KIWI RIDER JULY 2020 VOL.1 | Page 19

TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLES JOINS E-BIKE RACE T riumph Motorcycles has officially joined in the growing e-bike segment with an offering that sits apart from many for actually being made by Triumph itself. For a company which was founded upon the wheels of the bicycle in the late 1800s, it has surprisingly taken Triumph Motorcycles a while to join in the latest two-wheeled personal transportation option that is e-bikes. Making its debut this month and joining the likes of Ducati, BMW and Harley-Davidson in the pedal-powered arena, the Triumph Trekker GT E-Bike is the first e-cycle designed by Triumph and combines the company’s performance engineering know-how with the latest iteration of Shimano’s battery technology and drive train. The result is a stylish offering for customers that boasts appealing looks with, comfort, quality and finish according to the British manufacturer. The Trekker GT has been designed by Triumph’s in house styling team to deliver a distinctive silhouette, characterised by its contemporary, clean design and elegant lines. It’s a breath of fresh air in a market that seems to lean heavily on more outlandish designs rather than keep things elegantly simple like Triumph has done. Featuring a sophisticated twin paint scheme in familiar Triumph motorcycle colours of Matt Silver Ice and Matt Jet Black, the Trekker GT has a clean style which is enriched by dedicated blacked-out features and detailing across the bicycle including wheels, pedals, seat post and handlebar stem, plus cast aluminium Triumph badging to let you know it’s a genuine Triumph product. While pricing and local availability are still being worked out by Triumph UK (we will update you on that once Triumph New Zealand gets back to us) we do know that Triumph has teamed up with one of the best in the business when it comes to the driveline of the Trekker GT. They’ve teamed up with Shimano to take on the latest generation of electric drive weighing in at just 2.88kg. As a result, Triumph says the Trekker GT offers a smooth and responsive drive and a day-long range of approximately 150km per charge through its 250w 60Nm torque-rich Shimano powertrain that comprises a Shimano Steps E6100 motor and a fully integrated Shimano E8035 504Wh battery. The Trekker GT also ships with a set of premium features fitted as standard including integrated LED lighting, full-length matt-black mudguards, blacked-out pannier rack, side stand and ABUS pro-shield integrated lock. As with all Triumph products, there is a range of official accessories available including Triumph’s heavy-duty security items including 270mm U-lock and chain and ground anchor, and Mucoff/Triumph cleaning kit complete the Trekker GT accessory line-up. The Trekker GT is set to debut in the European and American markets very soon, with Asia- Pacific availability yet to be set by Triumph. However, it is unlikely we will see the Trekker GT offered in the New Zealand market. When contacted by Kiwi Rider regarding the move back to bicycle production, Triumph Motorcycles New Zealand general manager, Leigh Beckhaus, said that on top of the bike being made in limited numbers, the Trekker isn’t set to be available to the distributor markets. KIWI RIDER 19