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Triumph Thunderbird LT



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Thunderbird LT Model Image
discontinued
Variant
Standard
City
Show price in my city
₹ 17,35,626
Last known Avg. Ex-showroom price
Triumph has discontinued the Thunderbird LT and the bike is out of production.

Thunderbird LT Key Highlights

Engine Capacity1,699 cc
Transmission6 Speed Manual
Kerb Weight380 kg
Fuel Tank Capacity22 litres
Seat Height700 mm
Max Power93 bhp

Triumph Thunderbird LT Summary

The Triumph Thunderbird LT is a premium version of the Thunderbird Storm and comes loaded with a long list of creature comforts for a better touring experience. It is the third cruiser in Triumph’s Indian line-up and slots in between the Thunderbird Storm and the massive Rocket III.

The Thunderbird LT gets acres of chrome with blacked out look, leather saddle bags, whitewalled radial tires, a three-piece headlamp, a chromed two into one into two exhaust system, wire-spoked wheels and a tall windshield, all of which give it massive street presence. The low seat height of 700mm ensures that the Thunderbird can accommodate riders of all sizes and the snug seats and passenger backrest and floorboard make the Thunderbird LT a very comfortable cruiser. It also gets a massive 21.9-litre fuel tank, to ensure a longer range.

The Thunderbird LT is built around a tubular steel, twin spine frame. It powered by the world’s largest production parallel twin engine, which is shared with its sibling, the Thunderbird Storm. The fuel-injected 1699cc engine churns out 94bhpbhp and 151Nm of torque and comes mated to a six-speed gearbox.

Standard kit on the Thunderbird LT includes an ABS system, electronic self-cancelling indicators and a tank mounted instrument cluster which integrates a speedometer, an on-board computer and a rev counter. The Thunderbird LT is available in two paint schemes- caspian blue/crystal white and lava red/phantom black. It competes with other premium cruisers like the Suzuki M1800R, Harley-Davidson Fat Boy as well as the Indian Scout.

Triumph Thunderbird LT Expert Opinion

Big, bulky, heavy – three aspects that are usually related to cruisers and it’s no different with the Triumph Thunderbird LT. LT stands for ‘Light Touring’ and that’s the only ‘light’ attribute about this cruiser. Launched to take on the Harley Davidsons, especially in the American market, the Thunderbird LT focuses on the same aspects like other cruisers – comfort and long distance riding. It was launched at a time when the Indian market had a good number of cruisers to choose from.

What is it?

Big, bulky, heavy – three aspects that are usually related to cruisers and it’s no different with the Triumph Thunderbird LT. LT stands for ‘Light Touring’ and that’s the only ‘light’ attribute about this cruiser. Launched to take on the Harley Davidsons, especially in the American market, the Thunderbird LT focuses on the same aspects like other cruisers – comfort and long distance riding. It was launched at a time when the Indian market had a good number of cruisers to choose from

How does it ride?

This 380kg bike will intimidate the moment you see it. The intimidation will hit another level when you sit on the saddle and take it off the side-stand. And that’s where the intimidation ends. Because once you start riding this motorcycle, you’ll figure out how manageable this bike is at regular and high speeds. However, at low speed, especially in the city traffic, you might take some time to get used to the overall weight of the bike. But once you have, things become easy. Accessible saddle height, swept back handlebar and the large footboards is what makes this motorcycle a pleasure to ride on the highway. Riding it on the long straights and twisties is an incredible experience because the amount of torque and comfort I had.

I was quite disappointed with the way the massive windscreen performed. I’m 6’2” and I had to experience quite a bit of wind buffeting and it was the same case with my colleague, Omkar. Also, riding in wet conditions sprays dirt on the windscreen and that hampers your vision. The Showa suspension setup performs efficiently, taking the overall ride quality to the comfort side. The ride is plush, and thanks to the weight, the bike feels planted at high speeds. The tyres on the Thunderbird LT are special as they’re the world’s first white-walled radial tyres developed by Avon exclusively for the British manufacturer. It looks absolutely fantastic and gladly, the same thing can be said about the tyre performance. These tyres offer plenty of grip. And there’s the braking system which gets ABS as standard. It is effective, has good bite and doesn’t feel wooden.

The 1700cc engine, which is the biggest parallel twin engine in the world is all about torque – especially in the mid-range, where the power delivery gets flat. This liquid-cooled engine produces 93bhp at 5400rpm and develops peak torque of 151Nm at 3550rpm. The power is delivered to the rear wheel via a belt drive using a light clutch. This engine is refined, vibe free (almost) and had the ability to put a smile on my face each time I twisted that throttle. I didn’t really had to plan my overtaking maneuver on this cruiser. The mid-range took care of this experience pretty well. The gearbox is six speed and quite friendly. Unlike other big cruisers, the gearshifts on the Thunderbird LT is fairly less noisy and smoother than most of them.

Anything else should I know?

The Thunderbird LT is a long distance tourer right? So it’s obvious to get a lot of goodies and it does. Leather saddle bags will carry enough luggage for two people. For the pillion comfort, there’s a back rest too. The seats on this motorcycle deserves an extra mention as it’s one of the best I’ve ever sat on. For not even a single time in my entire 500kms ride, I found it to be minutely uncomfortable. The footboards are large enough for the entire feet to rest, in fact, the rubber used on it is really good. The round headlamp is flanked by two auxiliary lights and below that, there are the turn blinkers.

You should know that the Thunderbird LT is one of the safest cruiser in its segment as it’s equipped with anti-lock braking system (ABS) as standard. The switch gear on the other hand, feels basic and doesn’t have that premium factor. The touch and feel isn’t the talk of the town. It doesn’t event get hazard lamp or cruise control. But the way wires are hidden inside the handlebar is appreciable. The instrument cluster sits on the 22-litre tank, which sports speedometer, fuel level and shows ride data like trip meter, distance to empty and a clock. Expect a tank range of close to 400kms in one tank full and that’s pretty good for a motorcycle this size.

Why should I buy one?

Buy the Triumph Thunderbird LT if you genuinely plan to do long distance rides. The bike is supremely comfortable even with a pillion, has the ability to carry quite a bit of luggage, gets ABS and all this at an attractive price of Rs 16.40 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). But there’s a small problem. Even with such massive body proportions, chrome dipped engine and exhaust, the Thunderbird LT fails to feel special. At such price point and especially in the world of cruisers, most of the buyers in India want to feel special when they own one, and this British motorcycle fails to do it. The lack of that specialness fails to overcome the brand value of Harley-Davidson bikes.

Where does it fit in?

While there are a lot of cruisers in the Indian market there aren’t many at Triumph Thunderbird LT’s price point. The only one that comes close is the Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic and that American bike demands a premium of Rs 60,000 over the Triumph at Rs 17 lakh (ex-showroom Mumbai). 

Photography by Kapil Angane

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Thunderbird LT Specifications & Features

Standard

Change Version

  • Specifications
  • Features
  • Specifications
  • Features

      Specifications

      • Power & Performance

        • Displacement
          1699 cc
        • Max Power
          93 bhp @ 5408 rpm
        • Max Torque
          151 Nm @ 3550 rpm
        • Mileage - Owner Reported
          -
        • Riding Range
          -
        • Top Speed
          -
        • Riding Modes
          -
        • Transmission
          6 Speed Manual
        • Transmission Type
          Belt Drive
        • Gear Shifting Pattern
          -
        • Cylinders
          2
        • Bore
          107 mm
        • Stroke
          94 mm
        • Valves Per Cylinder
          2
        • Compression Ratio
          -
        • Ignition
          -
        • Spark Plugs
          1 Per Cylinder
        • Cooling System
          Liquid Cooled
        • Clutch
          -
        • Fuel Delivery System
          -
        • Fuel Tank Capacity
          22 litres
        • Reserve Fuel Capacity
          -
        • Emission Standard
          -
        • Fuel Type
          Petrol
        • View More(+20)

      • Brakes, Wheels & Suspension

        • Front Suspension
          Showa 47mm forks
        • Rear Suspension
          Showa chromed spring twin shocks with 5 position a
        • Braking System
          -
        • Front Brake Type
          Disc
        • Front Brake Size
          310 mm
        • Caliper - Front
          -
        • Rear Brake Type
          Disc
        • Rear Brake Size
          310 mm
        • Caliper - Rear
          -
        • Wheel Type
          Spoke
        • Front Wheel Size
          16 inch
        • Rear Wheel Size
          16 inch
        • Front Tyre Size
          150/80 R16 Whitewall
        • Rear Tyre Size
          180/70 R16 Whitewall
        • Tyre Type
          Tubeless
        • Radial Tyres
          Yes
        • Front Tyre Pressure (Rider)
          -
        • Rear Tyre Pressure (Rider)
          -
        • Front Tyre Pressure (Rider & Pillion)
          -
        • Rear Tyre Pressure (Rider & Pillion)
          -
        • View More(+16)

      • Dimensions & Chassis

        • Kerb Weight
          380 kg
        • Seat Height
          700 mm
        • Ground Clearance
          -
        • Overall Length
          2546 mm
        • Overall Width
          956 mm
        • Overall Height
          1225 mm
        • Wheelbase
          1665 mm
        • Chassis Type
          Tubular Steel, twin spine
        • View More(+4)

      • Manufacturer Warranty

        • Standard Warranty
          -
        • Standard Warranty
          -

      Features

        • Touch Screen Display
          -
        • Instrument Console
          -
        • Odometer
          Digital
        • Speedometer
          Analogue
        • Fuel Guage
          Yes
        • Digital Fuel Guage
          No
        • Hazard Warning Indicator
          -
        • Average Speed Indicator
          -
        • OTA Updates
          -
        • Call/SMS Alerts
          -
        • Geo Fencing
          -
        • Distance to Empty Indicator
          -
        • Tachometer
          Analogue
        • Stand Alarm
          -
        • No. of Tripmeters
          2
        • Tripmeter Type
          Digital
        • Gear Indicator
          -
        • Low Fuel Indicator
          Yes
        • Low Oil Indicator
          Yes
        • Low Battery Indicator
          Yes
        • Clock
          Yes
        • Service Reminder Indicator
          -
        • Battery
          Maintenance Free
        • Front Storage Box
          -
        • Under Seat Storage
          -
        • Mobile App Connectivity
          -
        • DRLs (Daytime Running Lights)
          -
        • AHO (Automatic Headlight On)
          -
        • Shift Light
          Yes
        • Headlight Type
          -
        • Brake/Tail Light
          -
        • Turn Signal
          -
        • Pass Light
          Yes
        • GPS & Navigation
          -
        • USB Charging Port
          -
        • Riding Modes Switch
          -
        • Traction Control
          -
        • Cruise Control
          -
        • Hazard Warning Switch
          -
        • Start Type
          Electric Start
        • Killswitch
          Yes
        • Stepped Seat
          Yes
        • Pillion Backrest
          Yes
        • Pillion Grabrail
          Yes
        • Pillion Seat
          Yes
        • Pillion Footrest
          Yes
        • Front Suspension Preload Adjuster
          -
        • Rear Suspension Preload Adjuster
          -
        • Additional Features
          -
        • View More(+45)

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      Triumph Thunderbird LT User Reviews

      4.8/5

      (4 Ratings) 1 Reviews

      5

      Visual Appeal


      4

      Reliability


      4

      Performance


      4

      Service Experience

      Mini beast

      5 years ago


      Aravind

      My brother brought this around 6-8 months before. Its a stylish combination of style, performance, and power. Absolutely stunning looking one. One of its major pro is that it is a mini beast and highly controllable .The only con is the service centre are not so much great in my city. Now one can get the newer ones that too inside the same range.

      Rating Parameters

      (out of 5)

      5

      Visual Appeal


      3

      Reliability


      4

      Performance


      3

      Service Experience


      4

      Maintenance cost

      4

      Extra Features

      About the Reviewer

      Used it for

      Leisure Rides

      Owned for

      6 months-1 yr

      Ridden for

      < 5000 kms

      Was this review helpful?

      3


      1

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