Hey everyone! New to the forum, but not to Triumph. Thought I'd give a bit of an intro and say hello to you all! Started riding a decade ago on a 2008 Honda CBR600RR. Of course being a reckless 19 year old on 600cc supersport, you would never guess what happened! I crashed it haha. I went into a decreasing radius turn too fast, panicked when I realized it, and being a novice rider, in over my head, with a lot of bad habits and a bike that was too big for me, I pulled the front brake mid-lean. The bike did exactly what you'd expect it to, and straightened right up, throwing me over the handlebars. Fortunately, I highsided into a grassy ditch. Unfortunately, the bike did too, right on top of me. The rear brake lever landed right on my ankle, and pinned me under the bike. The only reason I can still walk normally is because my riding boots did their job. (Wear your gear guys!) Anyways, the CBR was totalled, and while I would frequently rent or borrow bikes to scratch that riding itch, it took me several years to decide to buy another bike. I ended up buying a new Ninja 300 when they first came out, and became a much better rider on it. It is a fantastic bike to learn or improve your skills on. But eventually the urge for more power won out, and I fell in love with the Triumph triple from my very first ride on a friend's old Street Triple. I purchased a brand new 2014 Diablo Red Daytona 675, and was in love. I've been riding that Daytona 675 for the last four years and enjoyed every minute of it, but as much as I loved that bike, I had just sold my car upon I moving to Los Angeles (can't stand traffic), and I now needed something a little more commuter friendly. I knew I wanted another Triumph triple, so last month I traded her in for a brand new 2018 Phantom Black Street Triple 765 RS, figuring the downgrade in performance for the additional comfort would be worth the tradeoff. Boy was I surprised to find my new 765 was an upgrade over my Daytona in almost every way that mattered. The updated features over my Daytona, especially the ride modes and TFT display, have been awesome, but it's the effortless ride, confidence inspiring handling, and a flickability that reminds me of my old Ninja 300 that has me completely in love with this Street Triple like no other bike I have ever owned. It brings back that giddy feeling of riding my very first bike. I'm in love all over again! While the Daytona was an amazing bike, and still my favorite sport bike of all time (can't wait to see what they do with the 765 Daytona), it wasn't exactly the greatest bike in the world for daily city commuting. With my Street Triple, I feel like I've got the best of both worlds (while getting to stay with Triumph), and I couldn't be happier! Anyways, being the tinkerer I am, I've added quite a few things to make her my own: Triumph Parts Heated grips (amazing) Flyscreen visor Frame sliders Swing arm protectors Tank pad LED rear turn indicators LRH model seat (made a big difference!) Arrow silencer Red bar end finishers, chain adjuster, paddock bobbins, gear actuator, oil cap, and dipstick Third Party Watsen (Speed Triple) front turn signals Evotech tail tidy Quad Lock handlebar mount MFW Vario Rider Footpegs (until I can find a set of Triumph rear sets) HIKARI Ultra LED Headlight Bulbs (very difficult install, but look fantastic) Motocomposites carbon fiber; heel guards, radiator guards, and rear hugger Coming Soon Proper rearsets to replace the MFW Varios Probably a few more Motocomposites carbon fiber bits haha And here's a couple of older pics of the new 765 and my old Daytona. I'll post some updated pics soon.
Now, THAT’S how to make an entrance, great intro, story AND pics. All you lurkers and potential new members please take note Well done, we’ve all (well I have) had a spill like you describe but I admire your way of dealing with it and wish you many happy miles on that beautiful bike.
Thanks Yorkshireman hahaha. I try not to treat these intros as an obligation, but a chance to have a little fun
As for the spill, it definitely left me scarred a little mentally, which is why it took several years to build up the courage to buy my next bike. I started on something smaller for my second bike, and it was the best decision I ever made regarding riding. I don't want to open the hornets nest discussing the propper bike for an inexperienced rider, but I will say that I learned more on that Ninja in the first two or three months, than the entire time I owned my CBR600. Anecdotal evidence, sure. But there's some sound reasoning behind why that is. I also had way more fun on it!
Thanks man! Always get really nervous and stressed out whenever I make a big purchase, but I was giddy with excitement as soon as I rode off the lot, and that excitement hasn't died off yet
Good morning and welcome in. Great introduction by the way. Remember to always ride safe and enjoy your ride!
Thank your kind greetings everyone! I'm not new to forums by any means, but this is certainly the warmest welcome I have ever received on a new forum! It seems you guys have a great community and I think I'm going to like it here haha
Mikwehttam Welcome to the Family. Great intro and those pictures will buy you loads of points on here. Its not that we are warm or friendly. We are all a bit loco. Just ask our Nursey when she brings the meds. Like you I have had a few spills. Things like a crushed spine fractured scull shoulder sockets pulled out and fractured shoulder. Many scars to my legs and even had to have a couple of veins removed due to leaking. But I was born to ride and I will do exactly that till my good Lord says Joe that it. I even got back on my bike and rode to A&E with my right knee cap virtually hanging off once. Ride Safe Joe.
Hello Mik and welcome to the forum Great intro and bike. Eldest daughter had a couple of years in LA or should I say a suburb I think it was called ‘Beechwood’ which was just under the BIG Hollywood sign.
Yikes! I'm sorry to hear that Joe. It's certainly a dangerous sport, and anyone telling people otherwise is doing them a grave disservice! But it's absolutely worth the risk, and with diligence and care the risks can be largely mitigated. It certainly takes a different skill set when navigating the streets on a bike, especially when cages pretend you don't even exist. I was taught to be a very defensive driver when I learned to drive a car, and that translated well to riding. Especially here in LA, where everyone seems dead set on trying to kill me haha. Like you, nothing will keep me off two wheels. Thanks for the warm welcome and sharing your story, and ride safe as well!