In an age when motorcycles are getting ever more expensive and complicated, the Triumph Trident 660 is a reminder that cheap, cheerful, and simple motorcycles can provide just as much excitement and riding pleasure. A brilliant chassis and engine offer class-leading performance and versatility while it looks much more expensive than it actually is.

The Engine

If the engine is the heart of a motorcycle, then the Trident 660 has the biggest heart in its class. Triumph has made the inline three-cylinder, or triple, its trademark and, if the 660cc version in the Trident is the smallest in the Triumph range, it certainly doesn’t feel like it. A healthy 81 horsepower is delivered by this free-revving engine and the torque curve is completely flat, giving sparkling acceleration from low revs all the way up to the top of the rev range.

The Mechanical Intracacies

While it would be easy to think of the engine in the Trident 660 as simply the engine from the Street Triple 675 with a smaller bore and stroke, you’re wrong. Yes, the basic architecture remains the same but the stroke is shorter, there’s a new crankshaft, new pistons, new camshafts, and revised gearbox ratios giving the Trident 660 a completely different feel to the Street Triple: a more easy-going roadster than an out-and-out sports bike.

Spine-Tingling Exhaust Note

The Triumph triple-cylinder engine has always had a distinctive exhaust note and the Trident 660 is no different. It burbles and growls at low revs but rises to an off-beat howl at high revs, completely belying the docile nature of the bike as a whole. The engine forms a structural element of the chassis which means it can be mounted lower for a much better center of gravity.

Great Chassis

The chassis might be of tubular steel, as opposed to aluminum box sections, but it gives so much rigidity and a feeling of solidity, helped by the engine being a stressed member. The wheelbase is a short 55.2-inches and the steering head angle is a relatively steep 24.6-degree, with a 4.2-inch rake. This all combines to make the handling pin-sharp without ever feeling that it is only for the expert rider. The stability not only helps in a straight line but gives so much confidence when carving through your favorite corners. It continues the tradition of brilliant handling bikes that Triumph has become known for.

Perfectly Suspended

The Showa forks might lack adjustment but really, you don’t need it. The 421mm separate function fork (one side controls damping, the other the spring rate) is perfectly set up from the factory, and being able to forget about them is one of the Trident 660’s strengths.

Somehow, Triumph and Showa have hit upon a compromise setting that is at once supple and comfortable while at the same time being firm enough to feel controlled even when you are pushing the limits in the twisties. It’s a set-up that will please casual, as well as expert rider.

The Electronics

The Trident 660 might be the smallest and cheapest Triumph, but that doesn’t mean it lacks electronics. ABS and traction control are present, albeit without an internal measurement unit (IMU) which means they aren’t lean-sensitive, but it hardly seems to matter, so perfectly balanced is the overall chassis: you’d have to be really ham-fisted to get yourself into trouble.

There are two engine modes - rain and road; rain softens up the throttle response and road gives the full-house, crisp, and punchy throttle response.

Braking Prowess

Nissin calipers grip twin 310mm floating discs up front and a single 255mm disc at the rear. They are the perfect brakes for the Trident 660 and have a fantastic feel at the front which, while it may lack the sharp bite of the Brembo set-up as found on the Street and Speed Triples, is perfect for a machine that is intended as a step up from a learner bike and to introduce new customers to the triumph brand.

That’s not to say that they won’t please the expert rider: a soft initial bite gives way to progressively more braking power as the lever is squeezed harder. It’s a setup that will work for any skill level.

The TFT Dash

A TFT dash is almost obligatory these days although many ‘budget’ bikes forego them for simpler (and cheaper) analog dials or LCD displays. Not so the Trident 660. The TFT dash fitted to the Trident 660 has a beautifully simple and clear display layout and is only matched in the class by the Kawasaki Z650.

All the Triumph Quality

One area where Triumph has the opposition locked is the quality of the fit and finish of both components and the bike overall. Look closely at any Triumph and the lack of plastic parts anywhere is remarkable and all the components have been designed with form and function in no way forcing aesthetics to take a back seat.

Being at the less-expensive end of the Triumph range, you could forgive them for not taking as much care with the Trident 660, but that simply isn’t the case: it has had as much care and attention lavished on it as the most expensive Speed Triple or Rocket 3 and the overall quality of fit and finish is second-to-none.

Taking the Fight to the Opposition

The middleweight naked sports bike category is booming at the moment as people realize that you don’t need a 200-horsepower, $20,000 superbike to have fun. Actually, you can probably have more fun on the Trident 660 or any of its direct rivals than any other bike on the market.

The Suzuki SV650, Yamaha MT-07, and the Kawasaki Z650 retail for around the same price as the Triumph, while the Honda CB650R and Aprilia Tuono 660 are in a higher price bracket, but none of them can hold a candle to the Triumph in terms of build quality, solid feel, chassis behavior, or that engine sound.

Obviously, personal preference or brand loyalty has a lot to do with which one you choose, but the Triumph feels at the same time playful and grown up: a bike that will carry on putting a smile on your face long after you might have graduated to a larger, faster bike.

FAQ

Q: Is Triumph Trident 660 a good bike?

Yes, it's a very good bike: beautifully built, with a great engine and chassis making it feel much more expensive than it actually is.

Q: Is the Trident 660 fast?

With a 660cc, 81-horsepower engine, it will never be as fast as a liter-superbike but it is perfectly fast enough for everyday riding conditions both in and out of the urban environment.

Q: How Much Will Triumph Trident 660 cost?

The Trident 660 starts from $8,395.

Q: Is Triumph Trident 660 good for off-road?

No, the Trident 660 is a road bike and is not suitable for off-road.