Podcast: Triumph Trident or Yamaha MT-09, which bike is for you?

These bikes are not intended to compete against each other, or at least Triumph doesn’t think so, as they specifically name the smaller MT-07 among their Trident’s competition. But at their cores, these two motorcycles do have something in common: respectable value, or at least the appearance of respectable value, that combines a few premium touches with lots of bang-for-buck componentry.

We’ll get our gloved hands on these bikes as soon as possible to test our suspicions, but in the meantime, Spurgeon, Zack, and Ari have fired up their webcams for another episode of Highside/Lowside. What’s the deal with these two triples, and which one is right for you? Let’s take a quick look at these two bikes for the uninitiated, and see what they offer. Don’t miss our in-depth articles on the Trident and the MT-09 for more details.

The Trident marks Triumph’s return to affordable triple power. It’ll also serve as Triumph’s entry-level offering. Triumph hopes the Trident’s retro style and modern running gear will get riders hooked on the brand. It’s easy to imagine a Trident owner moving up to a Modern Classic, a Street Triple, or a Speed Triple after a few seasons with the new 660 engine. A glance at the spec sheet suggests mature riders will take Tridents for test rides, too. The triple has more character and punch than a budget twin, with less weight and cost than a four.

On the other hand, the MT-09 has been a benchmark in its class, if not the entire industry, for a few years now. Ever-tightening emissions standards forced Yamaha to update the MT-09 for next year, and they didn’t just bump the displacement to pass some tailpipe tests. There’s a new frame, aggressive bodywork, new electronics, and (finally) better suspension. The price has climbed $400 as a result, which means the MT-09 is still a huge value for the money and hopefully as riotous as ever.

The latest episode of Highside/Lowside offers over an hour of discussion on these two motorcycles. What makes them great? What do they tell us about their manufacturers, and the state of motorcycling today? Who will ride them, and why? These two triples will self-select most of the time, I think. (You probably have a preference based on just the descriptions above.) The larger story may be the role triples play in motorcycling’s future as nakeds soar and similarly powerful sporting fours struggle. Stay tuned for our thoughts on these bikes as they hit dealerships in the coming year.

How to listen to Highside/Lowside

As usual, the podcast version of Spurgeon, Zack and Ari's discussion offers an uncut listening experience for an even deeper dive into the topic. Season three is just getting started, so don't miss more moto talk in the near future!

Highside/Lowside is available via iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Libsyn, and Google Play for those with accounts.