Do Triumph Motorcycles Hold Their Value? (9 Important Facts)

Triumph is a British motorcycle brand that through most of the 20th century enjoyed some prestige before the old company became defunct.

It was revived in the 1980s, however, and now continues to enjoy global success from its headquarters in Leicestershire, UK.

This article investigates if Triumph Motorcycles hold their value”…

Here Is The Short Answer To If Triumph Motorcycles Hold Their Value

It’s not a simple story.

Older Triumph motorcycles from the 1960s and 1970s represent good investments because the motorcycles have great investment value. Beyond that, however, Triumph is one of the fastest depreciating brands on the market and that’s because of the company’s checkered history.

The fastest depreciating models are the newer ones, especially in the first two years.

How Much Is A New Triumph Motorcycle?

The vast majority of Triumph’s motorcycles can be divided into 4 categories: Roadsters & Supersports, Adventure, Modern Classics, and the Rocket 3.

Below tells you how much the latest model year bike categories are in the range from lowest to highest.

Triumph Motorcycle CategoryPrice Range ($-$)
Roadsters & Supersports8,195 – 18,300
Adventure11,995 – 19,300
Modern Classics9,400 – 16,200
Rocket 322,500 (only 1 model)

The most expensive single model is the Rocket 3, which starts at $22,500, and the cheapest model is the 2021 New Trident 660, which starts at $8,195.

How Much Does It Depreciate?

With just about every Triumph model, the pattern of depreciation in the early years is very similar.

By the end of the first year, a Triumph motorcycle is worth 21 percent less than it was when it was new.

The Triumph Street Triple drops from $8,889 to $7,119 after the first year; the Thunderbird from $12,499 to $9,999; the Bonneville from $8,799 to $7,039.

All of these drops represent a 21-percent decrease compared to the new MSRP.

At the end of the second year, the value has dropped to between 25-29 percent less than the MSRP and will continue to decline by between 4-7 percent annually.

At the end of year 9, a Triumph is worth anywhere from 49 percent less in a good case, to 62 percent less than the original MSRP in a more serious case of depreciation.

For example, a new Thunderbird that you bought for $12,499 in 2011 would be worth $4,730 in 2020.

These levels of depreciation are representative of the range as a whole, with some limited difference between different models, but not significant.

It seems that Triumphs depreciate in the same way, which indicates it’s a brand issue rather than a specific model issue.

What’s The Resale Price?

Of course, the exact retail price will depend heavily on which model you choose, and in which year of depreciation, you purchase.

Taking 3 years old as an average, you can expect to pay from $6,120 to $8,999 for a pre-owned Triumph

Certain models may offer cheaper deals, like the Trident 660, which would most likely be worth $5,900 at the end of 3 years depending on the condition and the presence of any additions that raised its original MSRP.

As a rule, you should expect to pay 20-25 percent lower than the MSRP on any pre-owned bike, even those just one year old or less.

After that it goes down by about 4-7 percent annually, so you can work out a fair price based on that, taking into account other factors like factory additions and maintenance standards.

What’s The Best Year To Buy A Used One?

The best year to purchase a used one is from year 3 onwards.

By the start of year 3, the MSRP has been cut by 25-30 percent, and at the end of year 3, it has been cut by 30-35 percent.

Therefore, purchasing some time within the third year is a good way to balance quality, running cost, the need for maintenance, and the chance of any significant damage having been done.

What Typically Breaks First?

On many popular Triumph models, the clutch cable is one problem area and has been the subject of some recalls since it can interfere with the integrity of the wiring harnesses.

For this reason, the clutch cable needs servicing after 500 miles, and then every year at least once, or every 6,000 miles, whichever comes first.

Another component in need of additional attention is the brake pads.

While modern Triumph bikes have ABS, many older models do not and the brakes are known for needing a firm squeeze to get the best results.

It is because of this that fresh or close-to-fresh brake pads are always best.

It’s a good idea not to let brake pads run as low as you might on some other brands like Japanese brands.

Does Triumph Motorcycle Hold its Value Better Than Its Competitors?

Compared to many competitors, a Triumph holds its value about as well as they do, but more often depreciates somewhat faster.

For example, losing 21 percent of the MSRP in the first year is slightly above the 18-19 percent that many competing brands lose after the first year.

It’s not a ground-breaking difference, but it does mean that Triumphs are not quite holding their own against brands like Harley-Davidson and Indian motorcycles, both of which can be depended upon not to lose more than 20 percent after their first year.

Triumph values do hold better than Honda motorcycles, and the reason for that isn’t exactly in quality but more in market supply.

Honda manufactures and sells many more motorcycles globally than Triumph does.

The greater supply and sales of Honda mean that the Honda pre-owned market is very saturated, which drives the prices down.

Triumph doesn’t suffer from this oversupply issue, which helps to maintain value.

Triumph also is considered more of a heritage brand than its Japanese competition.

There are many classic Triumph models from the 1960s and 1970s that command very high prices from collectors.

Main Depreciation Factors With Triumph Motorcycles

The primary depreciation factor on Triumph bikes is brand image and brand reliability.

In its long history, the company has gone through many periods of crisis and has even had to be completely overhauled and relaunched as a new entity.

This has shaken some people’s faith in the brand and the company’s ability to maintain quality.

This has been steadily improving in recent years, but it is strictly very recent years and the brand hasn’t had time to appreciate more in value.

Very new bikes suffer from far fewer serious defects.

In the past, the maintenance requirements were very extreme to keep a Triumph on the road running optimally and that has pushed down the value of many models.

The latest ones are more solidly constructed but are not immune from issues.

The presence of corrosion on the polished chrome elements of the bike can be a big depreciation factor, for one.

Another one is modification.

One thing people do like about the Triumph brand is its classic authenticity.

The bikes continue to be faithful to the timeless classic design as the company endeavors to mask modernity with the same traditional looks.

This is a touch that people like. Therefore, making modifications to the bikes can put some people off.

Mechanically, Triumph bikes have also been known to have issues with their regulators, especially in model years from 2006 to 2010.

The regulators have been known to fail and result in an overcharge of the batteries in one moment, but then completely fail and cause the charging system to fail and thus leave riders with a fully discharged and dead battery.

The Street Triple from 2006 to 2010 was especially hit with this issue, but a recall put most of the issues correctly.

If any Triumph has been involved in a recall, then it is also likely to be impacted in value.

What Factors About The Triumph Brand Could Increase The Value?

Two main factors can increase the value of a Triumph when it comes to resale.

The first is classic or collector’s value.

Triumph is an old brand with heritage going back a century or more.

This leaves many decades – especially the 1960s and 1970s – with bike models that collectors actively seek.

The second factor increasing value is how well maintained and cared for the bikes are.

Those Triumphs into which an original owner has invested in maintenance and care, especially to preserve the original and authentic features of the bike, will be more likely to fetch a higher resale price.

What Extra Costs Can You Expect?

Buying-Cost To Purchase A Triumph

To purchase a new Triumph motorcycle will cost you between $8,195 to $22,500 depending on which model and style you want.

To purchase a pre-owned one will depend on the model year.

Most people are interested in Triumph motorcycles in their 3rd year, for which they can expect to pay 25-35 percent less than the original MSRP.

You might find some bargain bikes that are in need of repair or restoration, especially from the older model years like the early 2000s or even earlier.

What About Taxes & Insurance

Many Triumph motorcycles are higher-cc bikes, and so insurance isn’t always cheap.

It does, however, often come below the national average of $702 per year. It does of course depend on your riding experience and record.

New riders on high-cc Triumph motorcycles should expect to pay $700 or more, but experienced riders might get a premium quote of $500 or less, which is below the national average.

There is no federal road tax, of course, but registration can cost as little as $20 or as much as $250 annually depending on the state and their policy.

Those with a policy dictated by weight will enjoy quite fair rates, but the cheapest is Arizona at just $8, but that’s only if you don’t count the public safety fee of $32.

What Is The General Maintenance Cost Per Year?

A Triumph owner shouldn’t be surprised at having to spend from $1,200 to $1,400 per year on maintenance, especially if it’s an older model.

Newer models from after 2016 might enjoy slightly lower rates of $1,000 a year or so, but it’s still relatively expensive.

The higher rates are rooted in the fact that with a Triumph there are more compulsory and regular maintenance checks and repairs that need doing, more than an average bike, especially Japanese brands.

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