I'll get the old girl on the road. Essentially it's a solid bike - retro' looks, nice thrum from the engine, neat acceleration. Seat height a bit low for lanky old me, but what else could you get for 2K?

I,ve owned a 1996 model for a year now.Bad points are alternater cupling bolts snap and need an upgrade shaft & 1 peice bolt.Triumph did,nt recall. The front brake is bad for 2 up riding. Good points are;sounds lovely with aftermarket pipes,looks good and engine is reliable.Paint finish is still great,but anything alloy/chrome needs constant cleaning in the winter,even when its under cover outside.Would be great if Triumph bought out a 1050 version.

After a 10 year break from my last gpz/ninjas i was looking for something to slow me down,harley or triumph.Test rides later and Triumph wins,a better machine and more suited to my old style of riding.The bike has a good riding position,good pillion room,reliable engine and nice handling.I picked my 96 model up with 5k on clock early 2009 for £1700,brilliant bargain.Mine has dynoed 15 bhp extra,which really makes a boost to low/mid torque and ofc lovley noisy pipes. Bad sides are mirrors and speedo case rusty(previous owner left it outside),so ofc you will need to clean frequently if you have no garage. Also being Triumph its nice for older people to approach you and chat about bikes of old,rather than complain :)

This being my first Triumph, I was A little woried about its build quality and reliabilty but how wronge was I. It is simply the best motorcycle I have ever riden. Mine is a 1997, one previous owner and in mint condition. It is comfortable, nippy, handles very well and is just a great bike to own. The clocks are functional and not OTT, The suspension works fine, does a fair few miles to the gallon and the riding position is great, I can do mile after mile, get off of the bike and have no aches or pains. After having loads of ton up bikes, this bike has slowed me down and made me just enjoy riding again. My only complaint is that it could have done with a fuel gauge, why oh why isn`t this standard on all bikes. All that said, Well done Hinkley, please build them again.

A brilliant all-rounder & one that Triumph should not have stopped making. All the character of a real bike & modern engineering UJM & 'German Bike' riders don't know what you're missing! (Take note Hinckley, & ever bigger 'cruiser' bricks for Yanks that can't do corners & rocketing 'gas' prices ???? Get real.) Rock solid motor with barrel loads of low down torque, great, easy handling. Easy 10+hp gain by changing exhaust & air filter, but flat torque curve feels way more powerful than even 80+hp. Low seat height, so low speed manoevering a non-issue. Rediculously under geared as stock - what is it with this obsession for gearing for lowest standing 1/4 times ? (What *BS*!) In the real world it's overtaking accel with the right gear selected that counts - Thunderbird delivers in spades. And 44mpg ??? Nonsense! With the bigger front sprocket these engines were made for, +65+ mpg. - no problem (& I don't hang about). (Take note MCN testers & manufacturers that pander to this stupidity.) Value loses 1 star because, like all bikes, spares prices are a complete rip-off.

The Tbird is a really great bike. Yes it is top heavy at low speeds, but this goes awy once you're off. The front brake pads should be uprated, as standard pads don't give enough braking-two discs would have been better. Fitting louder exhausts is a must. This bike can tour, commute, pose and cruise. It's a very pretty bike. If you don't mind cleaning-avoid. The engine needs more poke-great from the lights but runs out of puff at 110 or so, depending on gearing. Wheel sizes are odd, which restricts tyre choice. I recommend Avon Azaros. Handling is great. Not sports bike sharp but steady and trustworthy-it can be hustled along very quickly if you want. Finish is excellent, bar the iffy chrome on the standard mirrors. These things are cheap now for what they are. Buy before the price starts going up! I would dearly like to know how Blubird upated his for more power! C'mon Blubird, tell us all!

My first proper motorcycle. One warranty repair to an oil breather seal. No sooner had I picked it up than the speedo started making a loud screeching noise (it'll have to wait until the next service). Took it on a tour down to Switzerland and felt a little out of place next to the BMWs and Goldwings! The small tank was the biggest limitation (reserve after 83 miles if ridden hard) along with limited luggage capacity. Also, I'm 6'4" so the cut down seat is not much use! I find it quite a task to keep all that chrome clean, especially wheels. But the engine is nice and torquey but not very powerful (69 bhp). I'll probably sell it / trade it in for something a bit faster and more suited to touring next year.

I really like this bike, it has plenty of grunt, looks cool (according to young and old alike), handles securely, although it is not supersports agile. It is pretty reliable but has a few electrical quirks which are apparently easy to fix but don't really affect it that much. It is great in town and on A and B roads at the legal limit but on the motorway it is a struggle to hold high speeds as the bars are too high and wide. Comfort is OK for short trips but I would recommend a better seat for longer trips, an hour is about my personal limit and 45 minutes for the pillion! All the chrome looks impressive and is great for cleaning fetishists. If I wanted to add anything to it it would be another 15bhp to match the performance with the looks, mind you it is great away from the lights as it has plenty of torque. Brakes are OK solo but a bit weak 2 up. Would I change it? Yes, but for something with equally good looks but a bit more power - nothing springs to mind at the moment! Strengths: Looks, low down torque, low seat height. Weaknesses: Lack of outright power, a little heavy.

I recently came back to motorcycling after a five year break. My previous bike was a honda goldwing which was too heavy to enjoy when riding two up but in my youth (what a memory!) I rode a triumph bonny. The T/Bird is better, it puts a smile on my face everytime I ride it. Strengths: Nice looks, easy to ride, reliable & not too heavy. Weaknesses: Slightly underpowered.

I like the T-bird because it's not a clone bike. It's got classic styling, mechanical and build quality that won't quit, plus tons of charisma. I lowered mine, which brought the comfortable Corbin down to 28 inch seat height. It's affordable to get T-Bird Sport power-you just advance the timing and put in the Tiger intake manifolds and rejet. Get a T-Bird with 6 gears (I added mine). I've cruised at 80-90 for hours in 6th, very comfortable with the right seat and front foot pegs to stretch out. The brakes have been fine, but I think they have a bit more stopping power. Overall, an excellent value, highly reliable and awesome bike.

Love the bike, riding position, looks, and style. Engine midrange is great, top end not as satisfying. All the power one can use in this style of bike. Pipes limit luggage choices but allow fitting a center stand. All in all a great naked retro choice.

The bike is great for use in the city and short trips. The problems we have abroad is the parts availability so we need to import from UK.

I love the Thunderbird Sport, a great British bike. I did have a 1995 Thunderbird before this one. A few things to think on though: 1- oh what fun cleaning all those spokes. 2- the front off side brake cable is rubbing the front mudguard under braking. 3- this is a strange one, when ridden in the rain I get a smell of burning rubber from the engine and just once it has dripped a small amount of water from the pump area. If anyone has any experience of this I would love to hear from them. Please email me on "kawasakizx6rj2@aol.com". Yes, that's my other bike just for a contrast.

Fabulous fun machine but a bit on the heavy side. The price you pay for real metal. Good brakes (twin discs), suspension (adjustable but doesn't need it) and performance although another 20 b.h.p. might be nice. Looks soooo cooool!

Great bike for relaxing and just enjoying the wonders of motorcycling!