Triumph Thunderbird Storm the seat is amazingly low

2011 Triumph Thunderbird Storm First Image

The Storm’s rumpty-rump 270-degree crank spins two balance shafts, but with two fist-sized forged slugs flailing about between your legs, you have to expect a little movement. Don’t get me wrong, I like the frequency of vibe this bike produces. It’s more velveteen sledgehammer than buzz. Twist the throttle and you can nearly count the blows, like a young Pele kicking your seat-back on an international flight. Anyway, for all I know the Storm may run perfectly smooth, but the big parallel-twin has such a guilty-pleasure roll-on I found myself constantly rowing the twistgrip back and forth just to feel the hit.

Triumph Thunderbird Storm
That 200mm-wide rear Metzeler...

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Triumph Thunderbird Storm
That 200mm-wide rear Metzeler is big enough to get the point across, but not so large that it inhibits handling. There’s a pillion seat and pegs, but this bad bird is meant to fly solo.
The motion of those two 103.8mm pistons is never far from mind, and neither are the footpegs. With no frame cradle, that great liquid-cooled lump of a motor dangles just inches from the asphalt. The slightest bit of frisky riding decks a peg or your boot heel, but within those limits the Storm handles well enough. At 27.5 inches, the seat is amazingly low; even my short legs proved long enough to put my feet flat on the ground at stops.

2011 Triumph Thunderbird Storm Side View

2011 Triumph Thunderbird Storm First Look

2011 Triumph Thunderbird Storm