When a brand like Triumph, known only for road bikes since the 1960s, throws its hat into the motocross ring with its own-developed bike, the question on most riders’ lips is whether the British manufacturer could really build a competitive 450 straight out of the gate. For most of us who ride at the weekends, the issue isn’ t about shaving tenths off lap times, it’ s whether the bike feels right from the moment you swing a leg over and that it’ s something you want to spend your precious riding time aboard.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS That was exactly my mindset when I threw a leg over the TF450-RC for the first time. But there was a surprise. A good surprise- just how normal it felt … in a good way. The cockpit is comfortable, the controls feel familiar, and the overall build quality is higher than I expected for a first-year bike. Out of the box, it really did feel‘ race ready’- every bit as much as the orange brand with a similar marketing slogan. At 1.83m( 6ft) and 96kg, I, literally, only adjusted lever height before my first moto.
KIWI RIDER 51