triumph plans to add seven models in two years

That’s what the press release says. Seven new models by 2012. The planned product expansion was announced at Triumph’s U.S. Dealer Conference someplace, I can’t find out where. It was with a triumphant announcement (sorry, couldn’t help it – cue bugles!) that Triumph Motorcycles North America also anticipates the pending sale of its 100,000th motorcycle since returning to North America 15 years ago. Good job, folks.

Chief executive officer of Triumph Motorcycles North America, Mark Kennedy, said that Triumph is committed to new product development and that customers will continue to see “great new products that push the envelope in terms of styling, performance and reliability.”

Currently, Triumph offers 16 models spread across three families they call “Cruiser,” “Urban Sport” and “Modern Classic.” By 2012, Triumph’s lineup will grow to 23 models across seven families as the company expands into new categories. What those categories are, we will find out. I’m going to guess they do another cafe style and a big bike with a ton of gadgets to compete with the Gold Wing and Electra Glide.

Triumph also announced six special edition models for this year; the Thunderbird SE, Thunderbird 1700, Bonneville 60, Bonneville T100 Black, Speed Triple SE, and the Daytona 675 SE.

The Thunderbird SE (right bike above) will come standard with a new Carnival Red paint scheme, – Editor’s note: I’m not so sure about that name, makes me think I’d be riding a clown, or a bearded lady, and I’m not drinking that much any more – ABS, a detachable touring windshield with wind deflectors, leather saddle bags, touring seat, detachable passenger back rest with luggage rack, and rider and passenger floorboards. It will retail for 15k.

The Thunderbird 1700 (left bike above) will possess a big-bore 1,700cc engine option, an upgrade from the standard Thunderbird’s 1,600cc motor. According to Triumph, the 1,700cc engine produces 99 bhp compared to the 1,600cc engine’s 85 bhp. The 1700 also comes standard with ABS and, you guessed it, a new color called Phantom Red Haze. The 1700 will retail for $14,800.

To commemorate the 1960 Bonneville T120, Triumph is producing the limited edition Bonneville 60. Triumph will produce 600 units of the Bonneville 60, with 100 units reserved for North America. Featuring a two-tone Meriden and Caspian Blue color scheme, the Bonneville 60 comes with a numbered handlebar clamp plaque and certificate of authenticity for 9 grand. That looks like a deal for a guaranteed collector’s item.

Black stuff is knockers now. Finally. Seriously. I’ve been telling that to everybody for seven freaking years. “Black,” I’ve been saying. The space satellite that beams into my head and steals my thoughts finally beamed another one of them back into a few million of your malleable brains. Remember when suddenly everybody had a goatee in the 90’s? That was me. Regardless, black is cool now, as evidenced by bikes by Harley and Honda – which means it isn’t cool now – so why not a Trump? They’ve already introduced at least half-a-dozen models in all black, including the monstrous-motored Rocket III Roadster in two kinds of black: Shiny and Not Shiny.

Therefore Trump is introducing the Bonnie T100 Black. Triumph says they were responding to customer demand by releasing an all-black Bonneville. The T100 Black is equipped with spoke wheels and a tachometer. Wow! I bet it has turn signals and brakes, too. It retails for $8,600.

The special editions of the Speed Triple and the Daytona 675 are streetbike/crotch rockets and you guys tell me you could care less about that kind of bike, so screw them. This post is about over.

If you want to learn more about the T-birds and the Bonnies, cruise to the Triumph website where you can read more and see some pretty pictures.

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