Thruxton (2004 - 2016) review

For anyone who lives at the end of a long, winding road. For anyone who wants the classic bike look, feel and sound without having to be a life-long member of the RAC.

Triumph’s Thruxton is nostalgia in a bottle...

Retro is something that, as you would expect, Triumph does extremely well. Its range of Bonneville based bikes are the perfect tools for summer rides. Then, in 2004, Triumph brought out the Thruxton, harking back to the days of café racers, chequered flag neckerchiefs and battered leather jackets.

Unfortunately at this point matters got a bit confused. With its racer image, low slung clip-on bars and new at the time 865cc parallel twin engine some riders assumed the Thruxton would be quite rapid. It wasn’t. Then a few other problems occured.

Generally potential owners of the Thruxton are somewhat on the older side, well older than when they were riding this style of bikes in the 1960s. As a result their wrists started to protest quite vigorously about the clip-ons and even the screw on petrol filler cap caused some difficulties. As a result finding a low mileage second hand Thruxton is fairly easy, which is a great result because it’s a lovely bike as long as you are aware of its limitations.

When you first ride the bike you are left thinking the engine is a bit flat. The Thruxton isn’t a quick bike, the engine doesn’t really have any power characteristics such as a top end rush and it’s fairly lethargic. But when you stop trying to rush around and treat the bike as a good looking machine for easy riding at a steady 60mph the Thruxton starts making sense.

The riding position is pretty uncomfortable after a few miles, and if you tuck your knees in they get super-heated by the engine, but this is easily forgotten. When you are riding the Thruxton it’s so easy to get lost in the moment, imagine that you are riding around in the 1960s, and be transported back to another time. It’s a pleasant, unintimidating and thoroughly enjoyable experience, and unlike bikes of that day the day the Triumph handles as well.

Obviously with its skinny tyres the Thruxton isn’t going to worry any modern sportsbikes, but it also isn’t going to wobble its way into the closest ditch. Most corners are easily attacked at a speed that is plenty fast enough and if you get really excited the tyres provide far more grip that you would expect. But that’s not really the Thruxton way of doing things. This is a bike for someone who knows who they are and what they’re into. You won’t be the fastest, but with a pair of open pipes and an open-faced helmet you’ll look by far the coolest when you turn up at your girlfriend’s house. Image is everything.

Niall Says

I rode a Thruxton to Fort William a few years ago and found it totally boring but my opinion has changed. Back then I had a preconceived idea that the Thruxton would have rough, 60’s edge to it and was disappointed when I found the motor to be, well, like a Honda. I now appreciate the Thruxton is a very civilised machine but quirky at the same time. I find the ‘feet back’ Bob McIntyre riding position to be quite relaxing and although you won’t win anything at Santa Pod the Thruxton will cruise at a sensible pace and pass most other road users if necessary.

Read more: http://www.visordown.com/road-tests-used/summer-fun---suzuki-gsx-r1000k2-ktm-690sm-yamaha-xjr1300-and-triumph-thruxton/11375-6.html#ixzz0zPp3DNg5

For anyone who lives at the end of a long, winding road. For anyone who wants the classic bike look, feel and sound without having to be a life-long member of the RAC.

Triumph’s Thruxton is nostalgia in a bottle...

Retro is something that, as you would expect, Triumph does extremely well. Its range of Bonneville based bikes are the perfect tools for summer rides. Then, in 2004, Triumph brought out the Thruxton, harking back to the days of café racers, chequered flag neckerchiefs and battered leather jackets.

Unfortunately at this point matters got a bit confused. With its racer image, low slung clip-on bars and new at the time 865cc parallel twin engine some riders assumed the Thruxton would be quite rapid. It wasn’t. Then a few other problems occured.

Generally potential owners of the Thruxton are somewhat on the older side, well older than when they were riding this style of bikes in the 1960s. As a result their wrists started to protest quite vigorously about the clip-ons and even the screw on petrol filler cap caused some difficulties. As a result finding a low mileage second hand Thruxton is fairly easy, which is a great result because it’s a lovely bike as long as you are aware of its limitations.

When you first ride the bike you are left thinking the engine is a bit flat. The Thruxton isn’t a quick bike, the engine doesn’t really have any power characteristics such as a top end rush and it’s fairly lethargic. But when you stop trying to rush around and treat the bike as a good looking machine for easy riding at a steady 60mph the Thruxton starts making sense.

The riding position is pretty uncomfortable after a few miles, and if you tuck your knees in they get super-heated by the engine, but this is easily forgotten. When you are riding the Thruxton it’s so easy to get lost in the moment, imagine that you are riding around in the 1960s, and be transported back to another time. It’s a pleasant, unintimidating and thoroughly enjoyable experience, and unlike bikes of that day the day the Triumph handles as well.

Obviously with its skinny tyres the Thruxton isn’t going to worry any modern sportsbikes, but it also isn’t going to wobble its way into the closest ditch. Most corners are easily attacked at a speed that is plenty fast enough and if you get really excited the tyres provide far more grip that you would expect. But that’s not really the Thruxton way of doing things. This is a bike for someone who knows who they are and what they’re into. You won’t be the fastest, but with a pair of open pipes and an open-faced helmet you’ll look by far the coolest when you turn up at your girlfriend’s house. Image is everything.

Niall Says

I rode a Thruxton to Fort William a few years ago and found it totally boring but my opinion has changed. Back then I had a preconceived idea that the Thruxton would have rough, 60’s edge to it and was disappointed when I found the motor to be, well, like a Honda. I now appreciate the Thruxton is a very civilised machine but quirky at the same time. I find the ‘feet back’ Bob McIntyre riding position to be quite relaxing and although you won’t win anything at Santa Pod the Thruxton will cruise at a sensible pace and pass most other road users if necessary.

Read more: http://www.visordown.com/road-tests-used/summer-fun---suzuki-gsx-r1000k2-ktm-690sm-yamaha-xjr1300-and-triumph-thruxton/11375-6.html#ixzz0zPp3DNg5