Took a 2017 Trophy for a test ride - the gearbox felt quite stiff.

[themusicalduck]

Hi all,

I come to you as a potential soon to be Trophy owner. I've tried a number of touring bikes and so far the Trophy is my favourite contender.

I tested a 2017 model with 8k miles on it a few days ago. My first impression was very good, although it was a bit different to what I'm used to (particularly with brakes and suspension, I'm used to more sportier bikes).

However one thing I wasn't keen on was the stiffness of the gearbox. Compared to my Honda it was quite a lot of effort to change gear and I felt my foot getting tired after some time riding around town. My Honda is 14 years old and has 51k miles on it, yet the gearbox is still smooth and very easy to shift.

Is this a normal thing for Triumphs? Could it be that the dealership hadn't adjusted the clutch or kept the oil topped up? It's probably something I could get used to, but I don't want to buy it finding out I bought a lemon because the gearbox has somehow been damaged.

I'm going to bring it up with the dealers and see what they say, but I wanted some owner opinions too.

Thank you!

[trophied]

Could be that the linkage/lever needs servicing.  There is a discussion on here about the lever needing lubrication and the bolt securing it being bent/broken due to the bike being on it's side and damaging it on the brake lever and shift lever.  I took mine off and lubed it with silicone lube since it's waterproof, and it shifts much easier, it was completely dry.  It's not hard to do and doesn't even require the removal of body panels and probably should be a yearly maintenance issue if the bike hasn't been dropped.  If it's been down, it might be a good idea to replace the bolt and relubricate things even if it isn't broken as a precaution, lest you be doing it on the side of the road somewhere.  I DO carry spares, and they're not expensive, just in case something happens that would normally strand me.

[themusicalduck]

Thanks trophied.

I had a feeling it wasn't normal. The dealership told me on the phone that it was, but I'm not too certain about that. They didn't tell me if it had been dropped or not, certainly I couldn't see any other damage on it.

While looking around I've found a bike going for not very much more but with less miles (only 1500 total in fact). It's a bit further from me but I'm thinking of making the journey on the train and picking that one up instead.

[Saddle Tramp]

That was going to be my suggestion as well.
By test riding a second Trophy, you will be able to compare two similar bikes, rather than a Trophy vs. your current bike.

Good luck with your decision! 

[Verdun95]

Welcome aboard  and good luck in your quest

[atrophy]

Triumph recommends oil changes at 10,000 miles.  I find the bike shifts easier after an oil change.  Since the bike has 8,000 miles on it I would suspect the oil needs changed.

Dealers' answer to everything.... "They all do that."

[1675]

Get them to remove the gear lever and adjuster rod and clean all the joints then reassemble with grease on all 3 areas (1 x pivot and 2 x rose joints). Im sure it will cure the stiffness. Just because an item is not on a manufacturers service schedule doesn't mean it won't benefit from a dose of looking at now and again.

[Wilko]

Originally Posted by 1675

Get them to remove the gear lever and adjuster rod and clean all the joints then reassemble with grease on all 3 areas (1 x pivot and 2 x rose joints). Im sure it will cure the stiffness. Just because an item is not on a manufacturers service schedule doesn't mean it won't benefit from a dose of looking at now and again.

Welcome themusicalduck

1675, I though that the lubricant of the gear lever WAS on the service list, obviously I stand to be corrected, but I always do mine, about every six months as the bike unfortunately has to live out doors for the time being.