Legend Tt
Legend TT
Limey low-rider
IN AN ATTEMT TO MAKE THE retro Thunderbird 900 more accessible in both price and saddle height, Triumph has created what may be its best "classic" machine yet. Thanks to lowered top frame rails and a 17-inch front rim, the Legend TT's 27.5-inch seat height is a full inch lower than the T-bird's, with sidepanels tucked in an extra 2 inches to give your legs a straighter shot at the pavement. A lower, wider handlebar and a new saddle complete the road-hugging mods.
Combined with subtle graphics, just enough chrome to hark back without blinding you. a grunty engine and a S7695 price tag. the IT scores high on the pleasure-to-dollar scale. Unlike the Speed Triple with its newer T595-hased motor the TT is powered by Triumph's first-gen 885cc inline Three. The 12-valve, liquid-cooled machine checked in at ô5 blip on the CU' dyiio. with an impressively flat torque curve peaking at 49 toot-pounds at a low 385() rpm. The TT inhales through three 3ônim CV carbs, and exhales through a 3-into-2 pipe set with nifty reverse-cone silencers.
Power from this character-laden mill (nothing snarls like a Triple) flows through a well-spaced, five-speed gearbox. The TI Sports an aluminum swingarm, held in check by a single shock. adjustable for spring preload only. The front
end features a non-adjustable 43mm fork, and a pie-plate 320mm single disc gripped by a two-piston caliper; the rear stopper is a two-piston/285mm combo. Braking action is strong and linear.
Even with a 492-pound dry weight, the super-low seat and wide bar make the TT feel light and chuckable. And with that torquey motor, the hike scoots-a nice alternative to strangled middleweight Japanese V-Twin cruisers. Ridden at seven-tenths or below, the TT is all smiles. Push beyond that and the softly sprung rear end limits twisty-road antics. The fork is plush, compliant and free of flex-though it dives a bunch under hard braking.
Wrap-up? The Legend TT is fun to ride and easy on the eyes-not to mention your wallet.
Paul Seredynski
