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I had the Triumph Trident 660 on loan when it first came out and thought then what a great bike it was, lightweight, nimble and fun to ride so when Triumph launched the Trident 800 I was eager to find out what this bike was like and if I would be taken with it the same way as I was with the 660.
Here’s a few specs for you:
- Weight: 198 kg
- Seat height: 810 mm
- 798 cc Liquid-cooled, inline 3 cylinder 12 valve, DOHC, engine
- Power: 115 PS / 113 bhp (84.6 kW) @ 10,750 rpm
- Torque: 84 Nm @ 8,500 rpm
- 6 speed
- Analogue speedometer with integrated multi-function LCD screen
- 14L fuel tank
- Michelin Road 6 tyres: Front: 120/70 R 17; Rear: 180/55 R 17
- Front suspension: Showa 41 mm upside-down BP-SFF forks, compression and rebound damping, 120 mm wheel travel
- Rear suspension: Showa monoshock (RSU), with adjustable preload and rebound damping, 130mm Wheel travel
- Front brakes: Twin, 310 mm Floating discs, 4-piston radial calipers, OCABS
- Rear brakes: Single, 220 mm fixed disc, single-piston sliding caliper, OCABS
- Exhaust: Stainless steel 3 into 1 header system with side mounted stainless steel silencer
- Three colour options: Carnival Red; Ash Grey; Jet Black
- Price: from £9,195
Engine
The Trident 800 has a 798 cc Liquid-cooled, inline 3 cylinder 12 valve, DOHC, engine pushing out 115 PS (84.6 kW) @ 10,750 rpm of power and 84 Nm @ 8,500 rpm of torque, giving you 113 bhp.
I thought the triple engine was remarkably smooth and didn’t feel any vibration, it pulls from low revs without feeling snatchy or aggressive.
The Triumph Shift Assist, or quickshifter, comes as standard on the Trident 800 and is both up and down with an auto blipper. I found the gear changes to be so smooth and effortless to use, just a slight move with the foot to change gear was all that was needed.
Chassis
The Trident 800 has a tubular steel frame with a twin sided fabricated steel subframe and a cast aluminum swingarm. On the front are Showa 41 mm upside-down BP-SFF forks with compression and rebound damping with 120 mm of wheel travel.
To the rear has Showa monoshock (RSU), with adjustable preload and rebound damping with 130 mm of wheel travel.
The front brakes are twin 310 mm floating discs with four piston radial calipers and the rear features a single 220 mm fixed disc with single-piston sliding caliper.
Modes
The Trident 800 has three riding modes – rain, road and sport. You can flick between modes using the ‘m’ button on the left bar and this can be done whilst riding along too.
Sport Mode delivers sharp, instant throttle response and pairs with less intrusive traction control settings to maximize the 798cc inline-triple engine’s performance.
Road Mode offers a balanced, smooth, and linear power delivery ideal for everyday riding conditions.
Rain Mode softens throttle response and increases the intervention of the lean-sensitive traction control and cornering ABS for added safety on wet or slippery surfaces.
Instrument Display
The single round analogue speedometer with integrated multi-function LCD screen and bluetooth capacity is easy and clear to read and shows you everything you need to see at a glance clearly such as your speed, RPM, what gear you are in, fuel gauge, time, date and temperature.
You can navigate the screen options to change what you wish to see via a scroll button on the left handlebar and which again can be done whilst riding along.
Tyres
The tyres on the Trident 800 are Michelin Road 6 which Michelin describe as ‘The latest version of the acclaimed Michelin Road tyre; More wet grip; Ride for longer!
- The Michelin 2CT+ Technology is an evolution of Michelin 2CT which extends the harder center compound underneath the softer shoulder compound to increase rigidity and enhance cornering stability;
- Michelin Premium Touch Design is a patented dark, velvet-like texture. This innovation adds a touch of elegance and sophistication, enhancing the vehicle’s design with a premium visual effect;
- Michelin Water Evergrip Technology features patented sipes that widen as the tire wears, increasing water evacuation capacity. This ensures excellent wet grip throughout the tire’s lifespan;
- Michelin Radial-X EVO Technology is an innovation that enhances MICHELIN Radial-X technology. It delivers improved stability and responsiveness at high speeds;
- Michelin Aramid Shield Technology incorporates an additional aramid ply that wraps around the tire, preventing deformation at high speeds.’
I am a fan of these Michelin tyres, I have them on my bikes and have done so for many years now. I find they are a good all year, all round tyre in both wet and dry conditions which give me the confidence I crave from a tyre.
LED Lights
There are LED lights all round on the Trident 800 with a single round headlight with the Triumph ‘T’ logo in the middle of the lamp which has a daytime running light feature.
I love the rear light, it is modern and stylish also with the Triumph branding and neatly housed underneath the rear of the seat. The indicators are of slim design and housed with the number plate holder.
All the lighting offers great visibility for both the rider and other road users.
What’s The Triumph Trident 800 Like To Ride, I hear you say?
I have a 2009 Triumph Street Triple 675 which is such a fun bike to ride, it is what I would call ‘old school’, it doesn’t have modes, nor does it have ABS but it is such a great bike to ride, you can have some real fun on it.
The Trident 800 reminds me so much of my 675 but with modes and ABS. Personally, I don’t think you need modes on a bike, you are in control of the throttle and you ride according to the road and weather conditions. Just my opinion 😬
I am a fan of ABS though and I do notice the difference when I switch from a bike with ABS to my 675! Brake technology has come a long way over the years for both cars and bikes – I used to have a ‘65 Mustang with drum brakes and it liked a week’s notice to come to a stop 😂
The seating position is what I would describe as having a relaxed feel to it, it is an upright position but feels natural, so no leaning over the bike.
I found myself going anywhere and everywhere on this bike, I really loved how the bike made me feel when riding and I found I always came back with a huge grin on my face.
I couldn’t get enough of riding the Trident 800, it’s such a light, nippy bike and definitely not shy to do an overtake, you don’t even need to drop it a gear, you can just wind on the throttle and it’ll happily go. I was really hoping Triumph would forget to collect the bike, I loved it so much 😂
The Trident 800 felt really stable in the corners and I found myself actually enjoying cornering, especially flowing bends. The bike, the road and I were at one together.
The brakes are responsive, which is always a good thing! I did find there was a lot of engine braking so just lifting off the throttle scrubs off some speed and the quickshifter was so smooth making changing gear effortless.
There are only two modifications that I would have to do straightaway:
- New levers. The brake lever is adjustable but unfortunately the clutch one isn’t which, on this bike, is okay if you have big hands. Those like me with smaller hands, will probably struggle as I did. I don’t understand why adjustable levers are not standard on all bikes. To have it adjustable on one and not the other is just annoying!
- Heated grips but that’s personal preference.
Now, some would say a tail tidy is needed. I personally like how the number plate is mounted, it’s different, I think it’s stylish and suits the bike but I realise this is very much a marmite thing, some love it, some really do not judging by the comments received when I was parked up on the bike!!
To have the Michelin Road 6 tyres as oem equipment is brilliant. I love these tyres and have them on my bikes. I believe they offer a much better all year round riding experience.
I can definitely recommend you get a test ride on the Trident 800, I think you will be as surprised as I was by how good it is.
If you do get a test ride, let me know in the comments below what you think of the bike and if you bought one, I’d be interested to hear how you are finding it.
Thank you to Triumph UK for the loan of the Trident 800, I was sad to see this bike go back.
BK
Here’s a link to my 2026 Trident 800 YouTube review:
https://youtu.be/54o36r2wYlM?si=069u-Oo451vzD3p2
