Triumph Trident T160

1975-1977. 750cc OHV air-cooled triple

Triumph Trident T160 Pros

Performance: 120mph. Tridents have a great race history.

Looks: Stylish design still turns heads. Expect admiration.

Cornering: Excellent. Expect a close asphalt shave.

Handling: Very good. Positive front. Good weight spread.

Sound: These engines howl and inspire confidence.

Clutch: A little heavy, but strong and smooth.

Comfort: Good. But expect high-speed vibes/tingle.

Spares: Very good. Almost everything is available.

Tuning: Big bore kits/exhaust/brake mods, etc, available.

Acceleration: Rapid. Think hot rod.

Value for money: Very good. More bang for your buck.

Starting: Easy on the thumb, a little harder on the foot.

Pillion: High speed travelling shortens the journey.

Luggage: All you can carry. The Trident pulls like a train.

Electric starter: These work well.

Experts: Plenty of people around who speak Trident.

Triumph Trident T160 Cons

Airbox: Ugly design built to silence induction noise.

Braking: Marginal at high speed. Upgrades needed.

Engine rebuilds: Expensive. 50-percent more than T140s.

Fuel economy: Hopeless. Expect 35-40mpg, or less.

Electrics: Average. But lighting needs upgrade for speed.

Weight: These are heavy bikes at around 460lbs.

Bulk: Not really for the very little guys/girls.

Carburettors: Three to balance/optimise. Tedious chore.

Throttle: Three carbs. Three springs. Work it out. Heavyyyyy.

Maintenance: Trickier than most classic British twins.

Emissions: Annular discharge silencers strangle bhp.

Ignition: Forget points. Three are a pain. Fit electronic.

Threads: Tridents have lots of castings. Expect to helicoil.

Overshadowed: Specifically the Rocket Three and Hurricane.

[Take me to the Sump T150 Trident buyer's guide]

The T160 Triumph Trident was in production for just three years, but its roots lay in the T150 Trident launched in 1968. There are two major differences between the two models. The first is that the T160 was fitted with both kickstart and electric start (the T150 was kickstart only). The second difference is that the 58-59bhp (@ 8,000rpm) T160 employed forward sloping cylinder in a similar fashion to the BSA Rocket Three of 1968, the third member of the BSA-Triumph triple family.

Production issues left them with a tainted reputation for reliability and durability. But many, if not most bikes have since been retro-engineered to address such problem. Buyers, therefore, need to ask intelligent questions about maintenance and restoration.

Ownership of a T160 needs a strong arm and leg. On the move they crack along like thoroughbred racehorses, but in town these muscle bikes feel a little cumbersome, and the weight will worry you on steep cambers at traffic lights. Additionally, with its 58-inch wheelbase, it's not easy to move around the garage either.

All T160 Tridents, incidentally, have 5 speed gearboxes, disc brakes front and rear, and a left side gear change lever.

Overall, T160s are fast, solid, high-speed touring motorcycles. Wind them up to around 4500-5000rpm and see.

Sump's verdict and rating? Terrific bikes. But thirsty.

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