Triumph Trident 660 1000kms Touring Review

Touring

The Trident 660 is currently the most affordable Triumph you can buy in India. And that means, this bike is going to be in a lot of people’s purchase list because the Triumph brand is quite aspirational and premium. So a lot of people would want to be a part of it. Prior to the launch of the Trident, it would have been difficult to own one, due to the price point, but with the Trident 660, things started to look a lot realistic for people like us.

Now, the Trident 660 can become the only bike in your garage, thanks to its practicality.

We did test the city dynamics of the bike when we rode it first early this year. But what about the touring life? Does it work there? Is it comfortable? Can you ride it for long? But the most important question, kitna deti hai? To answer all this, we decided to tour on the Trident for 1000kms.

Now before we move ahead, you should know a few things about this Triumph because all these aspects I will tell you how good this bike is for long distance. Firstly, the motor is a 660c inline-three cylinder one. It makes around 80bhp and 64Nm of peak torque and it is mated to a six-speed gearbox.

As you now, I will be spending many hours on this motorcycle, so the first thing we should talk about is this seat – it’s a single piece but with a step-up seat. The design of this seat is quite interesting as the front section is a bit narrow and as you move back, the seat gets wider and offers excellent support. The cushioning is just right. It’s not too hard. Not too soft. And the quality of the material feels really premium. The Trident is super accessible when it comes to seat height. The number is 805mm, and that means, you can get on and off the bike countless times during your long rides. And with a weight of 189kgs, it’s quite easy to move around, in case you enter a very busy petrol pump, and you need some time to wear your gear.

Now the main question. Can you actually tour on the Triumph Trident? The answer is a big yes! And I’ll tell you why. Firstly, the seating triangle sorts you out. Even with a rear-set footpegs, you aren’t really too committed, thanks to the presence of a wider and a higher placed handlebar. Plus, there’s lots of space on the fuel tank to rest your knees. Yes, there’s no windscreen, so you have fight with the crosswinds, but that is something you will get used to. And then comes the main part – performance. Well, we loved the Trident when we rode it the first time and now, in this long distance experience, we love it more. The combination of linear power delivery, strong mid-range and light clutch – makes touring calm and comfortable. Now with an 80bhp motor, you tend to be one of the fastest and the quickest on the road. So overtaking is bound to happen more than you think. And the Trident with the excellent mid-range and easy-to-use clutch, makes this experience quite flawless.

The only issue I faced during this 1200kms ride was the stiff ride. While this is something good for a place we are riding to, but for the Indian roads, it’s a pain. Luckily for me, the road to my destination was fairly good, so I could manage my lower back.

In terms of luggage carrying abilities, the Trident can easily eat up on tank bag and one tail bag. We avoided the luggage as it was a brand new vehicle and we didn’t want to scratch the body panels. The Trident 660 was decently fuel efficiently, thanks to the excellent mid-range. Throughout the trip, the bike returned 19kmpl-21kmpl range and that is not bad for an 80bhp bike.

So yes! The Triumph Trident is one practical motorcycle. Except the stiff suspension, everything works well in Indian roads. And yes, if you have the money and in the market for an upgrade, the Triumph Trident 660 is a fantastic proposition.

Photography by Kapil Angane