compared to a sport bike they are not nearly as fast. however compared to cruisers they are more powerfull than the Jap counterparts. They are also not nearly as plastic. also there are many sizes depending on the year and model for example the Thunderbird is a 1600, the
america is an 865 so on and so forth. My america is a 790 and clearly out performed the Intruder, and the Shadow of its class.
now noone gets one and leaves it alone for long. The Triumphs have huge potental for modification. performance and looks. I drag raced a 1200 sportster and beat him handily with only inexpencive, and simple to do modifications.
Noone at a rally or ride ever walks up to a Jap bike and says hey man nice ride. Unless its a sport bike rally. Triumphs are superior bikes in many ways.
The triumphs will out handle any bike ever "european handling". They are great in the parking lot and many guys on here have made 1000 mile road trip with them. There is no Shadow fan site.
Granted there are not as many models and sizes that the Jap companys have, but the difference is when you have a great product you don't have to throw many varieties out there to confuse the buyer. You only have to do what you do well. I like the fact that rather than engineer a whole new machine they just take what they have and continually improve on it.

Last edited by locopony; 10/27/2010 7:48 PM.
I have no faith in human perfectability. I think that human exertion will have no appreciable effect upon humanity. Man is now only more active - not more happy - nor more wise, than he was 6000 years ago. Edgar Allan Poe