TRIUMPH ADVENTURER 900 (1995 - 2002) Review

The Adventurer is a glitzy, cruiser style version of the Thunderbird. It’s an OK motorcycle, thanks mostly to the stupendous Triumph triple engine, but the Triumph Adventurer is about as cool and stylish as purple velvet loon pants.

The Triumph Adventurer is more laid back, quite literally, than the Thunderbird thanks to a 19 inch front and 16-inch rear wheel combo, longer forks and higher bars. The Adventurer's handling can’t match the slice and dash of the T-bird but it’s reasonable, nevertheless and undoubtedly smooth.

For our money, along with the T-bird, the engine in the Triumph Adventurer is one of the best incarnations of the original big Hinckley triple. The 885cc motor has been detuned from Trident and Trophy spec to give even more low down oomph. Wound open the Triumph Adventurer's engine sounds like a squadron of Lancasters and with restyled chromy and curvy engine cases it looks the business too. A classic.

From around 1993 onwards, Triumph quality moved on apace – and it certainly shows with the Thunderbird and Adventurer. Paint and chome is thick, fit and finish is generally good and those early triples are basically over-engineered so are tough as old boots too…

There aren’t that many Triumph Adventurers about (it was primarily built for the American market) but even so, in the UK at least they’ve depreciated faster than the more popular T-Bird making the Triumph Adventurer good value. Comparable Japanese bikes are generally cheaper, though… Find a Triumph Adventurer for sale.

Nothing to write home about. The Triumph Adventurer has twin dial clocks in a retro style, decent enough mirrors, capable switchgear and that’s about it. Compared to the T-Bird the Triumph Adventurer has megaphone pipes, a ‘fat bob’ rear fender (mudguard) plus different tank badge and knee pads.