Ride Review: 2013 Triumph Trophy 1200 SE

2013 Triumph Trophy 1200 SE (test ride)

Here’s my observations from today’s test ride at Western Motorsports in Langley. They just got this test bike recently (Triumph had delayed delivery of Trophies so this is their first demo bike but have sold several already). SE version $19,995 pretty much loaded except for heated seat, grips, top box - dealer installed options.

First thing that comes to mind after sitting on the bike is the expanse & width of the faring/mirrors/fuel tank with cut outs for the legs…deja vue BMW R1200RT…ditto for the mirrors which provide an outstanding vibration free view behind, but differ from what you are used to in that the view is below your hands looking over the bags, seat & rack when holding the bars…each mirror actually provides a wide enough view to see the entire lane immediately behind & thus full car width of vehicle behind while providing the normal coverage of the adjacent lane…I was concerned that much of the view would be blocked by a passenger’s leg or arm, but less than 25% of the view is impacted by a passenger…..kudos!

The reach to the bars is very similar to my K1300GT (w/bar risers), providing a slightly more upright neutral stance with a little less pressure on the wrists, but the seat to peg distance is dramatically less, particularly with the seat in the lower of the 2 positions (keep in mind the K1300GT has peg lowers which provide almost 1.5” more reach than stock). I rode in the lower position & didn’t find it overly uncomfortable, just aware of the difference having just gotten off my bike. Reminded me of my R1150R which was cramped. The seat locks you into 1 position with little room for fore & aft movement…which is in direct contrast to the K1300GT seat which offers enough room for 3 distinct position changes. The seat cradles you & is firm feeling but felt comfortable on the 10k test ride which included freeway….I would only ride the Trophy in the tall seat position while I ride the K1300GT in both with the lower still providing more leg room than the Trophy’s high position…peg lowers should fix & equalize things and/or the seat is very dished & could be reshaped to create lots more leg room with a custom seat.

Upon starting the Triumph triple, the unique character of this motor becomes apparent & for me, not necessarily in a good way, as the motor at idle sounds very much like a diesel. My first thoughts were…industrial & tractor like….Something that I hadn’t recalled from my test ride of the Explorer 1200 last year which has the same motor but for mild tuning & gearing differences…upon returning from the ride I fired up an Explorer (with Arrow exhaust…very nice above idle) to compare & realized that the faring enclosure on the Trophy amplifies the characteristic substantially…the faring design is almost a carbon copy of the BMW R1200RT right down to the opening enclosure around the forks that allow you to see the tire contact the road while riding (very nice design feature)…the K1300GT by contrast is completely closed off with no view of the tire. It seems this opening is what amplifies & funnels the sound of the motor up to the rider. The motor also seemed a little more gruff with more vibration than I remember of the Explorer…nothing objectionable, just noticeable….by the end of the ride I had more or less accepted the triples different audible character…well almost? Only at idle does it draw attention to itself, above idle the motor produces a pleasant 3 cyl song, but dramatically subdued & distant because of the bags…same thing with the K1300GT…more audible pleasantries present with bags & top box removed….other side of the coin is that this should allow for more of the built-in audio sound system to be heard…I never tried it, but have read that it is ok up to hwy speeds, but tinny sounding & likely needs a speaker upgrade.

Even standing still the Trophy feels less top heavy than the K1300GT & once rolling even more so. Quite amazing given it’s slightly heavier & the BMW is already renowned for it’s ability to feel noticeably lighter once under way. The Trophy feels more nimble & flickable with quicker turn in & holds a line leaned over with ease & never displayed any tendency to fall in. The suspension has similar electronic control over damping & spring rate as the K1300GT & was set to Normal & seems plusher on small bumps & harsher on big ones than the K1300GT (consistent with what reviewers have said). 

The still air envelope is massive from head to toe encompassing my full arm & shoulder width, while the K1300GT almost matches the north south coverage but exposing your feet more, it is much narrower in width coverage with the outside of hands, arms & shoulders in partial airflow. Heat management from the motor & radiator is superior on the K1300GT…with the Triumph spilling hot air on your shins & feet…good & bad depending on outside temp. The windscreen is very wide (at least at the bottom, narrowing at the top) & is shaped with an inverted crescent shape at the top to allow seeing over in the middle….it has the largest amount of vertical adjustment range I’ve seen. But despite all this, surprisingly suffered from helmet buffeting…the last 3” of height adjustment had no effect….my V-Stream XL windscreen + custom laminar flow plated K1300GT is superior in this regard providing a quieter ride.

The clutch & all controls are very light & fluid, the fly by wire throttle is easily adapted to with gradual step in just off idle that requires an acclimation period being just a little vague & not immediate, then providing enough direct linear response that you will forget it is not cable connected. The powerband is strong & linear once off idle & thru most of the rpm range (did not exceed 6k rpm at request of Dealer) but not as strong as the K1300GT...understandable given the displacement, 25 hp & 10 lb ft torque difference of the motors & slightly less weight of the BMW….the Trophy is strong & quick but the K1300GT is more so, particularly on the top end. Roll on goes to the K1300GT because of its massive torque & powerband, but the Trophy is very entertaining & quick & fun…it’s just that the K1300GT has been blessed with a superbike-like motor….almost too much motor for the GT application…it can have a high strung feeling at times, rather than a more touring desirable demeanor & calmness…but if you like your get up & go BOLDED & CAPITALIZED then this is your capachino!! 

 The Trophy drivetrain & tranny are almost Japanese in their smoothness, definite improvements over the low speed snatchiness & clunkiness of the K1300GT driveline...fueling seems perfect, brakes light, strong & progressive. Because of these slow speed nuances of the K1300GT it’s the in-town performance that is the chink in an otherwise brilliant armor…once out on the hwy removed from stop & go, she shines (it can be ridden smoothly in-town, but requires focus & technique)…& I’m beginning to think even more so 2 up which seems to settle the suspension & driveline, which, despite all the electronic adjustment seems calibrated best for more than solo loading. The motor seems unaffected by 2 up or full loads, it just flat hauls…not so conducive to restraint & keeping under the radar of the ticket police. The pillion seems well sized & comfortable with a decent sized rack if you prefer to forgo the optional huge top box. The bags never drew attention to themselves because of the 5 degrees of linked side to side movement designed into them, but that may change if they were loaded & more mass was swaying back & forth.

The feel of the motors are different with some similarities…the Triumph triple has a courser lower frequency higher amplitude feel, while the BMW feels busier with higher frequency lower amplitude sensations but is actually slightly smoother at idle & speed…both have a slight gruffness to them under load, particularly when lugging. The Triumph Triple produces an irritating harmonic high pitched gear wine in the 3k to 4k range, again more noticeable on the Trophy than the Explorer because of the massive faring enclosure. This could be a deal breaker for some depending on how that particular frequency sits with them…this was one of the reasons I sold my '96 Trophy 1200…it just grated me the wrong way because it was omni present at hwy speeds. I suspect the extent that this bothers some will be an individualist issue, but Jamie (sales person) said that he has heard that comment about the noise from other Explorer owners except that most just accept it as part of the Triumph Triple character. One man’s ceiling is another man’s floor…you will have to ride to decide.

One nuance that bugged me was that the turn signals were not self cancelling! BUT, apparently that function is programmable…presumably Triumph thinks that some riders don’t like self cancelling turn signal.

Overall it is an outstanding package, particularly for a total new design…is it enough for me to change…no, particularly if it involves the $5K + more than my bike…but if I didn’t currently own a bike or one so similar it would be a compelling choice. I think this is a better touring bike than the Kawasaki GTR 1400 Concours, the new FJR is too minimalist in coverage with a too sporty riding position, the Guzzi Norge 1200 seems cramped for larger framed riders & the BMW K1600GT is without peer right now, which really leaves just one true competitor…BMW R1200RT & specifically the new water-cooled version when it arrives later this year & it will likely boil down to which motor you prefer.