Since 2017, rumors and spy shots have been floating around about Triumph’s new 250cc to 750cc small bikes in partnership with Indian motorcycle manufacturer Bajaj and we have more information. Interestingly Triumph has just announced their 2024 Triumph 250cc and 2025 Triumph 450cc motocross bikes and MXGP, M2 and Motocross Championships. Today’s Inspiration Friday: Triumph Enters SuperMotocross 250 & 450cc. Inspiration Friday week #228 will be quite the interesting article to read and give you insights into what lies ahead for Triumph and motorcycling.
Plus an update from last week’s Inspiration Friday: Era of Carbon Neutrality week #227 with Triumph announcing testing of E40 and E100 fuels for a greener future with E40 gas in 2024 (yes, 1 year away!) and E100 100% non-gas in 2027 (just 4 years away). I 100% know my 2013 Guzzi will not run well (if at all) on E40 and won’t run on E100; what about your bike?
So a day packed full of Triumph information to inspire you to read and learn more about the future of motorcycling… Enjoy and don’t forget to support us as the recession of 2023 starts to take hold, we really could use the help as Ad rates (our only source of revenue) shrink. Thank you!
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TRIUMPH RACING TO ENTER SUPERMOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Triumph Motorcycles will enter the SuperMotocross World Championship at the start of the 2024 season, with the single-minded ambition and commitment to develop a championship winning team.
Triumph consulted Global Off-Road Ambassador Ricky Carmichael to achieve the vision. With the input from the greatest Supercross & Motocross racer of all time, Triumph has assembled a veteran team of managers with championship winning experience to helm the all-new United States based Triumph factory race team. The US motocross program, operating under the all-new global Triumph Racing banner, will be led by Team Principal Bobby Hewitt and Team Manager Stephen ‘Scuba’ Westfall. The team will be located at a dedicated new state-of-the-art private race facility in the USA.
The new Triumph Racing Factory Team will field its all-new Triumph 250cc 4-stroke MX bikes in the 2024 SuperMotocross World Championship, which is comprised of the Monster Energy Supercross World Championship and the Pro Motocross Championship, with three season-ending SuperMotocross rounds. For the 2025 season Triumph will additionally field its new 450cc bike in the SuperMotocross World Championship.
Further demonstrating the team’s commitment to success, Hewitt has recruited a pair of legendary engineers to develop the team’s motorcycles. AMA Hall of Fame inductee Dave Arnold joins the team as Lead Chassis Engineer and Dudley Cramond joins as Lead Powertrain Engineer, each bringing incredible technical experience and talent to the team. All members of the team have an enviable history of success at the Pro and top Amateur level, with a racing record that speaks for itself, and together with Triumph share the long-term vision and commitment to deliver the highest level of success in racing competition.
The US based Triumph Racing Team, along with the recently announced Triumph Racing team based in Europe created in partnership with Thierry Chizat-Suzzoni, will both collaborate with the Triumph Factory. The latter team will compete in the FIM Motocross World Championship, with entry into the 250cc MX2 class in 2024, and the 450cc MXGP class in 2025. Both teams will be backed by a dedicated in-house off-road design engineering department within Triumph Global Headquarters in Hinckley, UK. where all the brand’s research, design, engineering development and prototype builds are located. Engineering teams from the Triumph factory and both new race teams have been working closely together on enhancing chassis and engine performance through an intensive testing schedule underway in the USA, UK, and mainland Europe.
Both race teams have been working on joint testing of the new Triumph motocross bikes. They’re sharing key data and rider feedback on the specifications, performance characteristics, and components with the Factory engineering group responsible for the concept and development of the powertrains and chassis for the all-new MX and dual sport motorcycle range. The insights of this race development information are being fed directly into each model of new Triumph motocross range. Additional launch details of the new Triumph off-road range will be made public in the near future.
This new team competing in the SuperMotocross World Championship is a significant addition to the Triumph Racing worldwide portfolio. Triumph Racing, which is based at the Triumph Global Headquarters in Hinckley, UK also features Triumph as the exclusive engine raced in the FIM Moto2™ World Championship and includes Triumph powered teams competing in Supersport racing.
Further information about the Triumph Racing entry into the Monster Energy AMA SuperMotocross World Championship, with the 250cc bike in 2024 and the 450cc bike in 2025, will be announced next year.
Nick Bloor – CEO, Triumph:
“Following close on the heels of our recent announcement to enter the FIM Motocross World Championship in 2024, today’s launch of Triumph’s partnership with the incredibly talented team of Bobby and Scuba in the all-new Monster Energy AMA SuperMotocross World Championship continues our journey to the top tier of off-road competition and racing. I have no doubt, knowing the experience and capability shared between our dedicated in-house design and engineering teams, and Bobby’s hand selected team of racing experts, that this partnership will make an indelible mark on the history of this incredible sport and Triumph’s illustrious brand.”
Bobby Hewitt – Team Principal, Triumph Racing, Supercross & Motocross:
“I always knew I would eventually get back into racing but to be able to do it with an iconic brand like Triumph, and to be able to help build this US Triumph Racing team from the ground up is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Triumph Motorcycles have been a part of my family growing up and to have them now decide to enter into professional off-road racing is a tremendous opportunity for our sport and a testament to the growth of the motorcycle industry overall in America. I am also very fortunate to be able to work with Scuba (Steve Westfall) again and add the experience of Dave (Dave Arnold) and Dudley (Dudley Cramond) to our team. I am honored to be working alongside everyone at the factory in Hinckley and cannot wait to get back to the racetrack in 2024 with our new team and compete for an SMX World Championship!”
Ricky Carmichael – Global Off-Road Ambassador, Triumph:
“It is great to take this next step in announcing our US Triumph Racing Team. Bobby’s success in our sport as a championship team owner speaks for itself. The team he has assembled is already working with the factory in Hinckley during these final stages of development. They are some of the best people to have worked in our paddock and this shows the level of commitment, across the board, in this effort to compete for the SMX World Championship. I look forward to working with Bobby and the entire team when we go racing in 2024.”
Jeremy Appleton – Global Racing Manager, Triumph:
“Confirming Triumph’s entry into the SuperMotocross World Championship in 2024 here today is a huge step. Announcing Bobby Hewitt, as Team Principal for Triumph Racing to oversee Supercross and Motocross is a clear demonstration of the level of ambition we have in our approach to going racing at the pinnacle of dirt bike competition. Bobby and Steve ‘Scuba’ Westfall have proved that they know how to win and revealing Dave Arnold, an industry AMA Hall of Fame legend in chassis development and Dudley Cramond, with over 25 years of experience of building race winning engines brings the highest level of experience and expertise possible to Triumph. Ultimately, Triumph is focused on building a bike and a racing program to win and we believe this is the team to achieve that goal. The input that Ricky is having into the project is enormously valuable and our thanks are also due to Dave Prater and his team, Tim Cotter from MX Sports Pro Racing, Mike Pelletier and all at the American Motorcyclist Association for their welcome and all their help and support; we look forward to racing with them from January 2024.”
Dave Prater – Vice President, Supercross, Feld Motor Sports:
“We are excited to have a manufacturer with the rich history and racing heritage Triumph has, invest in the SuperMotocross World Championship. Triumph has proven they can enter a new racing category with incredible success. They have recently redefined the Moto2 World Championship class with an amazing reliability record. We believe Triumph will quickly make a positive impact on the sport.”
Tim Cotter – Sr Director of MX Sports and MX Sports Pro Racing:
“The announcement by Triumph Motorcycles, to return to the American motocross racing and sporting environment, marks one of the most exciting additions to these programs in the modern competition era. Triumph enjoys a prestigious position in the history of the sport of professional and amateur motorcycle competitions in the US, and this new announcement brings with it the deserved anticipation and high expectations of an excited American motorcycle racing community. It’s an honor for our company to welcome the return of Triumph Motorcycles and to look forward, with great anticipation, as they take on the world’s best riders and teams, on the best tracks, riding against the best assortment of motorcycle brands ever assembled in the history of our sport.”
Mike Pelletier – Director of Racing, American Motorcyclist Association:
“It’s rare when a major manufacturer – especially one with such distinguished competition history over the decades – joins our sport’s premier racing series. I can’t tell you how excited I am – and the AMA is – to welcome Triumph to AMA Supercross, Pro Motocross and SuperMotocross for 2024. I’ve developed a great relationship with Triumph’s newly appointed Team Principal Bobby Hewitt and Team Manager Steve Westfall over the years, and it’s been a pleasure working with Triumph from the very beginning of its path to professional Supercross and Motocross. Triumph’s racing history is monumental, and we can’t wait to watch the newest chapter unfold during the 2024 season and beyond.”
Not Just The Roadster, Triumph And Bajaj Are Working On A Scrambler Too
by Praveen M @ Zigwheels
(From 2023): Along with Triumph and Bajaj’s first roadster, a scrambler motorcycle has also been spotted for the first time. This will be Triumph’s take on the scrambler segment that’s been garnering renewed interest of late.
A major distinction between the roadster-styled Triumph Bajaj 350 and the Triumph Bajaj Scrambler lies in the underpinnings. The Scrambler comes with a larger 19-inch front wheel, in contrast to the smaller 17-inch unit in the Triumph Bajaj 350. The rear wheels of both bikes are 17-inch units. In the scrambler, the alloys are wrapped in block pattern Metzeler Karoo Street tyres, which, coupled with the larger front wheel, should make it perfect for light trails. Oh, and for added protection, the bike also features a headlight guard, knuckle guards, and a bash plate.
One of the test mules even featured a flyscreen, braced handlebar, front fender beak, and a tail rack. Triumph has equipped the bike with easy-to-reach handlebars, serrated footpegs, and a split-seat setup, making it trail-friendly. It gets a TFT instrument cluster, so expect it to be smartphone-compatible and support navigation, at least as an option.
The motorcycle will be powered by the same single-cylinder liquid-cooled engine as the roadster. Expect the displacement to be somewhere around 350cc-400cc, and if we’re lucky, Triumph could tweak the final ratios for better performance off the road. The motorcycle also features twin vertically stacked upswept exhausts for a sporty look.
The Triumph Bajaj Scrambler could cost Rs 25,000 more than the roadster, putting its expected price tag at Rs 2.50 lakh (ex-showroom). Triumph might launch the motorcycle alongside the roadster, likely in early 2023. It will help establish the bikemaker in the fast-growing sub-500cc scrambler segment. Currently, the only affordable scrambler/scrambler-style motorcycles available in India are the Husqvarna Svartpilen 250, Honda CB350RS, and the recently launched Yezdi Scrambler.
Riding with Bajaj, Triumph hopes to win over India
(From 2017): MUMBAI: British premium motorcycle maker Triumph expects the partnership with Bajaj Auto to more than double its global business and make India its largest market. The maker of Tiger off-road bikes, growing at a compounded annual growth rate of over 20% with sales of over 64,000 units at the end of 2016, expects mid-sized motorcycles planned for India and other emerging markets to bring in incremental sales of 1,00,000 bikes.
The finer elements of the formal agreement with Bajaj Auto is being discussed and it is likely to be signed soon, Triumph Motorcycles’ chief commercial officer Paul Stroud told ET. India currently accounts for merely 2% of Triumph’s global volume of 64,300 units. But Stroud believes India may well turn out to be the largest market for the brand once the tie-up is institutionalised. “The partnership with Bajaj will enable us to become a bigger brand within the country more quickly. You could be talking about a scenario where Triumph goes from selling 1,200 motorcycles today to volumes that are north of 1,00,000 units, which is a significant scale. That is the power of the opportunity,” said Stroud.
Triumph had earlier mooted a 250cc bike on its own and was, in fact, in the final stages of acquiring a land in Karnataka, but it decided to opt for a partnership instead of going solo. “It allows you to hit the market quicker. You are sharing investment, you are sharing knowledge, you are both bringing major strengths to the partnership. It is by leveraging strength of both the partners that you become a powerful force,” Stroud said. He said Triumph will focus on the above 500cc segment, and the partnership with Bajaj will focus on the mid-sized 250cc to 700cc bikes.
The first product from the partnership may hit the market in 2020 and is likely to be positioned in the middle of the 8.5-lakh-unit-a-year midsized motorcycle segment. A concept of the joint project has almost been firmed up and it is likely to be a singlecylinder 500cc bike, according to several people in the know.
The mid-sized motorcycles space is the fastest-growing segment in India, with volumes increasing 25% annually. Royal Enfield is the market leader with a share of about 76%, followed by Bajaj-KTM with a 21% share.
Stroud is non-committal on the specifics of products or the arrangement with Bajaj Auto, but says Triumph can contribute to styling, design and engineering and the Indian partner can offer knowledge on design, manufacturing of low-cost motorcycles and supply chain, besides providing a manufacturing base for premium motorcycles in India. “If you come out with those things together, it is a very compelling proposition. We are certainly very excited about it and so is Bajaj,” he said. Triumph’s partnership with Bajaj comes in the wake of its strong performance in India. It has sold over 4,500 bikes since its entry in 2013, achieving a market share of 15% and becoming a serious challenger to Harley-Davidson. It currently has 14 outlets, with three more lined up in the coming year.
Outside of the partnership with Bajaj Auto, it intends to assemble 90% of its portfolio in India by the middle of next year as it gathers momentum in the 500cc and above markets.
TRIUMPH TESTING SUSTAINABLE FUELS FOR A GREENER AND CLEANER FUTURE
Working in partnership with Dorna, this project has been set up to deliver a move to E40 fuel in the Moto2 World Championship by 2024, with a focus on a transition to E100 by 2027.
Sustainable fuel testing to date has encompassed all dimensions of race engine performance development, where Triumph is the sole engine supplier to Moto2, to ensure the new fuel standard is not only competitive but will also continue to deliver the exciting triple powered, torque rich, record breaking performance that the riders love.
Hand-in-hand with developments in electric motorcycle technology, demonstrated by Triumph’s TE-1 prototype, and the ongoing efforts on reducing carbon and other emissions beyond current European and worldwide legislation, this sustainable fuels development programme further underlines Triumph’s focus on ensuring that motorcycling can continue to be enjoyed responsibly by riders and fans for many years to come.
Steve Sargent, Chief Product Officer: “Ultimately, our aim is always to take all the learnings we gain from racing to make our road bikes even better, which of course encompasses not just performance but also their impact on the environment. I can tell you that everybody here at Triumph is very excited to be involved in such significant developments at such a pivotal moment in motorcycle history.”
