Triumph have announced their plans to expand their range of motorcycles and join a competitive market sector in the world of off-road bikes, both motocross and enduro all planned to be brand new, ground up and designed and built by the Hinckley based firm.
Details and timelines around the release of the models are currently sparse but will come in time. What is known however are the inputs of two legends of off-road motorcycling in the form of none other than Ricky Carmichael (pictured) and Ivan Cervantes who will help lead the development of the bikes. Ricky has no less than 15 motocross titles & 150 race wins whilst Ivan managed to bag 4 wins, 3 x 2nds and 2 x 3rd places from 10 attempts at the World Enduro Championship.
After the announcement was released Carmichael said: “I am thrilled to announce that I am joining the Triumph family and even more excited to be a part of their new endeavour into the off-road product category.
“This is an incredible opportunity for me to join this historic brand, and I am honoured and humbled to be a part of the development and release of their off-road motorcycles. Building something from the ground up is something that really is intriguing to me at this stage of my career. What is impressive to me is Triumph's dedication, and passion to develop a top of the class product. Everyone that I have been involved with in this project from the engineers, design groups, R&D dept., etc., have shown extreme passion for what they are doing and that is a recipe for success and something that I love being a part of.”
Cervantes added: “I have loved Triumph motorcycles right from being a small kid, seeing them in films and on television. So, to be working with Triumph from the beginning of this project, is an amazing opportunity for me, not just because it is working with one of the world’s greatest motorcycle brands, but also for being part of building something from zero. It is a dream come true for any racer!
“Like me, everyone I am working with at Triumph is focused to make the bikes the best they can be. I cannot wait to see the bikes competing at a world level, but I also look forward to when I can stand in a Triumph dealer and know I was part of this very special project.”
Entering into this sector isn't going to be easy for Triumph. They haven't always had their bikes line up against competitors in genuine head-to-head competition but this time around they'll be lining up against some of the best around including KTM, Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki & Suzuki who all have decades of experience and research & development behind them. Nick Bloor, Triumph CEO is not afraid oft he challenge though and commented that “Today’s announcement marks the beginning of a new chapter for the Triumph brand, which everyone at Triumph is incredibly excited to be part of. We are 100% committed to making a long-lasting impact in this highly competitive and demanding world, with a single-minded ambition to deliver a winning motorcycle line-up for a whole new generation of Triumph riders”
With such bold claims and commitment it is an incredibly exciting time for the British brand and we can't wait to hear the next steps in the process.