The British are coming.

I hate to say this but Triumph is slowly dying through lack of innovation :blast
What? Again! :blast

I think the shaft drive output on the side of the Triumph is laughable. Definately an ill conceived after thought.
The Triumph Explorer cannot be sensibly compared to a new GS. The BM' was designed from the first stroke as a shaft drive, where the Triumph turns the power through 90 degrees TWICE to get from where exits the gearbox to be back wheel! :nenau
 
I have a 13 reg Explorer, got it with 9000 miles on the clock in January and now with 13500 on the clock. Its had 4 recalls done, Cylinder head, cam chain tensioner, centre stand and side stand bolt. I am a lover of Triumphs, I have owned 3 1050 speedtriples and 3 1050 tigers, I expected the Explorer 1200 engine to be as smooth as the 1050, it is not. The switchgear is cheap, the shaft is clunky, the suspension is to hard no matter what setting it is on and now I have a noise from the forks which at 1st I thought was play in the headstock. Took it to my dealer who has been very helpful, mechanic checked it over and its got play in the forks which is apparently according to TRIUMPH, within tolerance and happens at about 12000 miles.
My 3 GS,s were far better bikes than the Explorer and my twin cam Adventure was fantastic, Triumph have tried to copy the GS and in my opinion have not done a very good job.
I have test rode the new GS and the GS Adventure on a couple of occasions, the last for a couple of hours, so I have now ordered a 2016 GS Adventure and can't bloody wait.
So its goodbye Triumph and as the teacher used to say, MUST TRY HARDER.

Roll on 1st September :clap
 
I have a 13 reg Explorer, got it with 9000 miles on the clock in January and now with 13500 on the clock. Its had 4 recalls done, Cylinder head, cam chain tensioner, centre stand and side stand bolt. I am a lover of Triumphs, I have owned 3 1050 speedtriples and 3 1050 tigers, I expected the Explorer 1200 engine to be as smooth as the 1050, it is not. The switchgear is cheap, the shaft is clunky, the suspension is to hard no matter what setting it is on and now I have a noise from the forks which at 1st I thought was play in the headstock. Took it to my dealer who has been very helpful, mechanic checked it over and its got play in the forks which is apparently according to TRIUMPH, within tolerance and happens at about 12000 miles.
My 3 GS,s were far better bikes than the Explorer and my twin cam Adventure was fantastic, Triumph have tried to copy the GS and in my opinion have not done a very good job.
I have test rode the new GS and the GS Adventure on a couple of occasions, the last for a couple of hours, so I have now ordered a 2016 GS Adventure and can't bloody wait.
So its goodbye Triumph and as the teacher used to say, MUST TRY HARDER.

Roll on 1st September :clap
I've just collected my new R1200RS. after owning two lc GS's, I can safely say that it's the best bike I've had in a long time.
 
reading this you could be forgiven in thinking that triumph do not build good bikes and BMW are so much better. Well I've owned several of each and presently have R1200GS LC TE, which is going back to the dealer in October for a new engine, gearbox and swingarm because of corrosion, this is the 1st new bike I've ever had and the worst for paint quality, it is rusting after 15 months the Tiger I traded in was an 08 had no rust on it and saw all year riding. BMW are trading on past quality and their present quality is poor and I for one will not be buying another without clear proof that it has improved. The RIDE mag bike of the year was the TEX, which is a very strong endorsement of the bike and triumph by real owners so I don't accept that BMW is better than Triumph in quality, although the bike probably does handle better , but hey its a good few grand more!
 
As above, I have had two Tiger 1050's that were ridden all weather and were sold looking like new. In stark contrast to my GS twin cam, which treated the same corroded badly. That said the BMW was superior dynamically, and more fun, but my two Tigers were well made. Clearly there are issues with the Explorer, which is a shame, but Triumph can and do make some good bikes.
 
As above, I have had two Tiger 1050's that were ridden all weather and were sold looking like new ...
Roynie's 1050 will never again look like new, but he did manage to ride it to China .... and back, we hope, once his broken leg heals! :D There's nothing I could ever say to persuade him that my 1150 (or any BMW) is a better bike - and, although he does acknowledge that the 1150 probably would have been a better choice for the trip - we'll just agree to differ.

The GlobeBusters crew were all on Triumphs for their Ace to Ace expedition and, as far as I know, none of them had any build or reliability issues. Kevin and Darren had 1200 Explorers and Stuart had an 800XC.

I really like the look of the 800XC, but I've encountered one too many careless and/or disinterested Triumph dealer, to bother with the marque. Roynie is more forgiving (and, besides, I've only recently started to really enjoy riding the 1150).
 
It's a good point re the dealer network

When Triumph returned in the early 1990's the dealer network was created using existing motorcycle dealers whereas today this same network is proliferated with car based dealers who just don't get bikers :blast
 
It's a good point re the dealer network

When Triumph returned in the early 1990's the dealer network was created using existing motorcycle dealers whereas today this same network is proliferated with car based dealers who just don't get bikers :blast

That's so true.
My local dealer has just employed a new manager,he's from the car side and he's clueless about bikes and the people who ride them-all he cares about is numbers....and he's an ignorant twat.:thumb2
 


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