Triumph Motorcycles returns to the basics with its beautifully styled 2021 Trident 660 ($8,095 as tested). A fresh entry into Triumph’s roadster line-up, the Trident naked bike fills the void left by the original Street Triple 675— a fun and affordable motorcycle that punched above its weight. However with tighter packaging, the Trident focuses on new riders and folks looking for a fashionable yet functional urban street bike.

--

Seated at the controls, the Trident offers a slim and well proportioned riding position. The one-piece saddle is nice and low and it proves a very easy bike to straddle, even for shorter folks. There’s also room for a passenger if a friend wants to tag along. The handlebar bend is neutral and well-suited for general riding. However, it is a tad narrow for our tastes.

Thumb the starter button and the 660cc Triple whirls to live with its customary but still sweet melody. Triumph’s been building this engine configuration for over 15 years and we remain big fans of its soul and character. One gripe: The engine has moderate vibration at highway cruising speed in top gear.

A tasteful round-face color dash display keeps tabs on the bike’s vitals and does a great job of balancing classic style and modern technology. Five button switch gear lets you navigate through vehicle settings. It would have been nice if Triumph included an ambient air temperature readout though. Crisp LED lighting helps the Triumph rider stand out and we appreciate how the license plate bracket is mounted neatly to the swingarm, tidying up the rear end.

Through the city, the Trident performs well with 93% of its peak torque (43 pound-feet) available from 3,500 rpm. This along with a low first gear, and responsive, yet easy squeezing clutch lever make zipping between stop lights fun. Horsepower-wise the 660 delivers 72 ponies at 10,200 rpm. But we’d be lying if we didn’t say the engine peters out a bit early up top. Fuel mileage-wise we record a 39.2 mpg average. This nets a range of around 148-miles based on the smallish capacity of the 3.8-gallon tank.

Maintenance-wise, after the initial 600-mile service, the Trident goes 10,000 miles or a year between engine oil and filter changes. Valve adjustment and air filter service is recommended at 20,000 mile intervals...

Find out more: http://motorcyclistonline.com/story/reviews/2021-triumph-trident-660-mc-commute-review/

Photography/video/edit: @AdamWaheed

Motorcycle Riding Gear

Gear Box
Helmet: Shoei RF-SR
Jacket: REV’IT! Crossroads
Gloves: REV’IT! Volcano
Pant: REV’IT! Jackson
Boots: REV’IT! G-Force

Motorcyclist Shirts: https://teespring.com/stores/motorcyclist
Shop Products We Use: https://www.amazon.com/shop/motorcyclistmagazine

See more from us: http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/