Flagship Comparison: 1998 Triumph Thunderbird

The original Thunderbird was Triumph’s first “big” bike, a 650 derived from its 500cc vertical twin. Created after World War II for a push into the American market, it was the first British bike that many American enthusiasts ever saw. The 1998 Thunderbird has little in common with that motorcycle other than a few styling elements.

The new bike is powered by a modern, liquid-cooled, dual-overhead-cam, 885cc, in-line vertical triple with three carbs, four valves per cylinder and five speeds. It’s bigger too, with a 62.2-inch wheelbase and a wet weight of more than 500 pounds—which makes it comparatively light in this crowd. Its chain final drive is lighter than the shafts of most of the other bikes, as well. The engine is a stressed component of the frame, which has no cradle tubes.

The three-into-two exhaust system terminates in a pair of mufflers (the right and middle cylinders use the right muffler) similar to those of 1960s-era Triumph twins. Naturally, the triple’s sound is very different than the sound of the old twins. Since the T-Bird’s style evokes classic British rather than classic American styling, its nostalgic touches include a one-piece dual saddle with a passenger grab rail, footpegs instead of floorboards, and the four-gallon tank’s shape, badges and paint scheme. The Bird also uses classic wire-spoked wheels, though these have radial tires—in this case Michelin 89X series, running tubes. Like the late-model twins, the 900 Thunderbird wears a speedo and tach above the headlight.

Its lightweight style makes the T-Bird a standard-style machine rather than a cruiser for some riders. All of Triumph’s Thunderbird models, which include the Adventurer and the more muscular Thunderbird Sport, share the T-Bird’s basic engine and chassis design, and $8995 suggested price.

This article was originally published in the August 1998 issue of Motorcycle Cruiser.