Our tech brief on the new Triumph Tiger Explorer left a major unanswered question: how much? After all, it could be the greatest bike in the world, but if it’s not competitively priced, its market would be limited to well-heeled fans for whom nothing but a Triumph would do.
Triumph’s broad and competitively priced product line is paying off. Although Triumph’s sales represent just 2.5 percent of the U.S. market now, that’s up more than a half-percent in a year. According to Triumph P.R. rep Jeff Berry, that’s “more units sold than any year since Triumph returned to the States in the ’90s.”
Also announced was pricing for the 2012 Speed Triple R, $15,999. Following up on the successful formula for the 2011 Daytona R, Triumph is offering a special edition of the newly revised Speed Triple with upgraded monobloc Brembo brakes, race-ready Öhlins suspension and lightweight forged PVM wheels. You get all that stuff and ABS for just $3,200 more than the ABS-equipped standard Speed Triple, which is a killer deal–$3,200 wouldn’t pay for the wheels if purchased at full retail, much less the $1,000 calipers or God-knows-how-much Öhlins NIX30 fork and TTX36 shock. It’s probably around $9,000 of stuff for $3,200, a stunning deal. The 675R is also still available, for just a $1,700 premium (but you don’t get PVM wheels).
