Considering the Trophy....a few questions

[missinginaction]

First post from a new member here.  A little background.  I started riding 8 years ago (took the MSF course) at the age of 52.  Have logged about 15,000 miles.   An instructor advised me to look at smaller bikes to start and I listened. The problem for me, I'm pretty tall, 6'1" with a 34" inseam.  I bought a 2008 Yamaha Wr250X thinking I'd keep it for a year or two and then buy a larger bike.  That was 8 years ago.  For commuting and rides of 100 miles or less my little bike is ideal.  The advice I got from my MSF instructor was spot on, you can make beginners mistakes on a 300 lb bike, learn from them and move on. 
I'm pushing 60 now and would like to do some cross country travel.  I've done a few trips by car over the years from New York out to Yellowstone and Glacier NP.  I'd like to spend some time in the Rockies on a bike in a year or two.  The question of course is what bike?  A second issue is that my little Yamaha is the only bike I've ever ridden so I'm a little intimidated about the prospect of these much larger bikes.  That said most of my friends can't even mount my bike with it's 35+" seat height.  I can flat foot it.

I'm impressed with Yamaha's reliability (aside from routine maintenance and a couple of set of tires I've had zero issues) but I can't get excited about their touring offerings.  I'm looking for a relatively light weight bike and thus far the Trophy and the BMW R1200RT are the only two bikes that appeal to me. 

I notice in these forums that a lot of people complain about a high center of gravity on the Trophy.  I'm thinking that would not be so much of an issue for someone like me, being used to riding high up in an upright position? 

I'm also wondering about reliability.  Yamaha has me spoiled.  The nearest Triumph dealer is about 90 miles away from me.  Over the years I've found that well maintained machinery is generally trouble free but I'm not looking forward to trailering a bike back to the dealer for issues.

I realize I'll need to ride both bikes to get a feel for them and I also realize that there might be a little bias here in favor of the Triumph but I thought I'd ask anyway.  Thanks in advance for any opinions that you might want to share.

Best Regards,

Missinginaction

[w8d4it]

Where in Upstate NY are you?

[missinginaction]

We're up near Albany.  There used to be a Triumph dealer in Albany (Spitzies) but they dropped the line and now just carry Harley Davidson.  I'm just not a Harley guy. 

[nervouswreck]

MIA,  I have ridden  BMW RTs since 96 and will always say they are fine motorcycles.   
Last year I test rode both the 14 RT and a 13 TTSE back to back and I liked the Trophy a little better due to the feel of the motor, love the low end torque, not to mention the price difference.   Apparently some think the Triumph is top heavy, I do not.   It feels pretty light , to me, as soon as the wheels begin to move so that is not an issue with me (5' 8").   In fact I don't have any issues with the TTSE at all.   I've put over 22000 miles on it and it never fails to put a grin on my face.  If you held a gun to my head I could say it is a little noisier than the RT.  One difference I did notice was the TTSE turns into a curve much quicker than the RT, something I got used to in a hurry.  I have had a couple of small issues but nothing that left me sit where I couldn't ride it.   One was a radio software upgrade and a throttle sensor, both fixed while being serviced.   The dealer did replace the head on mine because it fell in the VIN# area for the upgraded head, I don't really notice much difference.    That being said you just have to ride both machines and decide for yourself.    You won't go wrong with either bike but I am betting you will like the Triumph better after the test, it happens to everyone after a test ride.   Good luck with whatever you buy.

[azgman]

You might want to consider a Yamaha FJ-09. If I rode one up exclusively, it would be my choice. Light, reliable, plenty of power and cheap compared to the Trophy or RT. It would be a significant step up from your current ride.

[missinginaction]

Well, I do ride one up exclusively so perhaps that Yamaha would be worth a look.  A bike like the FJ-09 would certainly work for the kind of riding I do now.  I'd have to think decide weather it would be comfortable enough on a cross country trip.  Having done these trips before on four wheels, I'd tend to stay off the interstates when I could preferring state routes that are more interesting and more relaxed to ride on.  Thank you for the suggestion I will add the FJ-09 to my list.

[cropbiker]

Hi MIA and welcome.... The Trophy is a heavyish bike but in my opinion no worse than other large touring bikes and in my opinion exceptionally well balanced so the only time you really notice the weight is when pushing it around the garage.

With regard to reliability. Yes, there have been some guys with issues, some quite serious. However in pretty much every case I think of Triumph have stepped up to the mark and resolved things well. Most of the problems have if anything been made to seem bigger issues than they were when let down by poor dealership service.

On the whole though I think there have been no more or less issues than any brand. On the whole I believe you will find the ownership experience a very pleasant one.

[kniterider]

I guess because of where I came from to get to the trophy  I don't quite get the comments about it being heavy or top heavy.. I have ridden wings Harleys and beemerswith a bunch of others thrown in between,  The wings are very heavy  over 1000 pounds  but lower heavy due to low center of gravity.  Beemers very top heavy and  EXPENSIVE to maintain if you really like to travel  PLUS FINDING a beemer dealer on the road is almost as bad finding a Harley NOT broke down on an iron butt ride.  Compare the basic maintenance charts from the dealersa for a beemer vs ANY other bike and see how often you have to put that thing down for valve adjustments and cost to do so.  The trophy is over 350 pounds lighter than my last wing and lighter than my CTX1300,, Plus there are already aftermarket items out there to lower the TTSE,, I am 60 + yrs old  with a 27 inch inseam.  and now pull a trailer with my TTSE just like I did with the wing  BUT get 50 MPG doing it vs 32 Mpg