I own a 2010 T-bird, and also a Harley Dyna. As an owner of both, I am sad to say the H.D. is not n the same class as the Triumph. I dont need a bike to "make the cool factor" I like them both but the T-bird does everything great. Looks, handling, braking, acceleration, and it really attracts attention. To say it best, to each his own, if you want HD, because the masses own them fine. I like to beak away from the herd and be an induvidual! Then I take the TBird

I have ridden the harley and owned the Thunderbird...no comparison! The Tbird has an amazing amount of torque and it comes on very little above idle. its a heavy bike and you feel that when at very slow speeds but once going is the best handling bike i have ever owned. It does run out of grunt at higher speeds but at lower it can hang with just about anything.

I'm voting for the triumph, hands down a better looking bike.

Aren't we lucky? Living in a world and time where we can choose between such lovely bikes as Triumph, Harley and Victory! We should stick together and respect the bikes we are so proud of!

I bought a 2012 storm a few months ago and you can't get me off the thing. I had a Harley Sportster before and I wish I would of got the storm a long time ago. I've put about 3300 miles on it and have not had one problem. (Knock on wood) I would recommend the storm to anybody who's looking for a bike with power, looks, handling, & just plain bad ass. Just my 2 cents.

As I wrote on another post. If you like your bike . ride the sob! You don't have to run another man's or ladies bike down. It make yours no better! I'm a triumph owner-rider but I've ridden some nice harleys also. They'll all run fast enough to break your ass !!!

The Thunderbird was the original bad boy bike. Marlon Brando inspired an entire generation of riders on his.

TRIUMPH looks cooler , and rides better i'm buying one

The 2010 1600cc Thunderbird is exactly as described in the review. Very slow parking-lot handling is amazingly good given its weight. It is easier to do the infamous figure-eight double U-turn box test on the Thunderbird than the Street Bob. The engine vibration noted is present in the floorboards during hard acceleration. Using lower gears at Interstate speeds will bring some of it too. But an appropriate gear at speed and it all goes very smoothly.

The 4 cyl machines did not have the mid range tourque to use to steer in the turns as did my Triumph Bonneville. My 750 Bonneville was 395 lbs with a 4030 chrome molly frame and oil in the frame. She handles so well that I was fearless and since I said she did outdrag race most bikes I thought that it was clear that she was a fast bike as well as a real road holder. Lastly I raced to keep Triumph in buisiness and my heart and mind were one on this account. Loyalty and heart is the key!

You cant beat the sound of a Harley!

My brother, my sister and her husband all kept their KZ900's in my garage along side my 750 Triumph. My brother worked his KZ900 adding Kerker exhaust and velocity stacks and a 1016cc kit. But never could they beat my Bonneville in a Road Race. There is a difference between straight line excelleration and handling. Like I said I won all my races for 10 years against all racers on Long Island, and in the 1990's I beat the new KZ1100 fuel injected Ninja and the new 1000cc CBR in road races.

I've got a Bob, great bike. Cruises nice, rides excellent, very comfortable, good and clean. Mines black denim. Solo seat, black forward controls, flat black primary cover, black diamond fuel cap and gauge. It is the definition of a man's bike. I love it. That said, I have recently been spending some time on an M109R. I prefer it. Much faster. Rides nicer. Could use another gear(only a 5 speed) but I never feel like I need another gear. I'll get some vids of it up.

after i done test ride on harley street bob and fat bob i agree harley need to work more on quality, brake and other stuf , becouse if i get choise i will go for thunderbird 100%

my triumph 1700 storm will piss over any farm yard harley

Both fine bikes.

Iv owned a CBR 600, GSXR 750, R1, A Street Bob witch Belongs to my Wife now, and now I ride a Street Glide. Iv never had A problem with any of my bikes. I now have 23000 Miles on my Street Glide and she still makes me happy. Its all about how you treat a bike. Proper riding and maintenance is all it takes. My brother has raged the shit out of all his bike and he blames it on the Manufacture. I mean hes the type to smoke his tires till the engine Oil light comes on !

I already am the original owner of a cherry Triumph. At age 63 I can relax and stop proving to the world how fast I am. Instead of racing what I got - I went ahead and purchased a new 2013 Honda CBR250R Repsol. I'm glad I did. Smaller, 77mpg, enough power to entertain, good handling. On a 250cc bike who cares who is faster with their 850, 1000, 1100 etc. super bikes? Not me. I will be having the same amount of fun straffing the appex. and keeping my license. I obey speed limits now (mostly).

I agree, not much change in technology from my 2000 Dyna to today!

We need more people like you riding Harleys. I hate showing up at a meet and seeing the leather chaps and bad attitudes everywhere. Gives us a bad name.

The blacked out Thunderbird Storm looks even better.

Triumph all the way!!

I have a 2013 Street Bob with the 103" motor and love it.

I know which one won the war in my wallet. I bought the Thunderbird. Loved that bike, and rode the hell out of it for two seasons. I regret selling it, actually. Harleys are cool, but I have no desire at all to own one.

i like them both! But I'm keeping my carbureted 2003 Harley Wide Glide :)

My fourteenth bike, the one I now ride, is a Harley Ultra-Classic. It's my sixth Harley and my bike of choice. But let me add this. When I started riding back in the sixties the Triumph had as much and even more respect from the biker crowds. Today that still holds true...ask any Real Harley Owner...the Triumph is a beautiful bike and if I had the money for two bikes there'd be one sitting next to my Ultra right. Now, I gotta go wipe Big Red off and take a nice country cruise. Kickstands up.

Triumph INVENTED the first cruiser (hurricane x75). Shit, the hells angels rode triumphs before they went to Harleys, Harleys are imitation triumphs, not the other way around. Triumph has more heritage and class than Harley ever will. Triumph have Marlin Brando and the Fonz. Battle won, hands down.

The best time of my life was when I purchased a new 1976 T140V Triumph Bonneville based upon the specifications. I was right and with this new bike I was able to win street road races without ever loosing for ten consecutive years. Really, how can it be better than this? This has been the highlight of my life and I have my memories and the same Bonneville is only 10 feet from me as I type. It's ok for me to retire and now enjoy straffing the appexis with a new 2013 Honda CBR250R REPSOL Edition.

Love the look of the Triumph, parts are cheap compared to the Harley.

@MadIgor1 I dont agree with your comment regarding few aftermarket parts for the thunderbird... I guess perhaps compared to the aftermarket for a HD or a yamaha, perhaps you have a good point -- but Ive been happy to see how much is available thru british customs... Ive already put hogslayer pipes on my thunderbird, couple of other items and the site has lots of add ons for my bike.

Haven't you heard? 90% of all Harleys made are still on the road. (The other 10% actually kept running long enough to make it home)

If you don't want to go to the website, here's the verdict: "For its combination of a beefy, torque-filled Parallel Twin engine, a silky-smooth transmission, powerful brakes and more rider-friendly ergonomics, the 2010 Triumph Thunderbird emerged victorious in our cruiser comparo."

The S3 is a phenomenal bike, very different from the rest of the sport bikes, lots of character, i rode one for a year or so, the stable was full so my kid rides it now and loves it....I went to the "NEW American bike" and couldn't be happier

Who won ? The Thunderbird did of course. The T bird only weighs 72lbs more wet but carries 9lbs more fuel. T bird's torque is actually 146Nm / 108ft.lbf @ 2750rpm. The St Bob's torque is 92 ft. lbs. @ 3000 RPM (125 Nm @ 3000 RPM) The T bird's gearbox has helical cut gears 2nd to 6th. The St Bob only 6th. Accessories for the T bird cost approx. 2/3 of HD parts.

Have owned and loved Harleys. Have owned and loved a 2012 Thunderbird. Did some big kms on it touring New Zealand. Sold it eventually for a dual purpose because i wanted to do a lot of gravel travel. Still got that, but wanted another cruiser. It was a decision between a Storm or a decked out Street Bob with better brake rotors, suspension, lights, pipes, handle bars etc. Very cool. I went for the Street Bob. It's lighter and a lot of fun. With the upgrades it handles so well and brakes on a dime. Easy to work on, and more accessories. The Storm is an excellent bike off the mark without upgrading it. I love it too. A little heavy for want i wanted now. So much fun on the tricked out Harley Street Bob!

Oh, this was one of the better vids I have seen, well shot and edited, especially the little wheelies.

Triumph all day Harleys way to common

My 1976 Triumph T10V Bonneville beat every bike on the road for 10 years with no mechanical problems. Understand that I was often racing 1000cc and 1100cc fuel injected newer bikes so I really had to wind out my motor. So I guess it's clear that I completly disagree with your statement. I still have my 1976 Bonneville.

You can have your bob. Thunderbird is friggin awesome!

Good plan. I am not at all anti-harley at all, but If you want to do research on whatever motorcycle you are interested in, you will be happy with your choice. If you want a bike for an image, dont bother doing research, just buy H.D. I like Harleys, but I dont need them to create my own image. I ride my Triumph T-bird all year. The H.D. I take out a couple times a year. Just my own taste and observations. I think the Triumph is the better, Clearly not what evryone else thinks.

Triumph Thunderbird wins. At everything. HD shouldn't even come out to play to save themselves from the shame.

Yeah, I agree, really, be honest HD sells a dream, freedom, open road etc. They can do that because if they tried selling the bikes on their own merits, who would buy them? They wanna sell you the same thing we all get with our bikes, but we get our bikes without the commercial hype that so many people buy, chew, and swallow. My opinion is ride what you want, and enjoy, ...just don't go acting like they are even in the top 10, and acting like your all of a sudden tough because you ride an HD!

If you like either of these two bikes, you will love the 2011 triumph thunderbird storm.

picking up my new thunderbird this week...

I’ve rode both. Triumph T-bird all day.

I like them both, quite different machines though. I also cannot get over some of the silly arguements and insults within the comments, respect eachothers choices, real bikers do!

My Triumph never let another motorcylist put his wheel ahead of mine, it's a couple of down shifts and wide open throttle if they try. Now at age 63 I have matured. I have nothing to prove. I raced unto death defending the Honor of Triumph from Jan 1977 to 1987-that's 10 consecutive years and no one on any machine ever bested me and my Bonne in a cafe race. I am no longer interested in proving anything. Just wish to enjoy the sport. Let me retire, you and other young people carry on for Triumph.

Yes it does because of the chassis and the tyres,but it won't rust or fall apart like a harley and it will brake almost like an older sportbike,not like the excuse Harley calls a brake system.The components on the Triumph are much higher spec than the Harley's.

ABS is standard on all Triumph Thunderbirds now.

PS i'm not a chopper or cruiser rider,i ride sportbikes,but i am a designer and also have engineering skills.What i wrote is just a simple outsider's objective point of view

Test rode a T-bird today. If there's a better bike anywhere for the money, please let me know and I'll buy that one. It was so unbelievable smooth and so torquey.

Yes they could often out drag my 750. But I always challenged them to a drag race and then we were not to stop and it would then become a cafe race to some close by destination. I never lost for 10 years. My 1976 Triumph Bonneville was indestructable and was the best handling bike of that era. I removed the large mufflers and got the weight down to 365lbs. I beat every bile on the road for 10 years in road racres.

Triumph best !!!

Paid $4299 for my Honda CBR250R REPSOL Edition. Anyway, I wanted a small bike and 250cc fit's the bill. I still have my 1976 T140V Triumph Bonneville and I'm happy with it at @365 lbs (less mufflers). With my Honda I can ride at or around the speed limits and still get the feeling of getting it on, since the overall performance is less. With any Triumph this would not be the same as the performance is so much greater.

well in Willies defence, with a failing motorcycle market, you gotta branch out. I have a good laugh when I see all the "badass" wanna bees strutting in their expensive HD clothes. No lie, I was a rally last year, and saw one guy come out of his hotel room to sit on his HD, have his morning butt and coffee. This badass was wearing HD pajamas. Seriously, I couldn't believe it, I had to take some pics of this guy. How badass can you be , wearing HD 'jamies

@Sauce1977 What year Bob are you talking about? Is it true the 2011 has problems? Thanks for your comments btw.

Triumph hands down.

I'm buying my 1st street bike & at first I was going to buy a Triumph or a Victory but then I found out that neither maker offers ABS brakes like HD does though you have to pay an extra $1200. Safety is important to me and if the designers at Triumph and Victory think so little of ABS brakes then they need to have their head examined. ABS should be STANDARD & not an option. I hope my HD doesn't rust easy like some say it might. I'm happy that the HD handles really well and looks and sounds good.

I have the T bird, it’s fast, it’s stops fast, it handles well, it’s comfortable but a little quiet, peace

Harley is living off its name thats why it has little innovation, Triumph build more and better variants and show the world it can do anything they can do, but better. Great bike from Great Britain.

Both are great wouldnt mind having either of them

Haven't you heard ? 100% of HD cost more to ride in repairs than any other bike on the road, it's been that way since the HD began. Another note, the only thing actually made in America is the chrome coating. I wouldn't talk great about HD if you really new the actual facts and history

@Sauce1977 Did you had to get that Stage-1 done on it. I am reading a lot on forums and its not just me, many people change their mind after reading the forums filled with problems. It seems like after you buy it you got to spend extra 2G to make it ridable. Is that true? You seem to have good experience with the bike. I hope the bike is that good and not just that you are a lucky guy. I read about people's harleys not working in summer or they have leaks and such.

I owned a Triumph Bonneville SE and current own a Harley Sportster 72. Both great bikes and the only reason I sold the Triumph was my short reach making anything longer than a 30 minute ride uncomfortable for my neck and shoulders. Both bikes had excellent fit and finish. My prefer in this case would he the Harley V-twin since I like the shake and rumble of the HD verse the whine of Triumph's inline four.

@Sauce1977 Do you have engine over heating problems with the Street bob? Can you take it for long drives? Can you take it on stop/go traffic on hot summer days. Please let me know I am buying one soon.

I rode this Harley and bought a speed master found it to be more comfortable and it handled better. I believe it's a personal choice!! Not sure on the match u for comparison on this vid though

No, its not just forward pegs. As much as I curse Harleys at times, I also love them. I own a 2000 Dyna Sport. I rode the Dyna to the Okanagan last summer, overall position nowhere near as comfortable. You will feel it in your legs, and back. I dont hate the Dyna, but as far as comfort, the T-bird is the winner by a huge margin. I know my Dyna is not the Street Bob, but I have ridden one, seating is very similar to the Dyna. Peace Brother!

@sunrimsplus I was thinking to get one of these not sure which one yet.Have you heard some bad reports about the Thunderbird?

I looked at the new Triumphs for years. Why do you think I raced my 1976 Triumph on the street for so long? I was trying to keep Triumph in business. My T140V weighed 395lbs before I removed the very large and heavy mufflers. Got the weight down to @ 365lbs. The new Triumphs are over 500lbs, not something I care to race on the street. I race to win and also not end up in the hospital. I never crashed in a race! Anyway my Honda CBR250R is about 345 lbs ready to go. I appreciate the light weight.

@Soldier334 thanks!!! I just got my WG last week, loved it!!!!!!

I'd take the Thunderbird. Triumph makes a motorcycle, Harley just makes a tough-guy image that really ain't so tough.

1976 Bonnie was tested at 14.2 in the quarter mile, about 48 rwhp. It had dreadful vibration above 4000 rpm. My Norton trounced every 70's era Triumph I ever raced, and it might have produced 60 rwhp after extensive tuning. But it was no match for newer bikes with 80+ rwhp, and today there are stock bikes with 3 times as much horsepower. The Bonneville did have superb handling however.

I looked at a Triumph Speedmaster, Triumph Thunderbird and a Harley Street Bob. Bought the Street Bob with an upgraded 103 engine and Hard Candy Custom Gold Metalflake paint. Why? Because I just liked it a little better and the Triumph dealer is 100 miles away and the Harley dealer is only 4 miles away...so convience was part of the picture. ALL THREE ARE NICE BIKES....and I wish I could afford to have all three..but I can't..so I bought what I liked best....

I like the vibration at idle. Smooth engines are boring unless they rev really high to make up for the lack of character.

After looking at the finish and quality of other bikes(japaneese,british and italina) you start thinking that HD is made in China.And i won't even star about brakeing and other things like that...

Ah, but this is not true. My HEART was in my Triumph and in fact this machine is the best handling machine with a really fast motor. My Triumph made my life complete. I out drag raced many 1,000cc Kaw's and Honda's and all 750cc any thing bikes. I cannot see how my heart could defend a Japanese bike. I'm putting my Bonneville back on the road this summer. What a Bike, cruses like a H-D and out races a rice burner.

@kawrx2002 thanks!!! I just got my WG last week, loved it!!!!!!

Hey guys, I'm 6 foot 4, 220lbs Street Bob or Wide glide?

@MrChutzpah2002 nope Me or the wife have not had any trouble with it over heating or anything at all. I drive it to work sometimes and get stuck in traffic almost daily and i’ve yet to see a light come on. The Longest trip I had this one on was 4 hrs there and 4 hrs back had no issues at all. I Enjoy riding this one around town a lot more than my street glide it drives way better and looks more bad ass as well / old school .

Really hot, smoth looking bikes.

They just don't have roads like that in Jersey - just acres of broken highway and tractor trailers - not to mention cops aching to bust your chops...

@bootch171 so you think its the way to go?Its better then the Bob?

@wvXvxvXvw Did you ever run into engine over heating problems. Why are there so many HD forums with engine over heating issues. Makes me worried to buy one.

@Sauce1977 Thanks for your information. It's just when you go online and type in "harley overheating" or "Harley complaints", there seem to be lot of people with problems. Its like the bike starts getting problems after few months. So that scares me thinking of that. I really think it's a great looking bike but can't trust to go with it. Some people had good experience but I wonder why are there so many people online in forums with problems. Did you had any extras added on it after buying it.

the only reason HD is at the top in america is because it cried and sued it's way there.

Can I ride the Thunderbird? It look very big and heavy and I don't have a dealer in my country to see one up-close. I am 1.65m tall and 65kg heavy. I am riding a Yamaha Xv535 and feel very comfortable on it.

Triumph. The end

Im not a "rider", but I really like motorcycles, just the way they look and sound, seems like a lot of fun..but I don't know how to change gears ...do these come in automatic transmissions??

@475catatlive LOL for sure harley is a lifestyle -- kind of like walmart shopping... go to a bike night and its 80% harleys, 18% yamahas and hondas... I'll GLADLY be on my Triumph and know that me and a couple guys on indians or triumphs are the only ones in the crowd. btw -- how come when Im out on my triumph and the temps are below 70 degrees no harleys are on the roads? I guess that HD lifestyle is about riding your bike on saturday afternoons in the summer... hardcore LOL

This man is a real bike nut!

Not extensively,thats why i mentioned i ride sportbikes(yamaha yzf 600 R is my curent bike,and i've had a couple other 600 sportbikes from Yamaha and an Aprillia rs 125).But i have friends with V-rods and other HD's.The V-Rods sound great,look superb,pull like hell but bad finish and problems with rust,frame bearings and other premature worn components,although they love the bikes and take very good maintenance on them.The other models have the same problem plus shity brakes.

I'm a Harley guy, but the Triumph just looks better. Hell, being a tall guy I tend to ape out most of my bikes, but that Harley just screams "80s biker" to me.

@MadIgor1 You're telling me the HD outhandles the Triumph.... REALLY???

I also owned a 71 Bonnie and it was fast, I delighted in dragging of Honda 750 fours, but by the late 70s the Japanese bikes were leaving everything behind. There is no way a Bonnie had a chance if say a GS1000 was at the lights. Basically the eighties belonged to Japan and it was not un till the mid nineties the other manufacturers got there shit together to compete

@mrmatkilgore I think both bikes are on pair, bob is lighter so even the power per weight ratio is similar, Tbird has about 15-20% higher fuel consumption, which neglects bigger tank (same range for both bikes). After-market parts for HD are 2/3 of Triumph, there are few after-market for Tbird. Tbird excels in dual front brakes (due to weight, single would not do the job), street bob excels at handling (even E-glide handles better then Tbird). They are both on pair, if you asks me.

Not sure any bike can beat my 1976 T140V Triumph Bonneville because it has yet to loose a road race! There are newer, faster bikes. But it remains to be seen if they can beat my bike. BTW, I just got a new 2013 Honda CBR250R Repsol edition. I can enjoy racing at or around the speed limit on all the back roads. Nothing to prove as I'm 63yr's old. I was and remain an amature racer. I can just race against the road and get the same spirit without competing, 8-10th's instead of 10-10th's speed!

I have to agree, there is no bike like a harley. (Thank God). Compare the price with what you get! That is why I own a 2010 triumph t-bird. Look at this post, look at the position of the riders legs on the Harley. How long before your legs would be cramping up. I am average height, 6'. The thunderbird is so comfortable on long hauls, nimble in the city, excellent braking, superior performance,...so what was the positive parts of the Harley,..NONE!

Can wee little Shadow Spirit speak?...pock, pock, pock, pock.

I take it you are a very good and fearless rider, so on that note all the bikes you beat, if you were riding them, and they were riding your Bonnie, you would have also beat them in a road race. Skill is more the point here not the bike in question. Keep riding buddy and good luck.

thanks for clarification....