TRIUMPH TRI'S HARDER

The original Trident in the 1960s impressed, but was soon overtaken. So Geoff Hill takes its latest incarnation out to see how things have improved

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Here is an urgent message for Ducati, Yamaha and Kawasaki. You are about to be stabbed by a very sharp Trident, for Triumph’s latest naked roadster is a very tempting alternative to the Monster, MT-09 and Z900.

But let's go back to the beginning for a bit. The original Trident came out in September 1968, and was an instant hit for exactly four weeks.

With a top speed of 130mph, it was the world's fastest production bike, and the smoothness of its 60bhp 740cc triple was a revelation to riders used to lumpy singles and uninspiring twins.

Until Honda launched the CB750 at the Tokyo Motor Show a month later, and hammered a large nail into the coffin of British manufacturers.

Not only did it have disc brakes and electric start, but it didn't leak oil and was cheaper than the Triumph.

Today, of course, modern Triumphs are up there with the best in the world, and the most recent one to bear the Trident name, the 660, was a great little bike - light, agile and with more than enough grunt from its smooth 94bhp engine, which I thought worked much better than in the Sport 660. Good price, too, at £7,895.