Noob with eye on Trophy...

[BusaRider007]

Hello and thanks for the great info made available here. I'm a long time rider looking for my first foray into a touring bike. I have several other bikes including a 1999/2000 (titled as 2000....but really a 1999) Speed triple.

Long story short. The wife had a ton of surgery and can't ride 2 up on the sports bikes any longer. I bought a side car bike and that just gives her anxiety attacks. She can deal with 15 minutes trips but freaks out at night....My last ditch effort for her to ride is a touring bike. The short list includes:

Triumph Trophy
BMW R1200RT
Harley Road Glide

I'll be home in about 2 weeks and will buy the bike when I am home. Until then I will just keep reading........

[cropbiker]

Hi Busarider.... welcome to the forum.... hope we can help you with your deliberations.

Lots of people with plenty of experience and ability to offer advice in here so ask away.

As the ride is aimed at giving your wife a better pillion ride then you might want to seek out a few pillions and ask them direct....

One of of our longest pillion members is miss ticketyboo who I know will be more than happy to offer advice from the perspective of the back seat!

[1150newguy]

My wife likes the Trophy better than our RT and so do I. She claims a smoother ride both in vibration and suspension departments. She claims better wind protection also. We have been doing this for 37 years so I respect her input. The Triumph feels better than the RT at low speeds and tight turn situations. Trophy in the garage, RT went down the road.

[Verdun95]

Hi BusaRider, Welcome to the Club 
Hope the Trophy will be good for your wife, I wish her the very best! 
I don't know if it will be of any help but before riding the TRophy we had a Honda ST 1100, which has, as you know, a pretty good reputation when it comes to comfort, I can tell you that my Better Half has found the Trophy to be more comfortable than the ST. For me it says it all!
But I guess nothing will replace a road test.

[Coconut]

Hi BusaRider007,

I guess if the decision rests with "the other half", then the sensible thing to do is to Test Ride each one.

The Harley looks like it has a nice comfortable seat for the Pillion, but you can't really tell unless you sit on it.

When taking the Trophy out, see if you can get one with the Top Box fitted,
and which has the extra Seat Pad backrest fitted - as this could make all the difference in comfort 

[smg id=581]

[cropbiker]

Yes.... My partner is normally a useless pillion.... Being a biker himself he tries to control it from the rear if he pillions...

This was the first bike he has pillioned on where he has got off it saying he felt comfortable and at ease and could relax and enjoy the ride.... I am certain the top box and back pad were a major contribution to that....

[w8d4it]

Welcome to the Forum I think of the 3 bikes you cite the Trophy is the clear choice.  But much as I am a Triumph fanatic if your wife's condition makes her comfort paramount you may want to consider a Gold Wing.  Most comfortable pillion ride I've ever  seen

[Roger]

I had an RT1150, within 3 miles of the wife being on the Trophy she said it was a LOT better

So buy one in silver and all will be well !

Roger