When Triumph announced it was working on a motocross Grand Prix motorcycle a few years ago, it raised plenty of eyebrows. Sure the British brand has a bit of off-road heritage from back in the day, when ‘scramblers’ were essentially just modified road bikes, but pure competition dirt bikes always been the territory of specialist European makers, the Japanese big four and, more recently, KTM and its offspring of companies. So why is Triumph, a traditionally conservative brand which has rarely entered into open class racing competition, so keen to get in on the act?
In a word, sales. While manufacturers are unlikely to admit it directly, the fact that the off-road sector is one of the few areas of motorcycling to be flourishing will not have gone unnoticed. While the big capacity sports bikes, a mainstay of premium manufacturers business for decades, are on the decline global sales of dirt bikes are booming – and set to continue to rise. In a world where the future of motorcycling as we know it is uncertain, manufacturers are keen to try new things. Electric, hydrogen, hybrid and even internal combustion may or may not lead the way when it comes to the technology of tomorrow’s motorcycles but, in the short-to-medium term at least, dirt bikes for leisure are big business. And, despite some environmental challenges, it still appears to be a growing market. The reason these brands have been so keen to build small bikes for the Asian market in recent years is the same reason they’re looking to diversify into the dirt. People still want to buy them.
According to research company Statista Market Insights, over 1.5 million off-road bikes are set to be sold in 2023. That’s up from 1.16m in 2016, while they are projecting as many as 1.8m to retailed in five years’ time. Those numbers represent an excellent opportunity for any new manufacturer to come in and take even a small slice of a profitable pie, one which provides good margin and a steady need for the supply of spare parts.
Triumph unveiled its hotly awaited 250cc four-stroke motocross bike last month. Called the TF 250-X, it has been developed by an all-star cast of off-road champions – including supercross and motocross legend Ricky Carmichael and four-times enduro world champion Iván Cervantes. The TF 250-X is expected in dealerships in spring, priced at just under £10,000, and a full range is expected to follow soon after. A 450cc version, the TF 450-X, is slated for launch later in 2024, while the company has also confirmed it is working on enduro variants as well.
Alongside this, Triumph is currently in the process of setting up a network of specialist motocross dealers and will, as is expected in the off-road world, field factory teams in the two major international race series: the MX2 World Championship and the Supercross World Championship.
Away from the professional circuit, sales of off-road bikes to leisure riders remains huge. Pierer Mobility Group, the umbrella company which encompasses KTM, GasGas and Husqvarna, is Europe’s biggest motorcycle manufacturer, selling over 375,000 units in 2022, which compares to 84,000 bikes for Triumph and 61,500 for Ducati, two companies which until now have focussed purely on road legal motorcycles. That in itself shows the scale of the off-road market, with KTM regarded as the benchmark for motocross and enduro machines both in terms of sales and performance.
Where Triumph tries to put its own distinctive style on its road bike range, the TF 250-X with which the hope to woo some of those KTM buyers looks very conventional at first sight. It’s priced right in line with its KTM competition, although the Brit company will be hoping amateur riders will be drawn in by the spec sheet and the pedigree of its development riders.
Designed entirely inhouse, it features a lightweight aluminum chassis housing the 249cc four-stroke motor. At a claimed 104kg wet, Triumph says its quarter litre contender has the best power-to-weight ratio in the class. The production version of the TF 250-X features high end componentry throughout, with KYB suspension machined aluminium triple clamps and a three-way piggyback coil rear shock. The Brembo braking system features twin 24mm piston floating front caliper, a single 26mm piston floating rear caliper and Galfer 260mm front and 220mm rear discs. DirtStar 7000 Series aluminium rims and machined aluminium hubs feature Pirelli Scorpion tyres, with Pro Taper carbon core handlebars ensuring it is, as KTM might say, ready to race. For those looking for more, a full Akrapovič titanium exhaust system, holeshot device and launch control module are among the official accessories.
Steve Sargent, Triumph Motorcycles’ Chief Product Manager, explains: “The launch of the TF 250-X is the culmination of a significant commitment and investment from Triumph, to not just bring a totally new bike to the motocross world, but to deliver a winning performance. To achieve this, we are focused on delivering the most complete package for any riding level, from champion to amateur.
“This bike is 100% Triumph, conceived, designed, developed and manufactured by our world leading chassis and engine teams, with expert support from our racing champions. We started with a blank sheet of paper and began an all-new ground-up design, including a new engine, new chassis and new electronics.”
Speaking of the bike he helped develop, Carmichael added: “The TF 250-X is an incredible bike. This is the bike that we set out to build. When you talk about the chassis, the powertrain, the components - it’s the best of everything you could ever want. And whether you’re a professional rider or an amateur rider, you will not be disappointed. I love this bike, it’s been such an honour to part of a project with such an iconic brand.”
Triumph will have some more competition in the next few years, as Ducati also have an icon-developed ‘crosser in the works too. The Italian company have hired nine-time world champion Antonio Cairoli to help develop their machine, with a prototype being raced by Alessandro Lupino in the Italian national championship. The project is almost certain to lead to a commercially available production Ducati range going on sale in the coming years.
