2021 Triumph Trident 660 review - middleweight naked breath of fresh air from Hinckley

MCN rating 5 out of 5 (5/5)

Owners' rating 4.2 out of 5 (4.2/5)

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Highlights

Cheap to own
Well equipped
Street Triple DNA

At a glance

Owners' reliability rating:	4.3 out of 5 (4.3/5)
Annual servicing cost:	£160
Power:	80 bhp
Seat height:	Medium (31.7 in / 805 mm)
Weight:	Medium (417 lbs / 189 kg)

Prices

New £7,895

Used £5,200 - £7,300

View bikes for sale

Overall rating

Next up: Ride & brakes

5 out of 5 (5/5)

The Triumph Trident 660 is a breath of fresh air, just when you thought new naked bikes were getting ever more powerful, complicated and expensive. It makes a modest but very useful and fruity 80bhp, costs comfortably less than the base spec Street Triple S and even has 10,000-mile service intervals to keep your bank balance happy.

It’s a simple, characterful and grown-up feeling machine that’s happy commuting or scratching. Comfortable, engaging and so easy to ride you really don’t have to think about it, new riders will love it, but the experienced will find it also handles way better than any of its rivals. It’s fast without being tricky to manage, or too in your face and oozes low down punch, but the triple lacks the playfulness of the parallel-twin cylinder Yamaha MT-07. Great build quality, generous detailing and cheap running costs are the icing on this middleweight naked cake.

But it’s more that. You can feel the same sporty DNA in its chassis and engine that’s made the Street Triple such a hit over the years, so while the Trident 660 does have a caring, sharing side, it also gets the blood pumping and puts a big smile on your face.

Triumph Trident 660 tested on UK roads

First published on 19 March, 2021 by Mike Armitage

It would appear Triumph have invented a time machine. Although significant poking and prodding fails to reveal a flux capacitor, there’s no question that their new Trident 660 is capable of quantum physics. As soon as you slide onto its seat, you’re transported back to 2008.

This is because the Trident sounds, feels and rides like the original 675cc Triumph Street Triple. That bike’s DNA is obvious. The first Street Trip’ was a gloriously usable, affordable and none-too-serious bike with fun at the head of its design brief. And on the A and B-roads of the UK's toughest road test, the MCN250 this exactly describes the new Trident.

Flicking and darting north on chilled but bone-dry B-roads the Trident’s sheer rideability is welcomely recognisable. I was lucky enough to be the first person outside Triumph to ride the original Street Triple in late summer 2007, when they allowed a sneaky test of a pre-production 675 for Bike magazine, and this new machine immediately takes me back.

You just jump on and enjoy. Steering is light and accurate, the chassis pointy and keen yet with steadfast secureness, and the engine fizzy, fun and flexible. Triumph say 90% of peak shunt is available across most of the rev range.

I’ve no reason to doubt them, and with short gearing the 660 snaps sharply through its six-speed ’box under acceleration and hauls out of villages in a tall gear.

Though it has ‘only’ 80bhp it’s plenty fast enough. The 80 horses arrive at 10,250rpm, which is about what the revvier and more powerful Street Triple S makes at the same revs.

But the Trident has livelier gearing so feels fruitier. Deactivate the TC, wrench the throttle in first gear and the handlebar smacks your forehead, and it’s as sprightly pulling away in second as a long-legged 765cc Street Triple is in first.

To hit the £7195 threshold, the Trident is built to a price. The red Showa stickers might make the single-function forks look fancy, but they’re from a crate labelled ‘value’ rather than ‘posh’. It’s where they found the rear shock as well.

Deep into the nadgery back lanes and ridge-riding twists of north Leicestershire and fully acclimatised, the gusto the Trident encourages sees the forks bottom out braking hard over bumps. The rear end lacks finesse when tramping on, reaching the limitations of its damping, and it needs a decent squeeze to get reassurance from the brakes.

On less-restrictive A-road sections the chassis and motor are equally smooth though, the Trident purring contentedly. There’s full confidence banking at speed, and it does surprisingly brisk top-gear roll-on overtakes.

Obviously there’s chuff-all weather protection, but the riding position is plugged-in enough to not be hard work. Mirrors are so-so and the left-hand switchgear has a slightly plasticky feel, though simple clocks and easy-to-suss controls are better than the messy displays and joysticks on pricier Triumphs. Or they are for me.

Yes, it’s the ‘starter’ Triumph. But you’d be hard-pushed to find a better bike for this cash.

Triumph’s Street Triple line-up is a long way from what the original bike offered in 2008. They’re not really the affordable, breezy-yet-capable road bikes they once were.

The Trident 660 squares the job up nicely. It’s exciting, spirited, cheeky-yet-well-mannered, reassuring and easy to use. Triumph’s new ‘entry level’ bike genuinely has the character of the original 675cc Street Triple.

Yes, there are bikes that are more powerful, faster, have more whizzbang features and better outright handling than the Trident. But they all cost more, without being better packages.

Competitively priced, cheap to run, handsome, accomplished and above all great fun, the new Trident 660 is the every-person middleweight – and I’d take it over the pricier and more powerful Street Triple S. And since that’s my favourite of the three Street Triples, this highlights just how ruddy lovely the new 660 truly is.

Triumph Trident 660 long-term test

By Gareth Evans

During 2021 we ran a Triumph Trident 660 on long-term test, with relatively new rider Gareth Evans thoroughly enjoying his time on it. He's done some rider training and been all over the country on it.

Watch: Triumph Trident 660 video review on MCN

Neevesy gives his definite verdict on the new Trident, direct from the launch event in Tenerife.

Ride quality & brakes

Next up: Engine

5 out of 5 (5/5)

Triumph already make a 660cc triple designed to be A2 licence restricted in the shape of the Street Triple S, so where does the Trident 660 fit in? Well, its name may evoke memories of the British firm’s old '60s and '70s triples, or even the first ‘90s ‘Hinckley’ Triumph Tridents that started their current renaissance, but it’s not a nostalgia-fuelled retro.

The Trident 660 has been conceived to be even friendlier and more road focussed than the sportier Street Triple S. It’s a completely new model, which is a rare thing nowadays, from its tubular steel chassis, minimal styling and ride-by-wire electronics.

Granted, its engine, which is very different to the Street Triple’s, may have started life in the original Daytona 675 (with a brief appearance in the Aussie-only 2014 Street Triple 660), but it’s now crammed with so many upgraded parts its now barely recognisable, so you’d have to say that’s new too.

With its minimalist bodywork and more than a hint of a street-fighting stunt bike look to it, there’s an overriding feeling of slimness and stripped back airiness to the Trident 660 when you climb aboard. Cut-outs in the tank bring your knees close together for control and the riding position is more relaxed than that the sportier and slightly bulkier-feeling Street Triple.

There’s lots of legroom for the tall, despite the Triumph’s compactness, but its 805mm dual seat is low and slim enough for shorter riders to get feet flat on the floor, which is always a confidence booster. Tapered ali bars are nicely wide and arc back gently towards you, for a reach that’s on the comfortable side of sporty, which is good news for your wrists in traffic and on long trips.

On the move the Trident 660 is a bike of two halves. It’s light on its feet, characterful and easy to use as everyday commuter on the one hand, but on the other it’s a naked sportsbike with a Moto2 soundtrack, fruity low-gear acceleration and incredible poise and accuracy through corners.

It can do both of those things equally well because it weighs just 189kg ready to go and the chassis has the kind of balance its Japanese rivals still struggle to get right (most are too soft at the rear and harsh at the front). That’s squarely down to clever Triumph design, development and a talented team of test riders.

The Trident 660 is of course built down to a price, but there’s been no scrimping when it came to creating it. It’s had the same love, care and went through the same brutal regime as any new Triumph, including their Moto2 project. The Trident 660 has undergone over half a million miles worth of durability testing, 1200 miles of flat-out speed runs, 31 individual rig tests over 3440 hours, over 20,000 miles on track and 3300 hours on the road.

As a result, the suspension is well damped, sprung and never jars or wallows. Steering is light, natural and the brakes are full of power, feel and devoid of unwanted ABS intervention. Michelin Road 5 rubber grips in the wet, dry and across a wide temperature range, so always instils confidence. The Triumph is accessible, friendly and confidence inspiring. but it’s also so sure-footed you’d need to be going some to get it out of shape on the road.

Engine

Next up: Reliability

4 out of 5 (4/5)

Three-cylinder motorcycles are always lauded for their versatility, mixing the grunt of a twin with the long-revving excitement of a four. It’s why Yamaha’s MT-09 has been such a success and why Triumph had produced 600,000 triples by the end of 2020…and counting.

The Trident 660 has incredible thrust for its capacity and there’s meaty, but friendly power right through the rev range. It’s never fussy about what gear you’re in, it’ll pull cleanly regardless. 80bhp might not sound much in these 200bhp-obsessed days but it’s still a lot, especially with the motor’s shorter first four gear ratios, so when you give the triple a tickle it doesn’t hang around. Tuck down behind the clock for long enough with the throttle against the stop you’d see around 130mph.

Throttle, clutch action and gearbox are all as delightful as afternoon tea and while it has traction control and ABS, the Trident 600 is so sure-footed during our test we never trouble them, even in the wet.

Overall performance sits somewhere between the 67bhp Kawasaki Z650 parallel-twin and the more powerful 94bhp inline four-cylinder Honda CB650R. The Triumph’s engine character ensures that it’s more visceral than both of them, but then there’s the MT-07.

Yamaha has a new version for 2021 which we haven’t ridden yet but the outgoing MT-07 was something special, selling by the truckload and winning awards and group tests since it arrived in 2014. In terms of handling and composure the Triumph has the Yamaha beat hands-down, but the MT-07 ‘s 74bhp parallel twin cylinder engine will always take some beating in terms of thrills and playfulness.

But the Trident 660’s engine is calm at low speed and cruises nicely on the motorway thanks to its tall fifth and sixth gears. It might only have a 14-litre fuel tank but averaging an indicated 60mpg that’s 185 miles between fill-ups.

Tech spotlight - Triumph Trident engine

Haven’t we met before?

Triumph’s Trident 660 motor isn’t the same as the triple powering the current, shorter-stoke 660cc Street Triple S. It’s actually a heavily reworked Triumph Daytona 675 lump with its stroke reduced from 52.3mm to 51.1mm, trimming capacity to 660cc. Power and revs are also dialled down from a track-tastic 123bhp@13,500rpm to a more road-friendly 80bhp@10,250rpm.

The engine has 67 new components, including crank, pistons, gudgeon pins, cylinder liners, cylinder head, cams, crankcase castings, sump, cooling system, radiator, alternator rotor and stator, air intakes, exhaust and slip and assist clutch for a light lever action.

Most usefully for a bike designed for everyday riding it has more grunt at lower revs than the Street Triple S with over 90% of its torque delivered from 3600rpm to 9750rpm. Its new gearbox has shorter first to fourth gears for more low-down thrust and a slightly higher fifth and sixth for more comfortable cruising.

Unlike the old Daytona 675 the Trident 660 has a modern ride-by-wire system to control everything from fuelling to rider aids and modes (Road and Rain).

Read more about the Trident's new engine and the bike's development here.

Triumph Trident: New rider-friendly

An A2 licence restrictor kit is also available to reduce power to 46bhp@8750rpm and torque to 44ftlb@5250rpm, which can be fitted by a dealer…and undone again when the time comes.

Reliability & build quality

Next up: Value

3 out of 5 (3/5)

Paint finishes, equipment level and attention to detail are all top notch and you get a two year unlimited mileage warranty. The motor is now in such a safe state of tune Triumph have extended service intervals to 10,000 miles, making it cheaper to run. So, if you stick to the Trident 660’s service schedule over three years it’ll only spend 8.3 hours in the workshop having its first (600 mile) service and three annual services, including new brake pads, chain and sprocket and a brake fluid change. Triumph says its main rivals will spend 2.7 to 7.5 hours to longer up on a ramp and cost you more.

Our vast collection of Triumph Trident 660 owners' reviews highlight some buyers suffering poor reliability with their bikes, but nothing that seems particularly common. Issues reported range from electrical, to mechanical, to comments about metal quality and even the fact that the seat gets marked easily.

During 2021 our Online Editor Gareth Evans ran a Trident 660 on the MCN Fleet. You can see all of his coverage here.

In the main it's been an impressive companion, with no mechanical problems to speak of, although later into the year after the clocks went back and the gritters arrived, a little corrosion made its way onto the exhausts.

Value vs rivals

Next up: Equipment

5 out of 5 (5/5)

It’s the cheapest bike in Triumph’s 2021 line up and has middleweight naked rivals like the similarly priced Honda CB650R, the cheaper Kawasaki Z650 and class-leading (and again cheaper) Yamaha MT-07 firmly in its sights.

They’re the kind of machines adored by commuters, newer riders and the experienced who want something fun for the weekend without having to pay big bucks for the pleasure. Given the Trident’s performance, long service intervals, finish and equipment level it’s excellent value for money.

New for 2023, the Honda CB750 Hornet and Suzuki GSX-8S joined the party and rather upset the apple cart in the middleweight naked sector. The two newcomers make the Trident seem safe and dowdy with their sharp handling and torquey engines.

Equipment

5 out of 5 (5/5)

The rider’s eye view down is textbook, modern-day Triumph and everything you can see is neat, well finished and thought out: uncluttered switchgear, big, useful teardrop-shaped mirrors and an elegant single round clock with twin displays. At the top is a crisp white on black LCD readout displaying speed, revs and fuel level. The colour TFT screen beneath contains a clock, trips, gear position, set-up menus and when used with Triumph’s app displays turn-by-turn sat nav, music and call functions.

Elsewhere the Trident 660 bursts with the kind of detailing that makes its Japanese rivals seem quite ordinary: full LED lighting, self-cancelling indicators, an immobiliser, lightweight five spoke ali wheels, Michelin Road 5 tyres, an adjustable brake lever, Nissin brakes and a neat underslung exhaust that makes a nice tingly, triply noise for your ears to enjoy.

Showa forks aren’t adjustable, but for normal riding by average sized riders you won’t need to fiddle anyway. The rear shock has a linkage and is adjustable for preload, which you’ll need to ramp up for two-up work or carrying luggage.

One of its most distinguishing features is its cut-down back end, uncluttered by a number plate, mudguard and indicators, which are all mounted on the swingarm instead. Underseat plastics can be swapped for accessory pillion grab handles.

Fuel tank cut outs, complete with textured plastic pads and aluminium badges place knees closer together giving the Trident a narrow, controllable feel. Cropped Triumph logos appear on the more expensive black/silver, silver/red paint schemes.

Paint finishes are up there with the best Trumpets and the detailing continues with neat little badges and logos subtly contained within the tank knee pads, fuel cap, headlight, taillight, handlebar clamp and clocks.

Triumph has created a 47-strong range of accessories for the Trident 660 including a Bluetooth connectivity system, an up/down quickshifter, an underseat USB charger, scrolling LED indicators, tyre pressure monitor system, fly screen, aluminium bellypan, bar end mirrors, machined ali parts, heated grips and pillion grab handles. There’s also a quick release tail pack and tank bag, crash and paint protection, covers, cleaning kits, battery chargers, an alarm, tracker and locks.

Specs
Engine size	660cc
Engine type	Liquid-cooled, 12v, inline triple
Frame type	Tubular steel perimeter
Fuel capacity	14 litres
Seat height	805mm
Bike weight	189kg
Front suspension	Showa 41mm USD forks non-adjustable
Rear suspension	Showa single shock, adjustable for preload
Front brake	2 x 310mm discs with two-piston Nissin calipers. ABS
Rear brake	255mm disc with single-piston caliper. ABS
Front tyre size	120/70 x 17
Rear tyre size	180/55 x 17

Mpg, costs & insurance
Average fuel consumption	51 mpg
Annual road tax	£117
Annual service cost	£160
New price	£7,895
Used price	£5,200 - £7,300
Insurance group	- How much to insure?
Warranty term	Two years

Top speed & performance
Max power	80 bhp
Max torque	47 ft-lb
Top speed	130 mph
1/4 mile acceleration	-
Tank range	-

Model history & versions

Model history

2021: Triumph Trident 660 introduced.
2024: Price hike to £7895

Other versions

Since the launch of the Trident, we've seen the Tiger 660 Sport adventure bike and the Daytona 660 sports bike appear - both using the same engine.

Owners' reviews for the TRIUMPH TRIDENT 660 (2021 - on)

25 owners have reviewed their TRIUMPH TRIDENT 660 (2021 - on) and rated it in a number of areas. Read what they have to say and what they like and dislike about the bike below.

Review your TRIUMPH TRIDENT 660 (2021 - on)

Summary of owners' reviews
Overall rating:	4.2 out of 5 (4.2/5)
Ride quality & brakes:	4.1 out of 5 (4.1/5)
Engine:	4.5 out of 5 (4.5/5)
Reliability & build quality:	4.3 out of 5 (4.3/5)
Value vs rivals:	4.5 out of 5 (4.5/5)
Equipment:	4.2 out of 5 (4.2/5)
Annual servicing cost:	£160

5 out of 5

31 October 2024 by CB

Year: 2023

Highly reccomended daily rider. Great fun

Ride quality & brakes 5 out of 5

Engine 5 out of 5

Reliability & build quality 5 out of 5

Value vs rivals 5 out of 5

Equipment 5 out of 5

4 out of 5 Perfect city and mountain motorbike and teaching partner.

05 February 2024 by FerminGH

Version: Matt orange

Year: 2023

Annual servicing cost: £150

The engine is delightfull and the bike handles very well. At city and twisty roads is a toy. It is much prettier than the competitors, even beggining 2024. Downsides: fuel consumption, gearbox/shift assist issues and resell price.

Ride quality & brakes 5 out of 5

Sweet at city, powerful from the bottom end for the twisty roads, perfect fueling, good brakes and very well planted at high speed curves. There is one place where it feels completely out of place: highways. It is tiring at more than 110km/h 70miles/h.

Engine 4 out of 5

Strong and sweet from 3000 rpm. Perfect fueling means no problem at city and shif assist makes things a lot quicker and easier. Really a gem . If only a pretty thirsty engine. More or less the same power, the SV650 engine designed a decade ago consumes 1l less. Thats a lot.

Reliability & build quality 3 out of 5

It had to be in the dealershop with 1000km for issues with the detent shaft of the shift pedal, which affected both neutral finding and shift assist behaviour. Very annoying situation being a Triumph. The dealershop technicians did their best to repair under guarantee and now the motorbike upshifts very smooth and neutral position is easy to find. As it shoul be from the begginning.

Value vs rivals 4 out of 5

Normal amount. Fuel consumption adds 100€/year over the competitors. But service is at 16.000km/10000miles so.....

Equipment 5 out of 5

TC, ABS, riding modes, quickshifter, etc. I dont need anything else.

Buying experience: First hand bought in a dealershop. 8000 € with shift assist installed. A little cheaper than the competitors.

3 out of 5

19 October 2023 by Steve

Year: 2022

Annual servicing cost: £300

Overrated by MCN as usual for a Triumph review. It would appear that anything with a Triumph badge on the tank gets an automatic 5 stars from MCN. This is not a bad little bike but certainly not 5 starts. Overall for me 3 stars is pushing it.

Ride quality & brakes 2 out of 5

Suspension is way too hard for me given the current state of our British roads, harsh, jarring & very fatiguing after not very long at all. Bumpy B roads where I ride a lot in the Derbyshire Dales would have me struggling to stay in the seat. Handles well on smooth surface if you are lucky enough to find some but good luck with that one. Brakes are just about adequate but if you need to stop in a hurry they need a very firm pull, certainly no two finger braking.

Engine 4 out of 5

On the plus side it surprised me power wise & well up to the job for general road riding, you don’t really need more for solo road riding. On the negative side gearing is poor with first not really being required at all & 2nd & 3rd not much better. It’s mechanically noisy \ rattly particularly when cold (typical Triumph triple apparently) & it burns oil. I put in 1.5lts over 3k miles. It also took some time to start after just over two months of winter storage.

Reliability & build quality 2 out of 5

Generally well finished & built to a point but:- The seat material is just dam awful; you can’t touch it without leaving marks. I personally don’t like the heavy brushed finish on the exhaust pipe headers, road grime & tar sticks like hell & for some reason Triumph exhaust headers all turn black. Electrical gremlins are the worst bit. After removing the battery for winter storage as per the Triumph owner’s manual I couldn’t set the time & date again. Of course, this was blamed on user error at the dealer so the next time it happened I asked to be shown what I was doing wrong & it took the local service manager & a technician over 30 mins to get it set again, so not user error. On top of this Trip meters stopped working intermittently, flasher modes changed themselves & so did power modes. This was dismissed at the dealer of course as it was working OK when I took it there. Minor issues in some ways but the fact that all of this stuff is controlled through the main ECU (£1500 + fitting + vat if it fails) makes it less so to me. The bike was also only 6 months old when it first happened. I appear to have bad luck with Triumph, this is my second Hinckley bike & the first one was loads of trouble so I’ll stick to Japanese from now.

Value vs rivals 3 out of 5

When released it appeared good value but the price soon got hiked up more than once & with the arrival of Honda’s new Hornet (which I’ve now traded the Triumph for) & Suzuki’s 8S it’s really looking lacking.

Equipment 3 out of 5

Adequate but nothing special. Switch gear quality isn’t great but it works, the ability to add Bluetooth connectivity (std on the Hornet), tyre pressure monitoring etc. is all there but they are all expensive add On’s. Not a fan of the instrument panel but again it does the job. For me it would help if money was spent on supplying the basics to a higher level rather than gimmicky electronic aids (power modes, traction control etc.) that simply aren’t needed on an 80bhp bike with such nice power delivery. I have to assume that market forces dictate this to be necessary & people actually think this nonsense to be required though or I’m sure it wouldn’t be there.

Buying experience: Bought from Staffordshire Triumph who were OK until the problems started but then all I got was BS. I suppose that’s the same in most places these days.

5 out of 5 A Great First Bike

27 June 2023 by CraigG

Year: 2021

Annual servicing cost: £300

Overall, I've really enjoyed the ownership experience. Use it for a 120mile round trip commute from the coast up to Heathrow area, mix of country roads & a bit of M25 (great bike for filtering).Also did a little touring with it, but with my wife taking the car separately (so the lack of luggage options wasn't an issue).

Ride quality & brakes 3 out of 5

The brakes are great (although the brake lever is too far out unless you have the adjustable lever fitted from the STR) and the handling is confidence inspiring. But the ride is extremely harsh on UK roads (a new Street Triple R is vastly more comfy - even the RS soaks up bumps much better).

Engine 5 out of 5

I do like the engine - it's flexible across the rev range, but really picks up about 6000rpm.

Reliability & build quality 4 out of 5

All good, with the exception of a warped rear disc in the first 400 miles - replaced under warranty. No other faults to mention - apart from one or two washers that have gone inexplicably rusty (seems common on many bikes - there's a few other people on the owners club who have the exact same washers corrode).Chain hasn't even needed adjusting over the two years & 10K miles, which is impressive.

Value vs rivals 4 out of 5

The 10K service seems slightly pricey for what it is (£340 - more than my car). Beyond that, doesn't use much oil or other sundries - not had to spend much beyond scheduled services at all really.

Equipment 3 out of 5

It's an entry level bike, so not expecting much - however, some of the accessories (particularly the optional bluetooth module) just aren't fit for purpose.It's not all bad, as the OEM frame sliders work as they should (embarrassingly tested), and the pillion handles are really handy.

Buying experience: Bought from local Triumph dealer during covid times (so hadn't even test ridden before buying) - dealer delivered the bike to my house, and it all went to plan.

4 out of 5 Triumph Trident 660 review

05 June 2023 by Michael

Year: 2023

Plus points: Good power Well built Well engineered Comfortable riding position Good value for money Good amount of equipment for the price Good MPG for a 660cc 3 cylinder engineMinus points: Gear ratios need to be longer Engine doesn't feel very refined Indicator switch doesn't feel very nice Vibration through the handlebars when riding

Ride quality & brakes 4 out of 5

The bike feels sturdy and well built, the brakes are very good, the only moan is that you can feel vibration through the handlebars when riding.

Engine 3 out of 5

The engine has power, but it doesn't feel very refined, you can feel the vibrations through the handlebars.

Reliability & build quality 5 out of 5

Well built, well engineered, very reliable.

Value vs rivals 4 out of 5

Does between 45 - 65mpg, depending on how you ride it and whether it is town, city or motorway. For a 660cc 3 cylinder motorbike, the MPG is very good.

Equipment 3 out of 5

The amount of equipment on the bike is good for the price that you are paying.

2 out of 5

30 January 2023 by ThoVoy

Year: 2021

When I bought it - I would defo recommend it. But around 2000 miles - it started having issues. Engine was kind of cutting out/ being jumpy, hocking and “pulley” in the same time - in low constant speed - specially on visible on 2nd gear at 15-20 constant speed in traffic.So went to dealer to fix it - it took them them 4months… to actually break other staff and improving anything. Yeah - firstly they have tried software update which did not work and “broke”heating grips - so had feature I payed 200£ for but could not use it in winter…

Ride quality & brakes 4 out of 5

Will be 5 if not issues on lower gears at low speed

Engine 4 out of 5

Great engine - crap electronics

Reliability & build quality 2 out of 5

Is always starting and riding - as mentioned above - riding in city traffic or filtering at low speed is bad.

Value vs rivals 4 out of 5

Equipment 2 out of 5

Heating grip - if works - when they update the software to fix other issue - I lost them for few months and had to wait for good few months for another update - contacted Triumph directly but their answer was kind of “sorry but so what - just wait and freeze for update”

5 out of 5 Long term review after 11500 miles.

07 November 2022 by Doug 66

Version: Factory extras fitted

Year: 2021

Covered 11500 miles since new in March 21. Loved the sapphire black retro look , engine is a peach and it sings up 10250rpm, using the QS from 2 to 6. Brakes and tyres great . Done 400 miles in a day , fairly comfy and you just want to ride it.

Ride quality & brakes 5 out of 5

Amazing back brake . Never had a bike where the rear brake is really useful and you can feel it. Makes winter commute bearable. Front is very good and suspension helps it dig in. I love the ride , great ride position. Seat is comfy for me and stretch to bars perfect , I’m 6’ 32” leg.

Engine 5 out of 5

Revs out in every gear. Turn of TC and it lifts easily, controlled, not like the MT 07. The QS upshifts perfectly , 2 to. 6. downshifts and slipper clutch sublime . Make sure you keep your boot off the gear lever on upshifts, sprung loaded QS needs pressure release.

Reliability & build quality 4 out of 5

Rear shock hates weather . Showa metal is poor , compared to all other fixings. Quite a stiff shock with poor damping , need’s to be upgraded . Front is acceptable. MAP sensor failed - engine cut out on idle. Fixed OE chain - cracked link , changed to DiD. My expense. 99% of its life , absolutely fine.

Value vs rivals 5 out of 5

This was the annual service . 600 mile was £48. Not a problem on cost. Keeps the warranty , so I can ride it like I stole it and hand it back in 3 years.

Equipment 5 out of 5

QS - Fun Bar ends - Great vision Sat nav. - works well Blue tooth- let’s me know who phones , who cares Belly pan , protection kit , etc . Looks good

Buying experience: Brought from Fowlers in March 21 . Great dealership. Easy purchase .

4 out of 5 A LITTLE GIVES MORE

18 July 2022 by Tri-Bri

Year: 2021

Annual servicing cost: £180

good performer for the price rectifier/regulator in a very vulnerable place for road filth,organised a "shield" on my bike. the rear "mudguard" is a disaster in wet weather, all the muck and wet sprays up your back and helmet ,rain flows down the front of pillion seat and under your bum .If I knew this I would not have bought the bike!

Ride quality & brakes 4 out of 5

a decent all round bike let down by rear vulnerability to wet weather can manage a couple hundred miles without discomfort

Engine 5 out of 5

eager

Reliability & build quality 4 out of 5

Value vs rivals 4 out of 5

Would like to hear evidence of dealers adjusting annual service charge to match the mileage covered.

Equipment 5 out of 5

an accessory to deal with inclement weather

Buying experience: dealer ex demo bike 6k

5 out of 5 The best "first big bike"

19 April 2022 by Ashley Hazell

Year: 2021

Looks stunning (subjective), very forgiving, easy to ride

Ride quality & brakes 4 out of 5

Seat isn't the best and aftermarket comfort options seem non-existent. Suspension is a little harsh at slow speeds and over rough surfaces, very composed and best on fast A and B roads

Engine 4 out of 5

Throttle lag - so annoying! Minimal vibes, good sound considering euro 5 strangulation (will sort that with an SC Project system skin), mild mannered at low revs with good grunt midrange and decent pull up top

Reliability & build quality 5 out of 5

Only had it for 3 days but it does have 3500 miles on it and still looks and feels like the demo I test rode

Value vs rivals 5 out of 5

Cracking on fuel, long service intervals, low stressed engine

Equipment 5 out of 5

For the price this bike leads the way. Dash is a work of art, TC, ABS, LED everything. OE heated grips are good.I want that quickshifter!

Buying experience: Bought at Motocorsa, awesome guys and thoroughly recommended. Paid £6750 for a bike that's 6 months old with 3k miles

3 out of 5 The Real Triumph Trident 660 2021 Review

25 September 2021 by Bulldog Steve

Year: 2021

I added nearly every optional extra with this bike , protection, connectivity ect negative points- Triumph heated grips absolutely rubbish don’t waste your money, connectivity package and triumph app rubbish don’t waste your money! Seat cheap feel and rubbish material rips easy! On the hard side but sat on worse !! Fuel consumption! I don’t know how people get more then 45 mpg?? They must ride like old ladies?? I averaged 35- 40 mpg and riding at not even flat out I got 22 mpg in the twisty roads .Now good points Light agile handling really brilliant handling and amazing tyres as standard inspired confidence, So overall a good not brilliant bike as reviewers would have you believe, I sold mine after 5 months got bored of the harsh ride and overall bike . Engine is nice but thirsty when you use it hard

Ride quality & brakes 3 out of 5

Would never take a pillion on its tiny perch brakes are good

Engine 4 out of 5

Engine is very good would be 5 if fuel consumption better I don’t know how anyone say they get 60-70 at mpg?? I got 40mpg and riding hard but not flat out down to 22 mpg

Reliability & build quality 4 out of 5

Cheap parts in places but only had 5 months connectivity by your phone to Triumph app , rubbish

Value vs rivals 4 out of 5

Thirst when riding harder 22mpg

Equipment 3 out of 5

Tyres excellent in cold wet and dry weather avoid all the optional extras by triumph! They are expensive and not worth the money

Buying experience: I paid 7,125 for bike with extras came to 8,200 from Triumph Dealership who were excellent

5 out of 5

19 September 2021 by Tom

Year: 2021

Loads of fun, sweet handling plenty of poke even for a little engine, very comfortable bike to ride great on fuel and we’ll equipped. Negatives rear brake lever poor grip in wet and too small and awkward to use brakes could be a little sharper when pushed a little. rear suspension a little too hard and on rough roads can up settle the bike. Other than those little niggles a fantastic bike and great second bike for my garage

Ride quality & brakes 3 out of 5

Rear suspensions hard and on prolonged bumper roads can make the bike feel a little unstable. Brakes aren’t as sharp as some rivals and can feel a little week when used hard. Rear brake lever is bad in wet and some cases foot has slipped off when braking,

Engine 5 out of 5

Punchy loads of grunt and loads of usable fun for experienced riders and novices alike never gets boring. Took the bike on the nc500 route brilliant fun sweet handling and very comfortable which was surprising. Covered about 1800 miles on the trip average fuel rose to 63mpg. The bike did become a littler thirsty on motorways averaged about 130 miles to a tank before fuel light came on with 30 miles left in tank. Other than that was really impressed with the bike

Reliability & build quality 5 out of 5

Value vs rivals 5 out of 5

Equipment 5 out of 5

Well spec

4 out of 5 Good stuff in little bundles

12 September 2021 by Fair weather rider

Year: 2021

Annual servicing cost: £300

Low down torque and very forgiving Uncomfortable seat no cruise control and quite viby.

Ride quality & brakes 5 out of 5

Now that I’ve a custom hell seat I can travel for hours. I’ve completed the North coast 500 with no problems at all. Aftermarket panniers and top box available

Engine 5 out of 5

Never fails to satisfy

Reliability & build quality 5 out of 5

Excellent build quality

Value vs rivals 5 out of 5

That’s a guesstimate as no service to date

Equipment 5 out of 5

Heated grips a must. The factory fit tyres are a dream

Buying experience: Bought early from a dealership and paid list price plus extras (£9500).

4 out of 5 Overrated

12 September 2021 by Vonsarg@gmail.com

Year: 2021

Overrated

Ride quality & brakes 3 out of 5

Hard suspension Brakes only adequate

Engine 5 out of 5

Noisey

Reliability & build quality 4 out of 5

Value vs rivals 4 out of 5

Equipment 3 out of 5

Expensive

5 out of 5

03 September 2021 by Rich

Year: 2021

Great mid size bike with a top build quality, superb handling and great looks.

Ride quality & brakes 4 out of 5

Engine 5 out of 5

Reliability & build quality 5 out of 5

Value vs rivals 5 out of 5

Equipment 5 out of 5

Buying experience: Excellent

5 out of 5 Its a Head Turner and I love it!

23 August 2021 by Triumphtigeress

Year: 2021

Annual servicing cost: £80

I’m a triumph triple fan and have 2 other larger triples but this is by far my favourite. With the larger engine bikes come the heavier weights and being of slight build the Trident makes for much easier riding and a lot of fun. One of my ultimate likes is that the seat height is perfect and at 5’6” I can actually get my feet on the floor. My only gripe is that the rear pegs have to go - I catch the top of my bike boots on them when setting off from a stop more often than not! But I’m not intending on taking a pillion on the tiny back seat so it’s no loss - this bike is just for me! Its turned a few heads and started a few conversations that’s for sure and I’m the envy of a fair few biker buddies to boot!

Ride quality & brakes 5 out of 5

Seat is a bit hard On some of the Norfolk roads which are often like riding across a ploughed field but I can get an hour on the bike before I need to take a break. It’s not a tourer though so that’s not bad!I think the number plate mount/mini-hugger is a bit plastic and cheap and could have been a lot better quality but I dare say the aftermarket will take care of alternative options!

Engine 5 out of 5

It’s much smother than my older triples so vibration is less of an issue. It’s still got plenty of pull at lower speeds with the higher gears so if you’re feeling lazy going through villages there’s not much reason to go up and down through the gears! Running in was boring so I didn’t tend to bother so much!

Reliability & build quality 5 out of 5

Nothing negative to report so far! I think the levers could be a bit better, one is adjustable the other isn’t! They are gone

Value vs rivals 5 out of 5

The first Service is a bit pricey and done at 600 miles but the service intervals make up for it!

Equipment 5 out of 5

Not overly busy and pretty easy to use toggle switches which don’t distract you while riding. The add on Track+ Is very reasonable at £210 given the increasing trend of motorbike thefts. Having a satellite tracked bike and 24/7 notifications of tampering is genius. The sat nav is just a bonus.

Buying experience: Triumph Suffolk neglected to tell me it was Suffolk after I’d mentioned I’m in Norfolk and 8 miles from the Norfolk branch until after I’d paid a deposit! However, the Norfolk branch sorted it for collection for me. A problem that wouldn’t have occurred if I’d gone in and bought it but I was a bit too keen to wait!

5 out of 5 Does everything I want and great fun!

20 August 2021 by Reg French

Year: 2021

Comfortable, fast, great handling, looks and quality

Ride quality & brakes 4 out of 5

Brakes very good. Ride quality a little hard but this helps the handling.

Engine 5 out of 5

Great engine with good power delivery. Gears a little close together.

Reliability & build quality 5 out of 5

No problems so far

Value vs rivals 5 out of 5

Only had first service so far. Fuel consumption is great.

Equipment 4 out of 5

TFT screen is fab. Good standard kit but no usb as standard

Buying experience: Bought from Triumph dealer. Advertised at £7145 but paid £7400 with extras

5 out of 5 Worth every penny

11 July 2021 by Brian - fair weather rider -

Version: Silver and red

Year: 2021

Light and highly clickable with plenty of power from low revs, love it to bits!!!! Clutch lever, none adjustable and a real pain unless you have hands like a gorilla. This was easily rectified with aftermarket parts

Ride quality & brakes 5 out of 5

Engine 5 out of 5

Plenty of low down grunt

Reliability & build quality 5 out of 5

Covered over 4000 miles in 4 months and she has never even flickered. Great quality and highly reliable

Value vs rivals 5 out of 5

Service every 10,000 miles

Equipment 5 out of 5

Heated grips a must if you intend to use the bike extensively. An aftermarket gel seat for long distance journeys

Buying experience: New bike so in high demand, no discount given

3 out of 5 Overrated

10 July 2021 by Vonsarg

Year: 2021

Annual servicing cost: £70

Hard rear suspension Gear ratio not great Looks good ok as a commuter but not for any distance British roads

Ride quality & brakes 3 out of 5

Brakes are just ok Gets tiring after a couple of hours due to hard rear suspension

Engine 4 out of 5

1st gear waste of time have to change straight into 2nd

Reliability & build quality 4 out of 5

Oil pump had to be replaced

Value vs rivals 4 out of 5

£70 for first service not sure what further services will cost.

Equipment 4 out of 5

Screen is good Accessories far to expensive

Buying experience: Paid £7,200 Wating to have quikshifter fitted just over £300

5 out of 5 Great affordable bike.

28 June 2021 by Billy 996

Year: 2021

Had a go on a friends for half a day and wow, for the price it's excellent. Had many sport bikes but handling is much more than you'd expect. A lot of fun, looks cool too. Build quality up there with the best. Found it hard to find a fault really, more adjustment on suspension? but at this price. Very good.

Ride quality & brakes 5 out of 5

Engine 5 out of 5

Remember it's a 600, still pretty nippy though matches handling perfectly.

Reliability & build quality 5 out of 5

Value vs rivals 5 out of 5

Equipment 4 out of 5

5 out of 5 Middleweight Champ

12 June 2021 by Jack The Pipe Man

Version: Crystal White

Year: 2021

Annual servicing cost: £100

Great engine with enough power to do anything. She's calm with a slightly muted throttle response low in the revs which is great for riding in stop and go surface street traffic. Great handling that makes it so much fun to flick in and out of turns. This is my second bike and I think this one is going to be in my garage for a long time.

Ride quality & brakes 5 out of 5

Great all-rounder. Its nice and calm in stop and go traffic. Its really peppy and eager when you get some room and open the throttle. Its light and a joy to take it through the curves. It can do some light touring, although, I am looking at buying an aftermarket windscreen to help mitigate some of the wind at interstate speeds. The seat doesn't seem to be a premium ultrasoft butt saver but, I can go about an hour and a half on it without stopping.

Engine 5 out of 5

Nothing bad to say about the engine. The triple really puts you in a sweet spot, you have the torque down low and you have some more high end then a twin. I think 20HP would really be icing on the cake but, the 80bhp is enough.

Reliability & build quality 5 out of 5

Quality is great. The bike is spotless. Everything is tight and well built. Nothing loose or questionable on the quality side. No issues on reliability, everything works as it should.

Value vs rivals 5 out of 5

10,000 mile intervals sound great to me.

Equipment 4 out of 5

There are some small things that you can tell were intended to be a little less than premium to keep the price down. The components themselves are robust and stand up to the wear and tear, they just look a little cheap. Brake and clutch levers come to mind. The chrome or brushed foot pegs really clash with the rest of the style. Small plastic covers on the frame look kind of cheap if you look close.

Buying experience: Bought from dealer. Shopped around to get the best deal. I bought it $9,500 out the door. The other dealers I checked wanted $10,250 out the door.

4 out of 5 Ideal middleweight machine

04 June 2021 by Brian Ridge

Year: 2021

Cons - Clutch none adjustable, had to replace Suspension hard and front unadjustable. Seat uncomfortable after an hour or so. Pros - light and flickable. Very forgiving. Excellent tyres, glued to the road. Rapid through the gears and an acceptable max of 130 mph. Excellent fuel consumption at 60 mpg which makes it suitable for touring. Aftermarket screen, luggage, gel custom seat available now.

Ride quality & brakes 4 out of 5

Brakes are good ride is a little firm

Engine 5 out of 5

Excellent pulling power

Reliability & build quality 5 out of 5

No problems at all so far after 3700 miles

Value vs rivals 5 out of 5

First service is 10,000 miles

Equipment 5 out of 5

Quick shifter is great

Buying experience: I bought at a dealership it being a new bike to the market. The book price for a stock bike is £7200 but I like my toys and with optional extras it cost £9600

5 out of 5 My favorite Triumph so far.

29 April 2021 by Mozzer

Year: 2021

Annual servicing cost: £80

Mine was the fourth bike delivered by Triumph Newcastle and the dealership were brilliant all the way through the transaction. Specced it up a bit to just over £8000 and I've added aftermarket bar ends (thanks TEC Bike parts) and I'll be adding adjustable levers (TEC again). So far I can't fault it.

Ride quality & brakes 5 out of 5

The ride is firm but that's how I like it and the handling is brilliant! Someone else said it in another review but late brake into a corner and power it out - really good fun. Oh, and the seat is very comfortable and a good height (5'9" and 31 inside leg). My 1050 Sprint was not comfy after 30 minutes but I could ride the Trident all day.

Engine 4 out of 5

I haven't given it 5 stars just because I've had much more powerful bikes but it's the strongest 600+ I've ever ridden. The power is there from almost any speed in almost any gear so it's as good commuting as it is blasting down the lanes.

Reliability & build quality 5 out of 5

Obviously it's early days so reliability isn't tested. However, the quality is as good as any bike I've had in the past. The only niggle is I cannot get the bloody bluetooth to connect to my phone so I wish I hadn't bothered to get it.

Value vs rivals 5 out of 5

Again, early days but providing the reliability is good, the running costs should be minimal.

Equipment 4 out of 5

Again 4 stars due to the extras, some of which could have been standard but they are trying to compete with the MT.

Buying experience: Newcastle Triumph were spot on. Nothing else to add.

1 out of 5

19 March 2021 by Peter Spence

Year: 2021

IMO - Overrated British crap

Ride quality & brakes 2 out of 5

Engine 2 out of 5

Reliability & build quality 1 out of 5

Value vs rivals 3 out of 5

Equipment 3 out of 5

5 out of 5 Game changer , you heard it hear first.

14 March 2021 by Doug66

Version: Sapphire Black

Year: 2021

Annual servicing cost: £80

Rider position, levers , foot pegs , tank recess absolutely perfect for my 6 foot and 32 inside leg. The relatively low seat height works really well. This bike has been well thought out. My love for motorcycling has been re ignited.

Ride quality & brakes 5 out of 5

OMG. The bike rides on rails , with a ‘ budget’ suspension. Late braking and turning in, no drama. I’m 105 kg kitted up and suspension has no problems. Brakes are brilliant , ABS hasn’t cut in , so it’s not intrusive. ( unlike my old MT07) Seat is fine , no numb bum after 60 mins.

Engine 5 out of 5

Engine is a peach. It has a lovely exhaust sound, must be engineered in for Euro 5. Beautiful Induction noise starts up around 4,500 revs. Power is effortless, it just pulls and pulls. Engine spins up so quick, I’m seem to watching the revs all the time.

Reliability & build quality 5 out of 5

Only had it a few days , but the quality of build is very good . It look solid, all the plastics , metals, fasteners are well made . Loads of lovely Triumph logos on the various parts. Factory accessories are top quality , worth adding them to the Finance.

Value vs rivals 5 out of 5

This will be the cost for the 600 mile service, not sure what it will be next year. Not a deal breaker for me, warranty needs a dealer service and I took out extended warranty. Service costs are all relative to what you purchase and why.

Equipment 5 out of 5

The digital screen has so many functions, easy to use , easy to see on the move. 20 pages in the manual to operate it, and its worth reading. Self cancelling indicators are great. LED lights are brilliant and bright. Add as much kit as you need.

Buying experience: Purchased from Fowler’s at Bristol. Absolutely top guys Mike and Phil , sorting out a purchase in lockdown is not easy. I didn’t even see the bike until I turned up to take it away. Has to be easiest , effortless purchase I have ever done. Cheers.

5 out of 5 Triumph Trident better than the hype

06 March 2021 by Brian Ridge

Year: 2021

Annual servicing cost: £90

For Mid range grunt, quality, price, fun factor, very forgiving Against price of optional extras.

Ride quality & brakes 5 out of 5

Ideal commuter or fun bike. I’ll try mini tours with it

Engine 5 out of 5

Nice long stroke

Reliability & build quality 5 out of 5

New to the market this month so not applicable to date

Value vs rivals 5 out of 5

Unknown at this time but every 10,000 miles

Equipment 5 out of 5

Tyres excellent rain or road mode standard fit heated grips optional but should be standard fit in the uk

Buying experience: I bought from my local triumph dealership, they couldn’t have been more helpful.Standard price was £7190 but when I spec’d it up it was in excess of £9,000