2013 Triumph Trophy SE - First Look

Triumph doesn’t make rifles or other firearms, but the British company nonetheless appears to have BMW squarely in its crosshairs.

Just today, June 22, Triumph announced the 2013 Trophy SE, a 1215cc fully loaded touring machine that seems designed to compete with BMW's sport-oriented tourers—the K1600 GTL, K1600 GT and R1200RT—more than with Honda's superslab-devouring Gold Wing.

This all-new Triumph rides on an aluminum frame fitted with a single-sided swingarm and shaft final drive, and it is powered by a retuned version of the same 1215cc, dohc, 12-valve three-cylinder engine found in the Tiger Explorer adventure bike. It offers amenities comparable to or even exceeding those of some other big-rig tourers: linked ABS braking; traction control; cruise control; a ride-by-wire throttle system; a large (6.9-gallon) gas tank; a windshield electrically adjustable over a 6½-inch range; 31-liter detachable saddlebags with an optional 55-liter top trunk that includes a 12-volt power port; heated seats and grips; an adjustable-height rider seat; provisions for mounting an optional GPS receiver; a centerstand; and electronically adjustable headlights.

When you combine the SE’s traction control with its sporty 17-inch wheels and tires and a claimed wet weight of 662 pounds, it implies that this machine has backroad capabilities in its DNA as well as open-road touring. That perception is further reinforced by the SE’s WP suspension, which is electronically adjustable for rebound damping up front, and for preload and rebound at the rear using a control switch on the left handlebar. Much like the BMW’s system, the SE’s suspension has settings for both load (one-up, one-up plus luggage, two-up) and type of riding (sport, normal, comfort). Standard equipment also includes a tire-pressure monitoring system and a powerful, MP3/iPod/iPhone-compatible, Bluetooth-enabled sound system.

The Trophy SE will be available in either Lunar Silver or Pacific Blue paint schemes. Triumph has not yet set prices but has stated that the bikes will begin appearing in U.S. showrooms sometime in January of 2013.