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Gearbag
GEARBAG: Triumph Motorcycle Accessories
Ken “Hawkeye” Glassman spruces up his Triumph America with some quality accessories.
The light bar is a classic cruiser option that not only looks cool, but is a safety feature. (Photo: Ken "Hawkey" Glassman)
Motorcyclists all have one thing in common . . . they are always upgrading and adding accessories to their bikes. It is estimated that over 70% of all new motorcycle buyers will add accessories to their motorcycles in the first six months of ownership. And most will keep on buying more goodies each year while they still own the bike. With automobiles that percentage is around 12%. Personally, I must have owned over 30 cars in my life, but I’ve never bought an aftermarket exhaust system, new wheels, or have added any performance parts or chrome doo-dads on any of them. Not so with my motorcycles.
Sportbike riders usually look for lighter weight performance parts, and upgrades, while cruiser riders usually go for exhaust systems, new paint, and chrome bling . . . lot’s of bling. It’s part of personalizing your ride, and making it suit your own special needs and desires. Your bike is a reflection on you, and you want it the way you want it. It’s that simple.
Last year I bought a Triumph America. In order to make the stock bike suitable for a long tour, I put a few accessories on the America, and they all were excellent additions, and made the trip much easier. This year, I added a few more.
All the parts that were added were Triumph’s own parts. I always like having parts that are from the manufacturer’s own catalogue, if possible. Triumph has a reputation for building quality motorcycles, and that means that they are very careful about maintaining that quality image. Any accessory part that they sell for their bikes, must meet their same exacting standards as the stock parts on their motorcycles. Most other manufacturers operate the same way. Below is a description of all the various parts that I’ve put on my bike, their price, and a review of how they have worked now that I’ve had a chance to live with them for a while.
1. Quick Release Summer Screen: I’ve always had a windshield on my cruiser bikes. It makes a huge difference to keep the wind blast off your torso when spending long hours in the saddle, especially at speed Triumph’s shield is wide enough to do that, but short enough to be able to look over while riding. I also find it very handy to be able to take the shield off in seconds, especially on those very hot days we’ve experienced this summer, so that you get more cooling when going down the road, especially on slow surface streets. The Lexan Polycarbonate shield is optically pure, has an abrasion resistant Quantum coating, and has good looking chrome hardware, so it dresses up the bike quite nicely. The shield costs $389, and you ca add another $149 for the chrome Mounting Kit. A moderately handy owner can install this item.
2. Short Sissy Bar Backrest and Rack Kit: Having a sissy bar backrest is always a big plus for taking a passenger. I know that my wife feels safer and more secure, and she doesn’t feel the need to have a death grip around my waist when she’s back there. It also provides for a lot more mounting options when carrying luggage on the Rack Kit, or on the pillion pad. And having that Rack Kit allows having a bag mounted on the back when riding two–up, or adding a bag to the pillion seat when traveling alone. The Backrest is $259.99 and the rack is rack is an additional $129.99. A moderately handy owner can install these two items.
3. b>Large Leather Saddlebags: Triumph’s slanted bags are handsome and each one has an 18-liter capacity, which means they will hold a lot of your stuff. The chrome buckles hide quick release buckles, and I really appreciate the Velcro closures at the forward and trailing edges of each bag, to keep water out. I was surprised at how weather resistant they were when caught in a downpour on the road, and all my gear remained dry. The only complaint I have is that the top of the bags deform a little bit even though they have a firm plastic liner.
The bags sell for $589.00, and are easily installed.
4. “Chrome Line” Rider Footboard Kit: Normally, I prefer pegs to floorboards, but boards are much more comfortable for long trips. Triumph offers two styles, one with chrome trim running down the middle, and the other without. I opted for the chrome trimmed ones since they looked cooler and were only $20 more. They are nicely shaped and accommodate a riding boot nicely. Also, the board’s position doesn’t affect lean angle more than a degree or two. They cost $249, plus $109.99 for the mounting kit. Adding the floorboards also makes the shifter into a heel/toe affair, which I’ve gotten used to. But the shifter lever is still properly positioned so that it can be used easily for both up and down shifts if you choose.
5. Hi Flow Chrome Silencers: I am not a fan of loud pipes, but the stock America is very quiet, almost appliance like. So I wanted something that would create a nice mellow sound without scaring dogs and small children. I was very apprehensive about installing new pipes without having heard them, but I took a leap of faith with Triumph that they weren’t going to sell an exhaust system that would transform their sophisticated motorcycle into some outlaw biker noisemaker. And I was right. Now the America has a nice burble at idle, and a throaty sound when hard on the accelerator, but it is a sound that the rider hears, and not the whole neighborhood. Another advantage of buying an exhaust system from the manufacturer is that they have tested them and developed the exact correct new fuel map profile which the dealer downloaded into the ECU to make the new pipes work seamlessly and most efficiently. And the new pipes also gave me a few more horses and torque. They’re great. The cost is $429.99
6. Engine Dresser Bars and Highway Pegs: These are sometimes called “crash bars”, but I was not worried about crash protection. I got the bars to be able to mount adjustable Highway Pegs so that on long rides I’d have a place to put my feet and stretch out my legs. The chrome bars easily bolt on and the pegs bolt to the bars. They look good and work beautifully. The Dresser Bars cost $199.99 and the pegs, with the Triumph logo, cost $84.00.
7. Auxiliary Lamp Kit: The light bar is a classic cruiser option that not only looks cool, but is a safety feature. I’ve been riding more at night, to escape the intense heat of the day this summer, and the extra lights make riding at night easier on these old eyes to see what’s up ahead. But I leave them on all the time (they do have a separate on/off switch) because studies show that it is easier for oncoming traffic to both see and gauge the distance between them and you. That could save your life in at an intersection when a car might suddenly turn in front of you because they thought you were farther away, or didn’t see you at all. This installation is a bit involved with the wiring, so you may want to have your dealer install it for you. The cost is $329.99 and worth every penny.
So there you have it. I’ve been thoroughly satisfied with all the genuine Triumph accessories I’ve added to my motorcycle. I’m finished for this year, but I’ve got a few more items on my wish list, but they’ll have to wait for next season. So I urge you to check the manufacturer’s catalogue first, before you look to other suppliers. That way you’ll know the parts you’re getting will be high quality. They may cost a bit more, but quality usually does.
CLICK HERE to see all of the accessory photos
Sportbike riders usually look for lighter weight performance parts, and upgrades, while cruiser riders usually go for exhaust systems, new paint, and chrome bling . . . lot’s of bling. It’s part of personalizing your ride, and making it suit your own special needs and desires. Your bike is a reflection on you, and you want it the way you want it. It’s that simple.
Last year I bought a Triumph America. In order to make the stock bike suitable for a long tour, I put a few accessories on the America, and they all were excellent additions, and made the trip much easier. This year, I added a few more.
All the parts that were added were Triumph’s own parts. I always like having parts that are from the manufacturer’s own catalogue, if possible. Triumph has a reputation for building quality motorcycles, and that means that they are very careful about maintaining that quality image. Any accessory part that they sell for their bikes, must meet their same exacting standards as the stock parts on their motorcycles. Most other manufacturers operate the same way. Below is a description of all the various parts that I’ve put on my bike, their price, and a review of how they have worked now that I’ve had a chance to live with them for a while.
1. Quick Release Summer Screen: I’ve always had a windshield on my cruiser bikes. It makes a huge difference to keep the wind blast off your torso when spending long hours in the saddle, especially at speed Triumph’s shield is wide enough to do that, but short enough to be able to look over while riding. I also find it very handy to be able to take the shield off in seconds, especially on those very hot days we’ve experienced this summer, so that you get more cooling when going down the road, especially on slow surface streets. The Lexan Polycarbonate shield is optically pure, has an abrasion resistant Quantum coating, and has good looking chrome hardware, so it dresses up the bike quite nicely. The shield costs $389, and you ca add another $149 for the chrome Mounting Kit. A moderately handy owner can install this item.
2. Short Sissy Bar Backrest and Rack Kit: Having a sissy bar backrest is always a big plus for taking a passenger. I know that my wife feels safer and more secure, and she doesn’t feel the need to have a death grip around my waist when she’s back there. It also provides for a lot more mounting options when carrying luggage on the Rack Kit, or on the pillion pad. And having that Rack Kit allows having a bag mounted on the back when riding two–up, or adding a bag to the pillion seat when traveling alone. The Backrest is $259.99 and the rack is rack is an additional $129.99. A moderately handy owner can install these two items.
3. b>Large Leather Saddlebags: Triumph’s slanted bags are handsome and each one has an 18-liter capacity, which means they will hold a lot of your stuff. The chrome buckles hide quick release buckles, and I really appreciate the Velcro closures at the forward and trailing edges of each bag, to keep water out. I was surprised at how weather resistant they were when caught in a downpour on the road, and all my gear remained dry. The only complaint I have is that the top of the bags deform a little bit even though they have a firm plastic liner.
The bags sell for $589.00, and are easily installed.
4. “Chrome Line” Rider Footboard Kit: Normally, I prefer pegs to floorboards, but boards are much more comfortable for long trips. Triumph offers two styles, one with chrome trim running down the middle, and the other without. I opted for the chrome trimmed ones since they looked cooler and were only $20 more. They are nicely shaped and accommodate a riding boot nicely. Also, the board’s position doesn’t affect lean angle more than a degree or two. They cost $249, plus $109.99 for the mounting kit. Adding the floorboards also makes the shifter into a heel/toe affair, which I’ve gotten used to. But the shifter lever is still properly positioned so that it can be used easily for both up and down shifts if you choose.
5. Hi Flow Chrome Silencers: I am not a fan of loud pipes, but the stock America is very quiet, almost appliance like. So I wanted something that would create a nice mellow sound without scaring dogs and small children. I was very apprehensive about installing new pipes without having heard them, but I took a leap of faith with Triumph that they weren’t going to sell an exhaust system that would transform their sophisticated motorcycle into some outlaw biker noisemaker. And I was right. Now the America has a nice burble at idle, and a throaty sound when hard on the accelerator, but it is a sound that the rider hears, and not the whole neighborhood. Another advantage of buying an exhaust system from the manufacturer is that they have tested them and developed the exact correct new fuel map profile which the dealer downloaded into the ECU to make the new pipes work seamlessly and most efficiently. And the new pipes also gave me a few more horses and torque. They’re great. The cost is $429.99
6. Engine Dresser Bars and Highway Pegs: These are sometimes called “crash bars”, but I was not worried about crash protection. I got the bars to be able to mount adjustable Highway Pegs so that on long rides I’d have a place to put my feet and stretch out my legs. The chrome bars easily bolt on and the pegs bolt to the bars. They look good and work beautifully. The Dresser Bars cost $199.99 and the pegs, with the Triumph logo, cost $84.00.
7. Auxiliary Lamp Kit: The light bar is a classic cruiser option that not only looks cool, but is a safety feature. I’ve been riding more at night, to escape the intense heat of the day this summer, and the extra lights make riding at night easier on these old eyes to see what’s up ahead. But I leave them on all the time (they do have a separate on/off switch) because studies show that it is easier for oncoming traffic to both see and gauge the distance between them and you. That could save your life in at an intersection when a car might suddenly turn in front of you because they thought you were farther away, or didn’t see you at all. This installation is a bit involved with the wiring, so you may want to have your dealer install it for you. The cost is $329.99 and worth every penny.
So there you have it. I’ve been thoroughly satisfied with all the genuine Triumph accessories I’ve added to my motorcycle. I’m finished for this year, but I’ve got a few more items on my wish list, but they’ll have to wait for next season. So I urge you to check the manufacturer’s catalogue first, before you look to other suppliers. That way you’ll know the parts you’re getting will be high quality. They may cost a bit more, but quality usually does.
CLICK HERE to see all of the accessory photos
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