[jeffz]

Anyone else out there consider a CTX1300 along with a Triumph Trophy? I'm a current Triumph Bonneville rider, looking for a beefier ride. My first bike was actually a Honda Shadow 750, which I ultimately ditched because I didn't love the cruiser ergonomics and meanwhile fell in love with the character of the Triumph. Fast forward 7 years and I'm now tempted the opposite way...I want comfort, storage, and wind protection more than I care about character per se.

I find myself disappointed that Triumph doesn't make a larger standard/classic type bike with wind protection. The Thunderbirds are nice for cruisers, but there isn't a single one with real integrated storage. And I don't like the looks of the Rocket III Touring.

I look at Harleys all the time because my father-in-law is a Harley guy, but I can't see myself going there...their touring rigs are too top-heavy and I'm not into the whole Harley scene, although I can admire the machines for what they aim to be.

Likewise, I'm not sure I'm a sport-touring guy. My Bonneville has the tiniest bit of a forward lean to it, but most sportbikes feel awful ergonomically to me. Plus I know from experience that when I modified my Bonneville temporarily to have cafe-racer type ergos I loathed having weight forward on my wrists while riding. So the truly sporty sport-tourers (e.g. Kawasaki Concours) are out for me. But I'm still tempted by the more upright Triumph Trophy.

Looking at it versus the CTX1300 has me puzzled. Ergonomically it comes down to a question of whether I want my knee at a 90 degree angle (Honda) or smaller with my feet more under me (Triumph). I think the CTX's tech package in the Deluxe is perfect, everything I want (ABS, traction control, bluetooth audio) and nothing I don't. The Trophy on the other hand has satellite radio and some other electronics that I don't really think are necessary for me (electric suspension adjustment) -- consider that I'm coming from a bike with zero advanced features of any kind. I'd love it if Triumph offered the base Trophy in the USA but they only offer the SE, which is a more deluxe package.

Anyone else straddle this fence? I suppose I won't know without test rides (which is a challenge given area dealers who all seem to frown at the idea) but I feel a bit crazy to be contemplating such apparently different bikes.

Thanks,
Jeff

 

[TennesseeSmith]

A Nice Pair - TennesseeSmith

After my 2012 Gold Wing was killed by a deer in August of 2012, I went looking for a proper replacement bike. I did not want another huge, expensive Gold Wing. I ordered a 2013 Triumph Trophy from the dealer in Knoxville TN. He went out of business at the end of the year and took my order with him.

In October of 2013 I traded my Wee Strom for a 2013 Triumph Trophy SE in Lexington KY.

The bike fit me perfectly. It seemed that the British engineers had designed the bike just for me. I loved the seating position. I sat upright like on a proper tourer. I could easily stand on the pegs. Yet the bike performed like the best sport/tourers in the twisties. This bike was incredibly quick. The saddle bag fasteners were by far the best I'd ever seen. The bike had absolutely the best wind protection of any bike in the entire history of the universe. For the first six weeks I was in heaven with this bike.

Then one morning it was just dead. No power at all. It had completely drained the battery overnight. I had to ride my little CTX700 to work in 18 degree weather.

I got it running again and it lasted four weeks this time. Then it drained overnight again. The mechanic told me that Triumph told him the bike was not designed for short trips like commuting to work. My 17 mile round trip was not enough to recharge the battery from the effort of starting up and shutting down the bike twice. They told me to keep it on a Battery Tender every night.

That's garbage. This is Triumph's flagship bike. I always believed the issue was a faulty computer.

I needed reliable transportation. So I traded the little Honda CTX for a bigger one. The CTX1300 became my primary bike and the Trophy became something I rode occasionally when I was in the mood for more spirited riding.

In June of 2014 the Trophy crapped yet again. It told me I was in first gear when I knew I was in sixth. Half a minute later the traction control light and the engine light came on. This was the fourth major problem in less than a year. it took me a couple of weeks to get a day off work. When I got my day off, I rode the Trophy all the way to Lexington with the engine light on. As I pulled onto the dealer's lot, I decided I'd never ride the unreliable, untrustworhty piece of crap again.

I traded it for another Honda CTX. I now have a CTX cruiser and a CTX tourer. I lost nearly $9000 on the Trophy in less than a year. I am not likely to buy another Triumph product for at least a few decades.

If you can get a Triumph that will run, these two make a great pair. The Trophy was one of the greatest disappointments of my life. I found the perfect bike, but it let me down. I don't recommend the Trophy unless you live within walking distance of the dealer and have a spare bike for all the days the Triumph will leave you stranded.

If you have infinite patience and money, and you don't mind walking home, get a Trophy.

 

[Croxy]

My thoughts...

I looked at both bikes as well and after doing some research decided with the Honda. I've just come off of a HD Ultra Classic and wanted something with more spirit, that was more reliable, but still with a more "cruiser like" seating position. The Trophy looks to be a beautiful bike and I was really interested but then I started reading about too many issues on the forums. If I wanted issues I'd have kept the HD.

Quite frankly I find the CTX to be more comfortable than my Ultra Classic was and I prefer the seating positions as it isn't as "feet forward". I don't think you'd regret the CTX. I've been nothing but impressed in the week I've had it......

All that being said what one person like vs another can be very different...

My opinion only. Hope you find what you're looking for but give this bike serious consideration.

 

[niftee]

Although I've had no experience with the trophy I did own a bonneville that was nothing but trouble, I had so many problems with it, it was easier and cheaper to get rid of it and buy a new bike. I never found it that comfortable on long trips and I was always worn out after a long ride and it was a bit of a slug when you needed some instant acceleration.

I ended up buying a Suzuki Bandit, which I still own. I really like riding the Bandit and I use it for commuting now. Before buying the CTX1300 I took it to Alice Springs and back which was about a 7000km (4000 + miles) round trip and even though I had a custom seat, it too was a bit tiring at the end of the day.

To cut a short story long, although I haven't done any really long trips yet, I have found the CTX1300 to be far superior in comfort to both bikes and I may end up getting rid of the bandit.

 

[jeffz]

Wow, Ken, thanks for sharing. I have visited other forums and read about some of the issues the 2013 Trophies had regarding electronics. What's not clear from seeing a few mentions of problems online is how prevalent they are. It definitely alters perspective a bit to hear a story like yours first hand.

I also have a feeling I'd fall right in love with the trophy if I got on one. It felt like my Bonneville on steroids with a slightly more upright position and the nicest fairing I've ever seen. But I'd also be disgusted a heartbroken if it let me down like that. I don't have a good Triumph dealer situation here. There's one an hour to the east with a Trophy in stock that I've sat on, but they indicated they'd only do a test ride if I were serious enough to draw up paperwork for a potential sale (at which point, is a test ride, or a preview of what you've just committed to already?!?). I've also been told by other riders that this dealer has a horrible service department. Another is 90 minutes away but their franchise is new, no Trophies in site, and the salespeople don't even seem to know they sell Triumphs as nobody visited me in that corner of the showroom while I looked at the few Thunderbirds they had in stock. I wouldn't be happy relying on either of these places for service and would prefer not to buy from them.

You might have just helped me talk myself out of my Trophy fantasy. Cause it certainly doesn't make sense to throw down $20K on a bike in order to have a reliable tourer and then live in fear of whether it's going to work out.

Just out of curiosity, why two CTX's? You're considering one more of a commuter and one more of a distance machine?

Thanks,
Jeff

 

[jeffz]

I looked at both bikes as well and after doing some research decided with the Honda. I've just come off of a HD Ultra Classic and wanted something with more spirit, that was more reliable, but still with a more "cruiser like" seating position. The Trophy looks to be a beautiful bike and I was really interested but then I started reading about too many issues on the forums. If I wanted issues I'd have kept the HD.

Quite frankly I find the CTX to be more comfortable than my Ultra Classic was and I prefer the seating positions as it isn't as "feet forward". I don't think you'd regret the CTX. I've been nothing but impressed in the week I've had it......

All that being said what one person like vs another can be very different...

My opinion only. Hope you find what you're looking for but give this bike serious consideration.

I'm not comfortable feet-forward much at all. I've ridden my father-in-law's first Road King and it just didn't agree with me. I was terrified stopping on anything but a flat straight run because of how quickly the bike seemed to want to flop over, and having my feet that far forward seemed to predispose me towards slouching with a forward curve in my back on long straight runs.

The CTX seems to be a compromise between cruiser-forward and mid-type controls. I think I could get behind that. I actually put highway bars on my Bonneville for a time so I could get my feet a bit forward on longer rides -- ultimately took them off not because I disliked them but because they looked horrible and I decided I'd rather get a distance machine than ruin the Bonneville trying to turn it into something it's not.

Jeff

 

[jeffz]

Although I've had no experience with the trophy I did own a bonneville that was nothing but trouble, I had so many problems with it, it was easier and cheaper to get rid of it and buy a new bike. I never found it that comfortable on long trips and I was always worn out after a long ride and it was a bit of a slug when you needed some instant acceleration.

I ended up buying a Suzuki Bandit, which I still own. I really like riding the Bandit and I use it for commuting now. Before buying the CTX1300 I took it to Alice Springs and back which was about a 7000km (4000 + miles) round trip and even though I had a custom seat, it too was a bit tiring at the end of the day.

To cut a short story long, although I haven't done any really long trips yet, I have found the CTX1300 to be far superior in comfort to both bikes and I may end up getting rid of the bandit.

Sorry to hear that -- I've never had issues with my Bonneville. I've done all the service myself, and it's been a trouble-free 27000 miles so far. I finally fixed the desire for some more oomph with an aftermarket 2-into-1 exhaust, a larger main jet, and an opening up of the air intake, and honestly couldn't be happier with it for what it is.

But I agree it's not comfortable for long trips. I read about people doing cross-country rides on Bonnevilles but I think that's more a testament to their stubbornness than the bike's suitability. I've tried everything, from seat upgrades to adding a fairing, and ultimately it's just not an ideal distance bike. With a tail bag it can make a decent commuter, but it's less than ideal in that regard if the commute involves lots of freeway, as mine has for the past year. So it's finally time for me to find something that can eat up the miles with more comfort, whether it's my 25-mile-each-way commute or a long weekend ride, or the even longer trips that I currently don't plan at all cause they're too uncomfortable.

 

[TennesseeSmith]

To be fair, some folks have bought the Trophy and had a great experience.

I've only owned two bikes that were not made in Japan. A 2003 Harley Davidson ElectrGlide and a 2013 Triumph Trophy. They are the only bikes I ever had any serious trouble with.

The main reason I have a second CTX is that it was the best option I had at the time. I was in Lexington with a Triumph I needed to trade. The red CTX was the best option in the showroom.

I could see myself trading the second CTX for something else in a couple of years. For now though, I actually like the red one better than the farkled up blue one. It handles the Kentucky backroads better. This is mainly due to the newer tires. That will change as the miles pile up. I've felt a difference in the blue bike after I added the top box too. It rocks more in the wind now.

 

[Bulldogady]

I test ride the Triumph Trophy 1200 SE a few months ago. I previously owned the older 1200 Trophy in green. I thought it was amazing. So comfortable. Another weight disappearing machine once on the move. I volunteer on the Emergency Blood Bikes and have a lot of miles on the Yam FJR and Kawasaki GTR so naturally compared. I truly thought the Triumph was the one to go for. Bars really nice. Handling less front endy, more fluid through bends. Super engine that pulls well. It was a close thing for me chopping in the Versys 1000 (an exceptional bike).
I am so pleased that I hung on for the CTX. My idea is to take the devil out me when riding. I don't think the Trophy would have done that. I think the CTX is a wonderful compromise of efficiency, beauty, calmness and adequate performance. It chills me out in a way other bikes do not.

 

[kirkkw]

CTX1300 and Triumph Trophy a nice combination

I test ride the Triumph Trophy 1200 SE a few months ago. I thought it was amazing. So comfortable. Another weight disappearing machine once on the move. ....
I am so pleased that I hung on for the CTX. My idea is to take the devil out me when riding. I don't think the Trophy would have done that. I think the CTX is a wonderful compromise of efficiency, beauty, calmness and adequate performance. It chills me out in a way other bikes do not.

I agree with the sentiment on the CTX. It sorta does that for me, but I bought a 2017 Triumph Trophy today!! :smiley-happy0034: and kept the CTX

 

[TennesseeSmith]

Congratulations on the new bike. I would expect the 2017 model to have all of the good traits of the the earlier version without the problems.

 

[FatStrat]

Anyone else out there consider a CTX1300 along with a Triumph Trophy? I'm a current Triumph Bonneville rider, looking for a beefier ride. My first bike was actually a Honda Shadow 750, which I ultimately ditched because I didn't love the cruiser ergonomics and meanwhile fell in love with the character of the Triumph. Fast forward 7 years and I'm now tempted the opposite way...I want comfort, storage, and wind protection more than I care about character per se.

I find myself disappointed that Triumph doesn't make a larger standard/classic type bike with wind protection. The Thunderbirds are nice for cruisers, but there isn't a single one with real integrated storage. And I don't like the looks of the Rocket III Touring.

I look at Harleys all the time because my father-in-law is a Harley guy, but I can't see myself going there...their touring rigs are too top-heavy and I'm not into the whole Harley scene, although I can admire the machines for what they aim to be.

Likewise, I'm not sure I'm a sport-touring guy. My Bonneville has the tiniest bit of a forward lean to it, but most sportbikes feel awful ergonomically to me. Plus I know from experience that when I modified my Bonneville temporarily to have cafe-racer type ergos I loathed having weight forward on my wrists while riding. So the truly sporty sport-tourers (e.g. Kawasaki Concours) are out for me. But I'm still tempted by the more upright Triumph Trophy.

Looking at it versus the CTX1300 has me puzzled. Ergonomically it comes down to a question of whether I want my knee at a 90 degree angle (Honda) or smaller with my feet more under me (Triumph). I think the CTX's tech package in the Deluxe is perfect, everything I want (ABS, traction control, bluetooth audio) and nothing I don't. The Trophy on the other hand has satellite radio and some other electronics that I don't really think are necessary for me (electric suspension adjustment) -- consider that I'm coming from a bike with zero advanced features of any kind. I'd love it if Triumph offered the base Trophy in the USA but they only offer the SE, which is a more deluxe package.

Anyone else straddle this fence? I suppose I won't know without test rides (which is a challenge given area dealers who all seem to frown at the idea) but I feel a bit crazy to be contemplating such apparently different bikes.

Thanks,
Jeff

Head on down to the local BMW dealer and see if they have a used R1250RT that you could take for a ride.

 

[kirkkw]

Head on down to the local BMW dealer and see if they have a used R1250RT that you could take for a ride.

I was actually shopping for a wet head RT when I came across the Trophy. I just couldn't justify spending $6K more than what I paid for the Trophy. The Trophy does everything I need it to do, or it will when I get a Russell seat on it. Sending my stocker off tomorrow.