Triumph Trident engine looks back to go forwards

Triumph’s new Trident uses a 660cc three-cylinder engine. Don’t be mistaken into thinking this is the motor from the 660cc Street Triple S, however. What Triumph have actually done is dust off the 675cc engine from the Daytona sportsbike, distinguished by its shorter cylinder head bolts and 74mm bore diameter.

• Related: in-depth 2021 Triumph Trident review

Engines in the current Street Triple range (and Tiger 900s) use ‘dry’ cylinder liners. These are thin sleeves that slide into holes in a lightweight aluminium cylinder block, allowing tighter cylinder spacing for a more compact and lighter engine.

The 675cc engine used in early versions of the Daytona and Street Triple has ‘wet’ liners – cast iron tubes that stand in the middle of the block and are in direct contact with the coolant. Hence the ‘wet’ bit.

Wet-liner engines are heavier and generally larger. There are advantages, though: cooling is effective, and both the liners and block are easier to build. This means cheaper. And saving cash is the driving force behind reviving the engine for the Trident – not just Triumph’s cash, but yours.

Triumph have 15 years of experience with the 675cc triple. It may have a new crank to reduce stroke in 660cc guise (from 52.3 down to 51.1mm) plus new pistons, camshafts, inlets and more, but it’s the same basic unit. So they know it inside out.

“We have a huge amount of experience of the platform this engine has been developed from,” confirms chief engineer, Stuart Wood. “We have a thorough understanding of the service loads and duty cycle that these engines will see, and this has allowed us to extend the service interval to 10,000 miles.”

It’s not just their understanding that allows wallet-friendly intervals. The engine was originally conceived for a supersport bike that spat out a claimed 123bhp and revved to 13,500rpm, but in 660cc Trident form the engine makes 80bhp and peaks at 10,250rpm.

The shorter stroke also reduces mean piston speed, as for any given revs the piston has a shorter distance to travel. At peak power the 675’s pistons were doing 22.7m/s but when the lower-revving, shorter stroke Trident is making peak power they only hit 17.5m/s, further reducing the load.

“Duty cycle and maximum loads are lower than our previous 675s,” continues Stuart, “and overall this allows us to specify less frequent oil changes and longer service intervals. We know that cost of ownership is important, and a longer service interval makes the bike more economical to own.”

Cheaper to make, buy and run. Good ol’ 675.

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Three’s company: Triumph Trident full specs and details released

First published on 30 October, 2020 by Jordan Gibbons

Triumph have finally unveiled the Trident: a new entry-level triple that by their own admission is designed to knock Yamaha’s MT-07 off the middleweight top spot. So what is it? Well it’s not just a re-skinned Street Triple S if that’s what you’re thinking.

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For a start the engine is completely different and while they might share the same capacity, the bore and stroke are different as are the rest of the innards. That means new piston, new crank, new cylinder head, new cases, new clutch, new liners, new camshafts – hell it would be simpler to name the parts that are the same.

The result of this work, or so Triumph say, is an engine that has the magic combo of low down torque, a reasonably fat mid-range and a decent bit of top end thrill. Crucially in the A2 market it will also be the only mainstream triple – not many will have bought an MV Agusta Brutale 800 in A2 trim we’d wager – with most bikes twins and a couple of inline fours thrown in.

Triumph Trident fast facts

• Engine: 660cc triple
• Power: 80bhp @ 10250
• Set height: 805mm
• Weight: 189kg (wet)
• Price: £7195

The chassis too is all new, with Triumph saying that it delivers the typical ‘roadster’ handling we’ve come to expect from the firm. What’s especially nice is that even for the price point, it’s got nice bits of kit as standard, including 41mm Showa Separate Function forks, Nissin calipers and Michelin Road 5 tyres.

Where it really begins to look special is in the tech department. The Trident comes with a ride by wire throttle, so its’ got two riding modes (Road and Rain) that change the characteristics of both the throttle map and the traction control.

ABS is standard stuff, not your fancy cornering malarkey, although Triumph claim their ABS levels are set at full lean, going some way to imitate the function of a cornering ABS. There’s some optional extra tech too, including a quickshifter/autoblipper and even tyre pressure monitors.

All of the tech is controlled through Triumph’s latest colour TFT display, with a drop in black and white LCD. Unlike other colour dashes that just give funky colours to the tacho, the dash on the Trident can be paired with a smartphone (if you buy the connectivity module) unlocking phonecalls, music and a sat-nav.

But leave aside all the funky new stuff and one of our favourite bits about this new bike is how Triumph have made real efforts to reduce the cost of ownership. For a start the service intervals are just every 10,000 miles, which is a fair bit higher than most of the competition.

Then when it does go in for a service, Triumph have made an effort to reduce the time it spends in the workshop, with a service time nearly half that of some competitors. Lastly the Trident comes with a two year, unlimited mileage warranty. And all this for just £7199. Consider us seriously impressed.

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New Triumph Trident images revealed: entry-level triple poised to take on MT-07

First published on 29 September, 2020 by Jordan Gibbons

Triumph have released a few more teasers of their upcoming entry level Trident. We first saw the bike last month as a design concept, painted entirely in white and while there are still no firm stats, we can see more detail about the new bike.

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For a start you can see the bike rides on decent quality Showa suspension, while the brakes are by Nissin – two brands known for quality rather than price. We can also see it’s shod with Michelin Road 5 tyres, another impressive bit of kit on an entry-level bike.

Elsewhere, we can see high-tech touches including a ride-by-wire throttle, LED lighting and a shapely dash. We can also see the rear numberplate hanger, which runs off the swingarm to preserve the clean lines. The styling has both elements of modern, in the subframe and the headlight, as well as retro, in the tank cut outs.

What we don’t know much more about is the engine. Triumph say the Trident engine is all new although it’s based on existing architecture – expect around 660cc. There’s no power figures yet other than Triumph’s promise it will be A2 compliant, which means an absolute max of 94bhp.

Triumph are aiming for the entry-level middleweight market, which is predominantly made up of parallel twins, including the excellent 689cc twin in Yamaha’s MT-07. This bike is going to be a big change for Triumph, as they’ve traditionally gone for the larger capacity premium market.

Currently the entry into the Triumph brand is either the Street Twin or the Street Triple S, which both cost £8100 – over £1400 more than the MT-07. Given the posh kit they appear to be fitting, it’s not clear how they’re going to bring it in for a similar price unless they’re aiming to win the tech war.

Triumph haven’t been drawn on exact specs but we’re expecting to see riding modes, lean-sensitive traction control and cornering ABS.

We’d expect it to be slightly more premium than the MT with an OTR price of around £7500. Triumph are planning to release the finished machine, along with the full details shortly, ahead of its arrival in dealers in 2021. 

Keep an eye out for the full 2021 Triumph Trident review on MCN.

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New Triumph Trident concept shows Hinckley’s new A2 middleweight contender

First published on 25 August, 2020 by Jordan Gibbons

This is a design concept for a new Triumph Trident, which the brand says will take on the classleading middleweights. Currently the entry-level models into the Triumph brand are the Street Twin and the Street Triple S, both of which cost £8100. A far cry from the sale success Yamaha MT-07, which is just £6697 – and it’s this bike, along with others like it, that the new Trident is gunning for…

“This bike is going to be aimed at people who have been riding a while but this is their first, new large-capacity machine,” says Steve Sargent, Chief Product Officer at Triumph. “It’s going to be very competitively priced but we’re sticking with Triumph’s roots to maintain a premium presence in that market.”

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A key part of the success Triumph are hoping for lies in the engine which, as a mid-capacity triple, will make it the stand-out bike in a sector full of parallel twins. Although it’s based on existing architecture, Triumph say it’s an all-new unit both inside and out, sharing just a few common parts.

For now Triumph aren’t releasing any figures about the new powerplant, other than to say it will be A2 compliant. We imagine it will take a leaf out of the A2-legal Street Triple S’ book, so expect 660cc and 47bhp in restricted form.

Starting from scratch

The frame is new, designed just for this bike to deliver the sort of ‘roadster’ handling Triumph have become famous for.

The styling is fresh too, taking hints from Honda’s ‘neo-café’ retro meets-modern approach where classic Triumph design cues, such as the cut-outs in the tank, work alongside the modern shapes of the subframe. There’s even a dash of Italian flair with the work of Rodolfo Frascoli, whose previous penmanship has brought us the fantastic Tiger 900.

2021 Triumph Trident: Bang up to date

The new bike should be right up there technology-wise, with all new switchgear clearly visible, alongside a brand new dash and funky LED lights. There’s no indication what tech to expect, but based on the Hinckley operation’s current models, that switchgear and a desire to outdo the competition, don’t be surprised to see riding modes, cornering ABS and lean-sensitive traction control.

What will the 2021 Triumph Trident cost? There’s no official word on pricing but based on the competition, plus the anticipated finish quality, sub-£7500 doesn’t seem unreasonable. 

Triumph plan to reveal the full machine, along with all the specs and price in just a few weeks, ahead of its arrival in dealers early next year.