Sports Cycle

Triumph have released details of their forthcoming 2011 Sprint GT due to land in Australia in September 2010. The new bike replaces the 1050cc Sprint ST with a move towards offering more of a complete touring package rather than trying to accommodate two different approaches.The 2011 Sprint GT is said to generate 130hp yet as with most tourers and even sports tourers, big power claims are not the name of the game here.

Instead Triumph have focussed in on offering more practical solutions with new 31 litre panniers, ABS brakes as standard, underseat storage, built in rack with well appointed grab rail, 320 plus Km fuel range (Approximate) and an optional top box capable of swallowing two full sized helmets and offering a 12 volt power supply to allow ‘on the go’ charging of electrical items such as laptops and mobile phones.

That is not to say the Sprint GT has lost the sporting edge that made the Sprint ST one of the most popular and enduring bikes in the Triumph range. As you would expect from a British machine wearing the famous Grand Tourer tag, the Sprint GT delivers outstanding real world performance in a practical and stylish package.
Chassis-wise, everything from the back of the gas tank rearward is completely new, while everything forward is largely the same, save for a few improvements that include a redesigned upper fairing and headlight array, and revised damping in the conventional right-side-up fork to reduce front-end dive when braking. Also, ABS is now standard, working with lighter brake rotors pinched by reformulated pads.

The maneuverability reduction from the longer wheelbase seems to be offset by a narrower tires and more aggressive chassis geometry. Power-to-weight ratio is much lower on the GT than the previous model, but it apparently still retains fine cornering and handling, despite the extra weight. And, of course, for the “touring” side of the sport-touring equation, the extra heft and longer wheelbase make for a steadier highway ride.