600 discussion and Re: [ST] Improvements for Sprint ST

["Brian D ." <brd@xxxxxxx>]

On Tue, Dec 17, 2002 at 10:07:41PM +0100, SELLAR Euan wrote:
> All,
> 
> With regards to improving the ST, I'm surprised nobody has mentioned
> the headlights: they are very very poor and certainly inferior to most
> current bikes, particulalrly its main competitor, the VFR. You can
> adjust the height, change the bulbs and connect both headlights so
> that they work simultaneously (like many listers have), but the
> improvement is only marginal. And still inadequate for a quick bike
> such as the ST.

I thought the ST lights were very good.  I did make sure to aim mine up
quite a bit though.  Haven't ridden the VFR at night much, and only in
the metroplex, so I can't compare them yet.  How quick the ST seems
irrelevant.  Any vehicle is going to outrun the stopping distance of the
stock headlamps in the dark, unless you keep speeds reasonable or are
out in the country where you can use highbeams or auxilliary lighting.

> It's a pity their marketing strategy has been to multiply the models
> in the range (i.e. the 600s) rather than continuously improve the good
> models they have. 

The 600 market is huge, as is the cruiser market (at least in the US).
They want a piece of those pies, hence the Daytona 600 and the
Speedmaster.  And guess which 2 bikes I saw most people ogling at the
Triumph display at the Dallas MC show?  Those two.  Well, and the orange
Speed4 (yet another 600).

> Unfortunately the ST is now outdated compared to the competition and
> there are no plans I'm aware of for a replacement.

Much as I would love to see the ST improved upon, I recognize that
Triumph is a business and need to introduce new models to generate
interest.  It seems to me they get more attention from the 2 new 600s
than from a revamped ST.

Having said that, while the 600 market is huge, it is also highly
competitive and stocked with the most technologically advanced bikes on
the planet.  I've always felt that no matter how much money Triumph
dumped into the TT600, it would always be a lost cause, as they're never
going to put out something even close to an R6/CBR/ZX6.  All I saw the
TT as was another choice for Triumph loyalists.  So I think it's good
that they've got the Daytona600 and the Speed4 now, as those bikes are
different enough to not be directly competitive with the Japanese
supersports.  Well, that's not quite true, as the D6 bears a lot of
resemblance to the new CBR600RR.

Anyway, back to the original point of the thread.  Improvements I'd like
to see on the ST:

- -helmet locks
- -get rid of the mirror booties/condoms
- -dual tripmeters

Laters,
Brian
- -- 
Euless, TX
'97 VFR 750
'99 Sprint ST(black, RIP)

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