Triumph Trident 660 Review

This review is written in the English language.

Triumph Trident 660

Triumph is targeting a whole new target group of motorcyclists. They do this by adding a brand new model to their range, the Triumph Trident 660. I had the opportunity to test the new Trident for an few hours and share my thoughts about this bike with you!

The looks

Let's start with the looks of the bike. It is a modern naked bike with a retro touch in my opinion. Clearly, Triumph has not saved on this bike. The paintwork and other details look good as we expect from Triumph! What is remarkable is that Triumph has chosen for a single, round headlight instead of the taste sensitive double headlights for this bike. The 7 inch round headlight is fully LED equipped. A nice detail is the integrated Triumph logo in the headlight. Triumph has chosen to equip this bike with LED turn signals, which I personally appreciate highly!

Another cool detail of the Trident 660 is the rounded rear of the bike where the rear light follows the frame very nicely. At first it seems you are missing something at the rear of the motorcycle. If you look closely you will see that Triumph has chosen not to place the license plate in the standard place, at the center, but at the rear wheel. I'm not big fan of this place of the license plate holder, but it looks good on this bike to be honest.

The Trident 660 is available in four different colors. The bike I tested had the Crystal White livery. At the store where I tested the Trident 660 they also had two sold Tridents in the Silver Ice Diablo Red livery. I thought that was the most beautiful color scheme. The Triumph logo was also large on the fuel tank, which looked very awesome!

Op links de kleurstelling Silver Ice Diablo Red. Op rechts de Crystal White kleurstelling

Display

The round and elegant display is designed for the optional connectivity system that enables turn-by-turn navigation, GoPro, - phone and music control via the switches - all clearly displayed on the TFT screen. I think Triumph has taken a big hit with these options in the display compared to competitors in the same price range. The display is easy to read, although I think the digits of the Tachometer are a bit on the small side. Maybe it is time for some glasses….

Riding modes

The Trident 660 has two riding modes: Road and Rain, which adjust the motorcycle's throttle and traction control for maximum control (with Rain mode for a softer response for more safety), electronic throttle control for crisp, precise throttle response, switchable traction control which intervenes when necessary. Of course the Trident 660 is also equipped with ABS.

How are the tires?

I think good tires under a motorcycle are really necessary. I have ridden many different types and brands of tires and can say that each tire is different. The Triumph Trident 660 comes standard with Michelin 'Road 5' tires. These tires are not completely unknown to me. I have driven about 30,000 kilometers with these tires in different weather conditions and on different motorcycles. I think these are very good all-round tires. These tires actually do well in all circumstances. The tires perform well on hot summer days as well as on rainy days. I am sure that these tires are ideal and will give you all the confidence you need!

lende weersomstandigheden en op verschillende motoren. Ik ben van mening dat dit erg goede allround banden zijn. Deze banden doen het eigenlijk overal wel goed. Op warme zomerse dagen tot op koud en nat wegdek. Voor zowel een beginnende als ervaren motorrijder weet ik zeker dat deze banden uitermate geschikt zijn en alle vertrouwen zullen geven die je nodig hebt!

Enough talking, start the engine!

When I started the engine, my biker heart immediately started to beat faster. I recognized it right away, the for me so familiar 3-cylinder sound! I got behind the steer and immediately noticed that the bike is also very suitable for smaller riders. With my 1.74m I easily got to the ground with both feet.

From the moment I rode off, the bike felt very good. The smooth 3-cylinder engine feels smoothly without chopping or bumping. From 3500 rpm you notice that the engine really want to work. The bike has a playful character, which results in a big smile on your face when you hit the twisty roads or when riding in the city.

Despite its playful character, the Trident 660 remains familiar and produces a solid sound with its standard exhaust. The traction control does not intervene unnecessarily quickly, so that it doesn't get annoying while riding. Anyone who thinks that they can wheelie this bike is wrong. The tracion control does not allow you to do this. This disappointed me a little. Sometimes you want to ride away at the traffic light in a rebellious way ... or is this just me?

The Trident 660 does not come standard with a quickshifter. But don’t worry, if you think it’s worth the money, it’s possible to let the Triumph dealer mount an original up and down shifter.

After all, the bike is easy to ride. The thrilling triple engine, really agile and dynamic handling and the technology that really matters. Despite the slim and naked design, the wind pressure on the bike is minimal. I don’t know if a windshield is really necessary. The Showa up side down front forks work fine. The suspensions filter out most bumps in the road surface, so that you don't get unbalanced. The Trident 660's brakes don't disappoint me at all. The Nissin brakes intervene well and are more then enough for the power and weight of this bike.

After riding 150 kilometers, the bike was still comfortable. I had no pain in my wrists, back or butt. The big saddle and the semi-sporty seating position ensure you can sustain longer rides without any physical problems.

Who will buy the Trident 660?

Who will buy a Triumph Trident 660? I think this is a very broad audience because the Trident 660 really is a reliable bike. This bike is a good choice for new riders, riders that didn’t ride for an very long time and want to try it again, as the experience riders. You get a lot of bike for your money. What do I mean by this? The bike is totally worth the money. The bike costs 9100 euros in The Netherlands. This is a reasonable price for what you get in return! For people with a A2 license this bike is very interesting. It is possible to get this bike in 35 KW. If you get your A driving license you can unlock the motorcycle to full power again.

Street triple

The Trident 660 cannot be compared with the Streettriple. The Trident 660 is not designed for top performance. The Trident is an easier to ride motorcycle with its own characteristic engine. But don't doubt it, the 81 hp and 64 NM strong engine is more than enough to ride fast and rebelliously. Trust me.

Unique in its class

The Trident 660 is currently unique in its class due to the 3 cylinders. The competition of the Trident 660 all have two cylinders, which of course also has its charm. I recommend anyone interested in the MT07, Z650 or Trident 660 class take a test ride on all three bikes. This way you can see what suits you better: a twin or a triple?

Conclusion

I think that Triumph has succeeded in putting a totally new dynamic bike in an already existing category with good competitors. I think the characteristic appearance and torque engine will attract many bikers in this target group if they give this triple the chance! The Trident 660 has good handling due to the good suspension, tires and frame. The traction control and the ABS are also doing very well. Because of all the above, the bike gives you a lot of confidence while driving. And not entirely unimportant: The maintenance interval of this bike is every 16,000 kilometers!

Thanks to Motor centrum Rijen for using their Triumph Trident 660!