Return Of The Trident

Triumph brings back the affordable naked

- Rohit Paradkar

The middleweight 650-700cc street bike segment is perhaps not as hotly contested as the 400-500cc genre, but it is a sweet spot for power, practicality and affordability. It has created some underrated gems like the Honda CB650R, the Kawasaki Z650 and the Yamaha MT07 and Triumph believes there is space for more players in this segment. A triple-cylinder street bike could just be what the doctor ordered. We would agree looking at the sheer number of prospective 650 owners choosing pre-owned Street Triples (at least in India). And Triumph’s upcoming contender in fact, has a few things in common with the Street Triple. For their new offering, Triumph is bringing back a name from their history books – the Trident.

The Trident finds its roots in the late ’60s, when it was a standard roadster, which like most Triumph motorcycles then, looked like a derivative of the Bonneville. But dive into Triumph’s Bloor-era history and you would find the Trident as a typical 90’s street bike with a sporty tank, step-seat and snazzy graphics. The new Trident will take off where the previous model left off, and like its name, even the design will tap into the modern-retro genre – much like the Honda CB650R it aims at. Like its Japanese rival, the Trident too will have a sportier intent to mark a clear distinction over its classic siblings from the Bonneville and Thruxton families.