Triumph riding experience

Just got back from a sunny Silverstone where we’ve been given the chance to sample Triumph’s Riding Experience. Very nice it was, too.

It’s not a track day. That’s what track days are for. And while you do get two twenty five minute sessions on the track aboard the stonking 675, it’s more a chance to experience all Triumph’s product and improve your riding techniques.

The day is spilt into morning and afternoon sessions. £99 buys you one or the other. After the obligatory safety briefing you head out on track for twenty five minutes of swift but smooth instructor following. This works well because not only are the instructors very friendly and very good, there are only three paying punters to each instructor. This sessions lets you familiarise yourself with the bikes, the new track (Silverstone’s Stowe circuit in this case) and the levels of grip.

Then there’s the ingeniously simple figure of eight cone course which you complete in first gear. This is a really effective way for riders to appraise their clutch, throttle, brake and body positioning. It may sound a bit CBT but it was good to watch people have real eureka moments and you can learn as much from watching others as you can from actually trying it yourself.

Then to calm things down you can take any Triumph of your choice for a leisurely twenty five minute escorted road ride. I rode the new Tiger. It was nearly enough to sell me one. What a mega road bike – towering visibility, marshmallow seat and masses of low down grunt. Hated the chrome handlebars, though. There’s a bike that needs a pair of Renthal fatties from new.

We got back just in time for a circuit de-brief from the legendary Pete Boast. Pete pointed out certain aspects of the track that were likely to change for our faster second and final session.

He was spot on, too. The Stowe circuit looks really simple as a map on a blackboard but it gets much more technical as you up the pace a bit. I did about three quarters of the final session before chronic arm-pump made me head for the pit lane for a restorative cup of complimentary tea.

If your riding is rusty, you’re looking for that extra level of riding confidence or you just fancy a blast on some 010-plate Triumphs – I can’t think of a better way to spend £99.

On that note, Triumph have sold out their five Triumph Experience events this year but because demand has heftily outstripped supply they’re looking at doing more events this year. Keep your eyes on their website (and ours) for more info.

By Mark Forsyth