What happens when the British try to build a muscle bike( Triumph Thunderbird Storm) 

Triumph was established in 1883 . H-D is on the market from 1903 so Triumph is 20 years older . Triumph was an inspiration for H-D how to build motorcycles. After 118 years Harley-Davidson still can't reach Triumph's quality.

Rode a storm to Vancouver Canada from Columbus Ohio. 10,300 miles in 25 days. Wandered around BC for days. Bike beat out my Streetglide, Ducati Diavel, Ducati St 3, bmwr1100rt for solid touring comfort. It rained 16 straight days and I left home before my shield came in. Still most comfortable and fun than the other bikes I toured on.

I own one. Ive been riding for 36 years, and have owned bikes from all 4 Japanese brands, and HD. This is by far the best bike I've ever owned . More power than even the Mil 8 HDs, and the best handling of any cruiser I've ever ridden.

I've been riding,racing,and a 35 year motorcycle tech,for 50 years. I've had at least 50 bikes. I will NEVER buy another bike from anyone but Sean at SRK cycles. Honest ,intelligent man.

Triumph motorcycles are, at this point in time, making the best bikes on the market..

Big parallel twins will be my fav engines for the rest of my life. In my youth I drove across Texas on my Honda SL 125. No I wasn't fast. But I took my new adult freedom for a ride. Freedom doesn't necessarily mean a big bike.

I have a 2015 Triumph Thunderbird Nightstorm SE. The bike is a freight train. Get out of its way...awesome cool and yes pure muscle. Long distance rides no problem. Handles excellent and is a HOG killer. I do agree, Triumph could have moved the cluster.

What happens when the British try to build a muscle bike? Something that Harley has no chance of equalling!

I like your message at the beginning of your videos. Good grief, some people get really upset. I don’t know why. Keep them coming. Oh and your test rides to! 👍

Had that bike for 3 years. Loved the handling, even for that huge engine the fuel economy was awesome, comfortable. The look was killer, had the small mufflers and looked sick. But that engine sound clac clac clac clac clac... just killed me, I could never stop hearing it. Not for that, I wouldn't have sold it, ever.

I have the ‘14 thunderbird storm with a windshield and bought the saddlebags, performance slip ons, power commander, k&n intake. She gets it when I want to. I just rode it 1400 mi. In two days across 4 west coast states. Could go for a comfier seat and some clip on forward pegs for the longer ride. (I’m 6’4”) But overall amazing bike and feel.

i'm riding this beast two years now...and i love it! Next Bike for me is the Indian Chieftain Dark Horse! Greetings from Germany!

Just bought a 2014 T-bird Commander and I love it. Engine ticks kinda freaked me out for a bit but was told it's typical. Biggest drawback is finding accessories to make it your own. After market pipes are rare. But wow is the bike a beast and so smooth on the highway.

just bought a used 2014 with 2500miles on it. i havent stopped riding this since i got it. love this bike! reminds me of a 2004 meanstreak i had, but the engine is 100x better on the triumph

Nah. When the British build a muscle bike they build the Triumph Rocket III.

I have a 2010 Thunderbird and I love it! I’ve ridden from NC to WA and back on it with no issues!

The best part of riding my 2010 Thunderbird was watching Harley weenies yank their hand back when they realized who they were waving to.

The only decent review on this bike in the world, this is the video that made me decide to buy 1, love ya work dude

Triumph was established in 1902.....a year before harley davidson

I have owned both the Rocket III and Thunderbird. The Tbird is definitely smaller than the Rocket. The Tbird handles better than the Rocket III over all. But man, the Tbird can not compare when cracking the throttle. Both bikes are great on acceleration. The Rocket III torque kicks in and it is WOW!

It's crazy that I knew exactly where you were when you got on the highway. I used to drive through Lancaster a lot, a few years back. Great video!

Finally!!! I ride this bike, with short pipes. it's awesome!

Thanks for the great videos! Big fan of your channel

Triumphs first motorcycle came out 1902 mate. And there is a triumph Thunderbird LT, LT stands for luxury tourer. Comes with the windshield, bags and stuff.

i died at the deadpan "big womenly bike" bit haha

“When I say a Harley is smooth I’m comparing it to other Harley’s. This is smooth compared to... MOTORCYCLES.” ~ Sean commenting on this bike in an earlier video. Yes I agree. Triumphs are smooooooooth! Sometimes because of the parallel twin they can vibrate, but v twins rumble back and fourth.

I absolutely love my 2011 Thunderbird 1600. It is bone stock except I punched my baffles for a deeper throatier exhaust sound. It is a monster and I've yet to ride another comparable bike that is superior. I ride my Indian Springfield for long rides and comfort and I ride the Thunderbird for thrills, it takes the twists and turns like none other. Nice review! Thanks for sharing!

Great review Sean!

Love the thunderbird ,it rides as good as it looks amazing my perfect bike ,bought a 2009 ,1600 cc ,few months ago ,riding it is such a thrill makes you feel glad to be alive wow ,mick uk

"It's crazy how everybody is going so slow" .... LOL Looks like a GREAT bike! :)

It is a big trip bike, I rode 10300 miles in less than three weeks with no windshield M16 straight days of rain. I've owned them all BMWs, Ducatis, Harleys Indian Etc this was the best Touring bike I've ever had.

Another great review, have you done any reviews on the Thunderbird LT? Would really like to see that one!

6.15 love how he had to head check more than twice before he could send it 🤣

That thunderbird is the largest capacity parallel twin made, the Rocket is the largest cc capacity production bike out there. And then there are people out there that scream Boss Hiss, well No1 they're not production bikes and on that theme, the Brits make a V10 non production bike that is way bigger than a Boss Boss.

Triumphs were pretty popular in my day. Heavy as hell though. And you had to fill up the oil and check the gas, In that order. but they were always cool. Especially the triples. They had a 'growl' that no twin or 4 could match.

Learned on my dad's flat track Bonneville in the 70's. Gotta try one of the new ones!

I remember when they said no one could build an inline twin bigger than 750cc without it vibrating apart.

i've have R3R from Triumph for 5 years now 33k miles and running strong; incredible bike- but always like the looks of the storm with the straight bars and the lines its a beauty no question doesn't have the performance of the rocket but has better handling. The Rocket is about 60 lbs heavier the biggest ding on the bike is the rear suspension is a little heavy up front because of the huge motor and is only a 5 speed. (recommend ear plugs to save your ears)

The best review , the best explanarion and opinion/ advice on bikes for your choice. Good job - interesting ,noble and pro Thanks from Brazil

I have the 1600 ABS model and the noise has been noticeable... doesn't impact the ride quality or functionality of the bike but made me wonder if something was wrong with it. I feel a little better having watched this video knowing it's a known thing that's not to worry about. Thanks for the awesome review.

There was a time I wanted this bike really badly but I had never ridden it. The dealership kept stringing me along then it became a boat and pwc store. I went to H-D and don’t regret it, but I always wanted to know what it felt like to ride the Tbird Storm. Great looking bike!

To have a speedometer on the tank sort of made sense for Harley because they would take so long to gain 5 mph anyway, but for this bike I don't think having the speedometer there makes any sense at all.

Had a 94 triumph super 111,carbon fiber kit,first year they got back in business,yellow and black,awesome bike,transmission out put shaft snapped doing a wheel,clutch parts all over the place but awesome bike.

Try their actual muscle bike, the rocket III.

My baby bought in 2013... still beautiful... still reliable... still fun.

I felt manly just watching this, now I'm gonna squish some soy milk containers with my bare hands.

I love my 2013 T-bird 1600 ABS. Big bike but handles great. Such a different feel relative to a sport bike. So much noisier too

LOVE my Storm, it's comfortable to commute on, and with a set of bags on it, you can do cross-country rides. And... it actually corners well. By the way, the passenger pegs make great 'highway pegs' for sport riders, you'll feel right at home.

That noise is hilarious. I looked it up and there are entire forums dedicated to those mystery sounds lol Pro mechanics and bike builders have apparently tried everything and it's just sounds that those bikes make. Healthy, smooth running bikes that tap and click at random intervals. Some guys get rid if them because of cry wolf syndrome because they're worried if there is a catastrophic failure, they might accidentally ignore it. That's insane to me. How does no one know what causes those sounds?! Someone has to know?! Ghosts? Is it ghosts? Did Triumph make deals with demons and gremlins that live in the bikes? Magic? Do they run on magic? What the actual heckin hell? I've never heard of anything like that, but it sounds incredibly british. Makes sense.

I would trade my HD for one of those, totally cool!

Get a british custom exhausts for this bike and you won't hear typical triumph engine rattle. Great bike.

" perfect for burning both of your calves" lol These little comments are why I love your videos.

2012 T’Bird here. She’s called Lucille and she’s badass.

Its truly pathetic how modern society has become obsessed with being politically correct at the expense of logic. We should never give in to these foolish and nonsensical movements, and stand firm

I want that storm so much, but just can’t afford it now. If it’s still there next year it will be mine!

Oh and also: the commander and storm were made then but I think they also had an LT model. Which was HEAVY! Every storm I’ve sat on had been nice and light feeling. But the LT and maybe even the commander were heaaaaavy!!!

I had a whine (very quiet) on my Victory Boardwalk. You get used to it eventually.

QUEUE THE INTRO!!!!!! Love the videos.

I love TBird Storm best bike I’ve ever owned & ridden - still got it!❤

The sprocket for the cam chain located on the camshaft is split and under tension. It takes slack out of the cam chain to limit slap. When the camshaft is removed for valve adjustments, it loses tension and must be twisted back into place before its reinstalled. If not, it allows the cam chain to slap and cause a rattling sound at lower rpm. This is what that sound is. It's not normal. Whoever did the valve adjustment didnt do it right.

You don't know SHIT about motorcycles. Your Power comes from your comfortble, relaxed, funny sales approach.

Love muscle bikes. The Ducati Diavel is the best I've owned. Although, I'd love to ride this beast of a Triumph for myself.

Headlight was stolen from a Fat Bob! Looks awesome too! Ride safe and have FUN!

Is that a gopro? Just wondering if you use the stabilization.. and if not, why?

Sean, from me in Pretoria, SA. I enjoy your videos, a d especially the 'Words of Wisdom'. Please never stop doing that. Back to bikes. You make me want almost every bike you test. Even el-cheepo from Amazon, etc. But, honestly, are there bikes you really hate?

That sound was fantastic

Thanks again, and God bless

Cool video and nice looking bike. Always interesting to see how differently the spoken shared scripture portion, never quite matches the shared graphic translation. 😂 God bless.

I would like to see your opinion of the Rocket 3r 2020 version

Rode one yesterday... It's a great bike, though the one I rode was quite a bit louder than the one in the video. Great bike and really comfortable. I always wanted a Harley as a second bike to my KTM 1050 Adventure but I'm considering getting the Thunderbird instead. Lots of grunt in the lower rev-range and an amazing sound.

Picking up a Triumph next week. Was also considering a Sportster 48, also an awesome looking bike. Read the reviews and it wasn't long before Triumph became the obvious choice. The variants on the Bonneville engine are to me where Triumph truly shines. Though i get why they'd want to cash in on the muscle bike market.

So does the speedometer lag far behind actual speed when accelerating? My bike does this horribly bad.

At .24: transmission type, belt drive. Don't think so. Maybe final drive. A belt drive transmission would be some trick.

Marlon Brando rode a Triumph Thunderbird in the Wild One. That is peak coolness.

My bike is 375lbs dry!! That's a big bike. Sounds dope too!

Magnum groovyness, makes me start talking with a british accent.

I find it funny how many people are unfamiliar with the intake induction noise of most modern liquid cooled bikes lol what is this? 1991? I guess if it doesnt sound like a Harley then something must be wrong with it right? Lmao

I owned a 2017 Triumph Thunderbird LT, (Lite Touring) 1700cc. Styling ques of a HD Softail Heritage. Great bike. I financed the bike. Had a heart attack and was unable to go back to work for too long. Lost the bike. I would say it out performed the Heritage 103, HP and Torque. Cornering was great. Aftermarket sucked. Last year they made the bike was 2018. So aftermarket will get less and less. Dealer support far and few between compared to HD. I liked Triumph back in the day (1970s) Their Bonnie was hot on flat track. But, I won't buy another one. No comparison to dealer support of HD and aftermarket available for HD.

I’ll give triumph that. I have a 2015 Thunderbird LT it cruises effortlessly at 85mph and if you need more speed simply roll on the throttle and there’s plenty more where that came from. Ive only been up around 110 once on it and it just kept pulling. I wonder how fast they really are. But I think that Triumph only sold a few here in the states. Which is why I have never seen another one anywhere

No mention of the Rocket III? I would have liked to see a comparison.

Triumph has the Rocket III. I think that should suffice as their muscle bike

Don't those "Calf Burner Stopper" bits have stuff similar to what the space shuttle tiles were made of between the two layers, stopping all the heat? I'm pretty sure they do these days?

I think the noise is piston slap but they don't want you to know it. Is it quiet when cool but then comes on when the motor gets hot?

What noise? The ticking? Be more specific please. Triumph told you what it was but you don't remember? Might be kinda important to include that in a comprehensive review.

how tall are you if you don't mind? i've seen your cbr 1000rr vid, i'm 6' and thinking maybe getting one..

Looks sorta similar to the dyna fatbob.

Does it have a cruise-control ?

You should do a "mystery Bike" sale. You pay an amount and you get a bike sent to you.

Us Brits gave the world the Cafe Racer. Why on earth would we want to build a leviathan thats of little use on most of the British road system.... A friend bought a rocket three,.....sold it and bought a 'Bonnie'

I thought the suspension was a bit hard when I rode my son's Thunderbird, you felt the bumps. My Tiger 1200 is a lot more comfortable ride

It’s called the Storm because we’re in England and it never stops f*kin raining

So one for the Mary "within" ?

Had a tbird 1600 and loved it but the engine is noisy

just bought a pavillion on one of those roads you just passed...

As far as touring goes they made the Thunderbird LT!! Windshield,saddlebags,floorboards,backrest...ect

Owned over 30 motorcycles including late model Harleys, BMW’s, Ducati’s, Indian, etc. The 1700 cc Triumph Storm was is in my top 3 all time. Fantastic long distance iron. Over 700 lbs. feel more like 500.

today i testdrove a suzuki intruder 1800/yamaha 1900/harley 1500 and something/honda valkyrie 1500/triumph rocket 2300/and this one a triumph thunderbird... guess which i prefer? the tbird won because the handling and driveability is by far the best and it handles so f... nice! i found myself tossing it around all the time on the roads. the engine is almost as torky as the intruder. it weighs 45kgs less, that is a geat great plus. the engine is soo nice. great tork and flexibility nearly from idle in overdrive. none of the others could do that this smooth - except for the rocket. the sound of the engine is so smooth and healthy - as you can hear in the video. it looks better than the rest in my opinion - lower, meaner and cuter🙂 without being too big, like the intruder. overdrive, advanced injection, 4 valves, very flexible motor and the lowest weight of the bunch = great mileage for me the choice were between the suzuki and this. the suzuki lost because it was too heavy, did not handle as good, blocks the frontwheel to easy, too loud, not as comfortable. the yamaha was nice, but too heavy and too slow. the harley was actually nice, fast and good torque. nearly as flexible as the tbird. but the tbird is a little faster, has nicer handling and are more joyfull to drive. the honda valkyrie was a dissapointment. insufficient lowend torque. too heavy compared to the tbird. could not keep up in handling compared to the tbird. slower except over 4000rpms. but i like the power below... the rocket was a rocket. best lowend torque of the bunch, even from idle in topgear - impressive... a motor like a big bumblebie - sounds literally like that, when driving! but slow handling. uninspiring sitting position and the motorsound was not as engaging as the littlebrother. the tbird was by far the most joyfull to drive! within minutes i found myself playing around and looking at the nature - enjoying the smells and sounds. i only did that on this bike. and the engine is incredible! six gears, advanced engine design - thus a super fuel economy! just as much groundchaking torque as a vtwin. sounds just as nice. and can pull in overdrive from idle - can your vtwin that? just bought the only one for sale in my country😁

Bloody treat of a kit

Acceleration which is ~ matchable to RoadKing Harley. Awesome...!

Even my grand pa knows what a triumph is. That guy must living under a rock or something.