Triumph is one of the most famed British motorcycle marques in the world. Originally founded in 1885 as Triumph Engineering Co Ltd initially in 1885, the brand became one of the world’s largest motorcycles in the post-World War II era. In 1969, 50% of motorcycles over 500cc sold in the USA were Triumphs. However, as the ’70s rolled in, Japanese motorcycle brands quickly started eating into Triumph’s sales. The British brand’s motorcycles were more expensive and outdated even when brand new compared to its Japanese competitors like the Honda CB750. Sales took a nosedive throughout the decade as Triumph failed to update its offerings, with offerings like the Trident only delaying the inevitable. In 1983, Triumph Motorcycles Ltd went into receivership.
The same year, businessman John Bloor bought the name and manufacturing rights of the original company and renamed it Triumph Motorcycles Ltd. Instead of relaunching the brand immediately, Bloor took time to rebuild first. After what seemed like a never-ending, uphill battle, Triumph started to flourish under Bloor’s leadership. Bloor managed to maintain the ethos of the British marque while bringing it into the modern era. Today, Triumph motorcycles are the most successful British motorcycle brand in the world. With that in mind, today we rank the 10 best Triumph Motorcycles ever made.
11 1940 Triumph 3TW 350
Before the first Triumph Trophy arrived in 1948, Triumph Motorcycles were cutting their teeth in the dirt from long before. The brand used its off-road experience to design and build the British Army motorcycles in World War 2.
With its generous use of aluminum alloy, an expensive metal at the time, the 1940 Triumph 3TW 350 twins was designed to a War Ministry specification, being lightweight at just 230 pounds. Though how many were produced in total during the war is unknown, reports suggest that they were highly successful in the field.
10 1956 Triumph TR6
Instead of being an out-and-out street bike like the Thunderbird and Tiger, the original 1956 Triumph TR6 Trophy was intended to be a street-legal scrambler. As it was a cross between the off-road Trophy 500 and the 650cc Thunderbird, the TR6 was quickly dubbed the “Trophy-Bird”.
Most customers who had bought the TR6 stripped it down for racing, with the Trophy coming with features like narrower alloy fenders, off-road tires, and a quick detachable headlight so it could be ridden in off-road races.
9 1959 Triumph Bonneville T120
The first Triumph Bonneville was very similar to the T110 Tiger, with the biggest difference being the twin carbs in the former compared to the single carb in the latter. The Bonneville was built at the request of Triumph’s US importer who wanted a more powerful, performance-oriented motorcycle for the American market.
The name of the new motorcycle came from Triumph USA’s successful Bonneville Salt Flats world speed record run. The T120 bit is a reference to Triumph’s claimed top speed for the new Bonneville, being faster and more powerful than the T110 Tiger.
8 1969 Triumph Trident
The Triumph Trident can lay a strong claim of being the first mass-produced superbike, predating the Honda 750 Four. Introduced in 1969, the Trident came with massive side covers, a “Shoebox” fuel tank, and questionable-looking “Ray Gun” mufflers.
Because of this, the Triumph Trident wasn’t a very strong seller, especially compared to the overwhelming success of the Honda CB750. Many customers who purchased the motorcycle quickly turned them into a more conventional-looking motorcycle using the Bonneville’s parts. However, this also means that finding a model in its stock trim is incredibly difficult.
7 1994 Speed Triple
The Speed Triple was the first bike from Triumph to be launched under Bloor’s ownership in 1994. Inspired by the Speed Twin from the 1930s, the Speed Triple’s popularity would arguably shape the modern streetfighter genre as we know it today.
Easily distinguishable by its twin headlamp design, the Triumph Speed Triple’s ethos remains unchanged from the first model, that being of a powerful, agile, and light-naked motorcycle with looks to match. It is not a stretch to say that Triumph wouldn’t be where it is today had the Speed Triple failed.
6 2004 Triumph Thruxton
The 2004 Triumph Thruxton was one of the first motorcycles that cashed in on the retro café racer styling. Based on the Triumph Bonneville from the same year, the Thruxton used the same 850cc twin-cylinder, air-cooled engine underneath its attractive retro design.
The Thruxton quickly became a cult favorite model, especially among the retro bike enthusiasts. The Thruxton paved the way for its competitors, proving the café racer sub-genre was viable and popular enough that most brands have a retro offering in their lineup.
5 2004 Triumph Rocket III
In the same year as the Thruxton arrived, Triumph went utterly bonkers when it launched the Rocket II in a bid to make the ultimate cruiser for the American market. The Rocket III arrived with a polarizing styling to match the massive engine. The powertrain is bigger than most vehicles, a 2,294cc liquid-cooled, a triple-cylinder monster that possesses vast reserves of torque.
Despite its intimidating size, the Triumph Rocket III is still available in a variety of guises, from a semi-streetfighter to a classic roadster. Though it hasn’t been the biggest commercial success, the Rocket III has become a cult favorite. Its combination of a car-sized engine and gigantic size means it is the center of attention wherever it goes.
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3 2006 Triumph Daytona 675
With the 2006 Daytona 675, Triumph took the fight to the Japanese 600cc race-replicas. The new motorcycle had little in common with its predecessors, ditching the earlier model’s inline-four engines for a new liquid-cooled triple.
The new powertrain made the Triumph Daytona 675 a strong performer, offering a blend of usable power and torque, and is filled with character along with the added benefit of sounding great. The Daytona 675’s compact dimensions, lightweight, and firm suspension make it a very precise handler as well.
2 2010 Triumph Tiger 800
The Tiger 800 quickly became Triumph’s best-selling motorcycle when it was launched in 2010. The Tiger 800 boasts an impressive mix of ability and versatility when compared with the likes of the segment leaders like the BMW F800GS.
The Triumph Tiger 800 is offered in two main lines, the XR series being more road-focused while the XC is the off-road-centric line. Both lines use the same 799cc triple-cylinder line that comes with features like ride-by-wire and riding modes. The Tiger 800 is a great choice for the adventure and touring-oriented rider.
1 2012 Triumph Tiger Explorer
Launching during the start of the last decade, the Triumph Tiger Explorer is the flagship of the Tiger range and is the brand’s ultimate expression of what an adventure tourer should be. The Tiger Explorer was developed to compete against the BMW R1200GS Adventure, which explains the motorcycle’s use of an uncommon 1,215cc three-cylinder engine paired with a shaft drive.
The Triumph Tiger Explorer was updated in 2016, giving the bike new electronics and enhanced performance. Though it remains behind the BMW GS in terms of sales, the Tiger Explorer is one of the best alternatives and remains a favorite amongst the world’s elite adventure riders.