Funny you should mention the Z1000, i did think of it but was a bit bothered about the build quality etc compared. Just how old is the 1050 engine then ? I do like the idea of a newer designed engine, how old is the Z1000 engine ?
i always liked the looks of the cb1000 and always though i,d have 1 in future but my brothers just bought a sprint 1050 and that sounds lovely and he really rates it high so could be tempted by the triple over a honda in the future. .
I'd buy the CB, but then I already have bought the 600. Not sold on the overall package of the Triumphs.
My mate had a Z1000 and to be honest with you we both was not impressed with the build quality, same as the Hornet 900, it was quite bad, stuff rusted quicker than you can clean it, the build quality on Triumphs I found leagues ahead of the Japanese stuff, you also cannot really compair a Blade to a street bike, the street bikes are not motorway focused like the sports bikes, but I found my speed triple was still good at that. Saying that he also had a 2010 Blade when his Touno got run over by my nieghbour at my previous house, whilst we were impressed with the bike, we werent impressed with the build quality of that either. Personally I would take the Triple over the Italian or Jap street bikes, triple engine are nice and wack a loud exhaust on there and they sound great, they handle really well and theres enough power to keep me happy.
I agree comparing a Speed Triple and a Blade is a bit pointless, they are aimed at different markets, like city cars and estate cars.... both cars but aimed at different uses. I will take a test ride on the Triumph, i fancy the Speed over the Street for simple torque reasons.
If I was getting a street triple it would be for a second bike for work, as nice as it is, its a first big bike rather than a proper big bike, the speed triple would be my choice too, test rider it, it may not be what you want or you may ride it and not look back.
That looks very nice and clean, the performance is excellent on these bikes, my mates one went like something off a shovel, he kept his outside ( no garage ) so maybe that was part of the reason his one rusted so much.
Don't discount the Street mate, ride them both before making a decision. I rode both and it was no contest for me personally, depends what you are going to use the bike for. If it's hooning around on the twisties and commuting, the Street wins hands down imho. Either way, make sure you get the Arrow Lowboy, improves performance, lowers c.o.g. and lighter too. My Street is my only bike now, as I had to have something more upright, and I'd have to say the Street gives me more grins on real roads in the UK than any thou I've owned. Different if you are doing loads of motorway stuff though, you have to take windblast into account, but I am comfortable up to around 110, after that it starts to get painful. Just my twopenneth.
I think the qaulity on most brands can be questioned these days as they cut costs to increase or try to keep there profits stable, for instance my 1996 Harley davidson sportster kicks the hell outta the new Sportsters in term of quality. Triumph tho seemed to have gotten better.
This is what I traded my RR6 in for...after I'd tested the CB1000R and the Speed,nice bike once I'd modded it but I just never really 'jelled' with it so its now gone and I'm back on a Blade - mind you i've been to my local Triumph dealer today and sat on a Tiger 1050SE and an Explorer...just to see..... View attachment 7566
I didn't mind my CB1R, kept the speed down, but 80mph became less enjoyable, great on the B roads where the blades a bit wrist heavy, but as the CB1R starts to fade, the blade is just starting, comfier on the 1R but got fed up in the summer cleaning the leather jacket down every ride of wildlife due to being sat up more. Wouldn't go back now, love the look of the Triples, but every so often I look at them and think I'm not sure, just don't seem to have that presence as they pass the other way compared to a faired sports bike..
Thanks for all the comments, with this weather and my shifts i have not yet managed to get on the Triumph's. It will be used for commuting with the usual 30mph and 40mph roads a bit of motorway and then some dual carriageways... about 13 miles one way. So not too bad. I think a fully naked bike would be fine for me. I think the kwak Z1000 is out given the build quality, which is no surprise as when i last viewed on it does look like it had been built to a '' budget ''. The build quality of the bike is important as even though my 2002 954 blade is now 11 years old, it looks nothing like some bikes that are 3 years old, i do think this is down to the build quality that Honda put into it back then.
Build quality wise in my opinion the Triumph is going to be better than Honda and more fun too. Aprilia touno is another good bike, but if my memory serves me right the tank range/consumption is a pain
When I took the belly pan off the Speed and sold it on the 'bay' I found the oil cooler hose connections had corroded badly - the bike never even saw the weather forcast let alone rain! not what I expected of a 8 month old bike - always cleaned within an inch of its V5...I'm guessing condensation - strange.
You should try having chrome bits on those oil cooler hoses, every bike I have had that has had these, including my Firestorm you felt like you was fighting a losing battle trying to stop them corroding. Overall I would say the Triumphs are going to be better build quality than anything Honda is building atm, The new Hondas from what I have seen have taken a nose dive in qaulity, infact all the Japanese manifacturers seem to have, its only the European bikes that seem in recent years to have exceeded the Japanese bike manifacturers, things like Harley Davidson have also pulled back on build qaulity too.
