First Review: 2011 Triumph Sprint GT

So I wanted very much to ride the Sprint ST earlier this year at the local demo day. Sadly, none were available. Shortly after that, the new GT was announced. Below, then, is a short review of the new model. Will rate each category on a scale of 1-5, 1 being don't-even-bother to 5 being omfg-I've-had-a-"crisis".

-Engine: 128bhp, 80 ft-lb torque, 1050cc triple. Smooth as glass all through the rev range. Not sure how they mounted this, but this is one solid motor. No buzziness, plenty of torque, nice growl on acceleration (of which there is plenty). Can easily putter around town or blast along on backroads thanks to a very nicely calibrated throttle. Power is at the low end of the ST spectrum, but due to the light weight and excellent gearing, it more than makes up for it. 4.5/5

-Chassis/Handling: Comes standard with Bridgestone BT021 tyres. Not the best, not the worst. Handling is sharp and predictable. The bike feels very chuckable, and both front and rear are adjustable to suit load and rider taste. I did notice that the steering feels a little heavy at parking lot speeds, but then again I'm already used to that. Overall, if you're used to a sportbike or a sport-tourer, there will be zero learning curve on this bike. I didn't drag any hardware leaning it over, and even on new tyres it feels like the folks across the Pond know how to set up a proper sporting suspension. This definitely feels like it can keep up with full-on sportbikes in the twisties. 4/5

-Comfort: I confess, I ride a Concours with 2" bar risers, so I'm used to sitting fairly upright. This bike is the exact opposite. Not quite ZX-10R aggressive, but close enough. While speaking with the dealer rep, he noted that bar risers should become available at some point. If not, Heli-Bars may be an option. Right out of the box though, in the half hour ride I took, I felt comfortable with them as they were. The seat, too, felt fairly comfortable, being firm and with good support. I'm a big guy (5'10.5", 300lbs) so if you're smaller than me, this may be good or bad. Windscreen height was excellent and flowed nice, clean air with no buffeting. 5/5

-Ergonomics: Good mirror placement. All buttons and switches where they should be, so no surprises here. Turn signal actuator is a little tall, so for those with short thumbs, it may be slightly awkward, but otherwise good all around. One other small complaint: the gauge faces are at an angle such that under certain conditions, they become mirrors, completely obfuscating the dials. This appears to be due to how they are mounted, and in my conversation with the dealer rep, I suggested that some sort of matte surface should be used instead to make them more legible. 4/5

-Utility: The standard bags are quite simply HUGE. These can easily fit my XL Shoei RF-1000 with some room to spare. Rear luggage rack can also accommodate an available 50+litre topcase. Not sure how tankbags will fit, but it is a metal tank, so magnetic models shouldn't be an issue. Not much space on the dash for adding RAM mounts, et al, but it does have what looks like some space for a GPS on top of the triple tree. 5/5

-Range: Claimed 43mpg. 5.3 gallon fuel tank equates to roughly 220 miles or so of usable capacity. Not best in class but certainly not the worst. 3.5/5

-Price: $13,199. Compared to its rivals, the Sprint GT is excellent value for money if you're looking for something closer to the sport end of the sport-touring spectrum. That being said, I would like to see heated grips as being standard instead of an option, that being my only complaint about the msrp. The closest bike to this in terms of price, performance and standard equipment would be the Yamaha FJR or Kawasaki Concours 14, both equally good bike. Which one is right for you? Well, go and ride them!

Overall Rating - 4.3/5

TL;DR: The Triumph Sprint GT is definitely a welcome contender to the sport-touring world. Fast, comfortable, capacious, well-priced and well-built, it just makes sense to me as a good all-around motorcycle. Go ride one this weekend if you have the chance as many dealers are offering demo rides.

{Special thanks goes to Triumph of Metuchen in Metuchen, NJ, for letting me ride the new GT. If you're in the area, they are definitely worth the visit, with friendly, knowledgeable, professional staff.}