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Here’s why we’re excited about the new Triumph Tiger Sport 660

An affordable, practical sport-tourer, hopefully.

EJ Punsalang EJ Punsalang on Sep 15, 2021
Triumph Tiger Sport 660

Triumph has made quite the name for itself in the local market as of late. While considered by many as a thoroughly premium brand, the company has released a good number of bikes which have fallen within the reach of many well-to-do pinoy riders. With performance-oriented machines like the Street Triple RS retailing for P795,000, more and more of these bikes are hitting the streets thanks to their great value for money. 

The budget-conscious rider will be even better served by the Trident 660, Triumph’s most affordable bike in its stable. Based on a new platform, the Trident draws power from a slightly detuned version of the inline three-cylinder engine found on the Dayotona 675 sportbike. Retailing for just P499,000, the Trident 660 is fast becoming a popular choice among new riders looking for an affordable, decently performing street bike. With that, the Hinckley company has recently pulled the wraps off the Tiger Sport 660, a sport-tourer based on the Trident 660. This, naturally, has left us excited for what this bike has to offer. Let’s take a closer look at it, shall we? 

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It’s based on the Trident 660

Triumph Tiger Sport 660

We already mentioned that the Tiger Sport 660 is based on the Trident 660. So, what exactly does this mean? Well, for starters it’s clear to see that Triumph has carried over a lot of components from the Trident onto the Tiger Sport 660. The frame, wheels, suspension, and brakes all look to be lifted directly from the Trident. This means that we can expect the Tiger Sport 660 to retail for a similar affordable price point—hopefully well below the P600,000 mark.

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A full-size sport-tourer at a bargain

Triumph Tiger Sport 660

At a glance, it’s clear to see, however, that the Tiger Sport 660 isn’t simply a Trident slapped with some wind protection, and rebadged. The new bike sports a full-fairing, a redesigned fascia, and what seems to be a redesigned saddle and tail-section too. Despite retaining the Trident 660’s svelte platform, the bike seems to have decent proportions, and will definitely lend itself to some comfortable, long-distance riding. 

Given the fact that it comes with rider aids such as traction control and ABS will surely instill confidence even for newer riders who have hardly any big bike experience. Despite being equipped with a rather high-capacity three-cylinder motor, the Trident well and truly is an approachable machine. 

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Approachable Performance

Triumph Tiger Sport 660

This leads us to our next point—approachable performance. Many motorcycle riders, especially newbies, are easily intimidated by high-capacity machines, especially those with multi-cylinder engines and high horsepower figures. However, the time we spent with the Trident 660 truly shows that it’s a very approachable big bike with performance that doesn’t startle or present itself as overbearing. 

The Trident’s 660cc in-line three-cylinder engine produces around 80 horsepower, and delivers this in a very smooth and linear fashion. Although by no means slow, it is arguably one of the most approachable engines in the 650cc class, and is practical across a whole range of applications. Should the Tiger Sport 660 make its way to the local market, it’ll surely be an enticing alternative to bikes like the Kawasaki Versys 650, and maybe even the Yamaha Tracer 9 GT. 

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