Triumph Thunderbird Storm

16k klm on this bike (storm 2013) and its just a real clanker, power is good ride is good but the engine noise is not normal , although triumph will tell you there is nothing wrong with it! re-sale of the bikes is very very bad so plan on owning it for a while or loose your shirt. Bike handles well, stops well and has power to spare. Paint is terrible, will scratch at the slightest touch of most things (especially if its a black bike) tires (metzlers) are crap expect to replace around 8k klm or so, front has a habit of cupping bad. Parts are not stocked well, waiting times can be very long, dealer support seems to be sparse at best. Would I buy this bike again (3rd Triumph) no i would not by the Thunderbird in any model again, stick with their bonnies , if you want a big 1700 cruiser for for Kawi or HD etc.

The bike sounds great , looks great. But repair bills farrrk!
I hope your a mechanic or know a cheap one if you own this bike.
Its like a mini ball of fun though and it looks quite retro

Overall to much for repairs if you dont care bout that then a good bike

I had a 2014 Thunderbird Storm and had numerous coolant leak. Tightening the hose works but only temporarily. But, it has happen to me over 4 times within 15 months of owning the Thunderbird Storm. I had a triumph Bonneville before my storm and never once had an issue. Apparently, this is a well known issue among us Thunderbird Storm owners. We all have friends who ride different manufactures but non of them have coolant leaks like reported among us owners! Triumph replaced my 2014 Thunderbird Storm after numerous attempts to fix this issue. They replaced my 2014 with a 2015 Triumph Thunderbird Storm...guess what...same coolant leak within 26 miles!

Poorly designed and built. The chrome rusts quickly..The paint scratches easily and is thin..The engine exhaust decompression cam breaks and puts metal through the engine and gearbox ( before 20k kms) .Rides like a pig!! but the brakes are good. Dealers can't diagnose faults then you have to pay for there labour to replace faulty parts..then get your bike back in an unsafe condition.. Would I buy another Triumph NO!!

I purchased a Triumph Thunderbird Storm brand new in 2012, it was fitted with a K&N air filter and a Foran exhaust system. I weigh 81 kg and 5'11" tall, I rate the suspension as 4/10, the power 7/10, the exhaust 7/10 (high reverb) and handling 6/10. Other observations include a very noisy tick in the engine that drove me crazy and an extremely noisy belt drive from new. The paint is water based (gloss black) and scratches very easily. I have owned several big bikes Japanese and other. I look after my bikes and recently sold the Triumph for top dollar however I can honestly say that I will never purchase another Triumph. Current ride is a Harley sportstar and I am about to purchase a Suzuki Boulevard C109RT to replace the Storm.

I also love the storm I have a 2015 , had a kwaka 9 years ago & the storm is the closest thing I could find that was a cross between the street bike & crusier . The handeling & power is second to none , Some will complain about rear tier wear but that is caused by haveing fun twisting the right hand.
Update as have had the bike longer , I have changed tyers to the Pirelli Night Dragons , I will say they do not grip as well as the metzelers ( have to back right off in the wet and dont stick as well in the dry either ) . So I will be swapping back to the Metzeler as soon as I can .

I have a storm at six thousand km the counter weight on the exhaust cam broke that caused a noise in the engine took it back to the dealer they checked it out yep we will replace the camshaft it took six weeks to get my bike back they did not airfreight the part I think they sent it by camel train I was not happy but it cost me nothing to get it fixed it runs well now love to ride this bike

I bought a storm abs in 2011. I recently moved from Perth to Byron area in NSW and paid over $1000 to have it trucked across as it has been so unreliable and the standard seat and vibration make it good to ride for only100 km. Has that many engine noises including decompression weight issues, piston slap, vibration, bouncy rear end, not precise handling when cornering, cheap seat for a cruiser? The dealer fitted aftermarket pipes removing the cat and that just added to back firing so they fitted a power commander and that just added more issues with high idle and excessive fuel use age I was going to trade it but dealers did not really want it and I would not sell it privately and give someone else problems.
Should you buy one they are a great looking bike just leave it STANDARD.

I picked up my Triumph Thunderbird Storm from Team Moto Triumph in Springwood Brisbane. They were excellent in their service. I then rode it home back to North Queensland. Love the bike has plenty of power has a set of pipes on it with a great note and all mat black it has great street appeal. After my ride i decided it needs a few mods have ordered a new seat and sissy bar and luggage rack. As well as a set of crash bars and a some hiway pegs to go on them. As the original foot pegs get a bit sore after a long trip and the seat is a bit hard. I doubt I will do much after that as it has all I want in a bike. Gary at Triumph Performance Parts Vic has been really helpful with the accessories and I thoroughly recommend his service. I love the bike and can not wait till I get home from my work to ride it when ever I can. Recommend the Storm to anyone who wants a good bike.

Twenty thousand kilometres on...

Just loving the Storm. Blinged her up and now just needs a stainless steel radiator cover for protection and maybe a Power Commander for performance, but not all that fussed about that. Got shorties on and a direct cross-over so the torque hasn't lessened one bit. She crackles like a storm especially during down-shifting.

My other bike's a 2013 Yamaha 1900cc Roadliner, bought for my son but he likes to plonk his butt on the Trumpy every opportunity. My brother-in-law has a HD CVO Wideglide 1800cc. There's not much between them over 100m. A little more over 200m with the CVO running out at 3500 revs and the Roadliner loping at 2500revs. The Storm has more punch and definitely more torque than the others in the shorter run and can pounce at any speed really. The wide handlebars sometimes stops me following them up through the traffic during filtering but the traffic has to be really close for that to happen.

The touring seat is a must. Not only for the missus but it can facilitate a back rest for the rider. The Defender windscreen is great, (see profile pic). Cheap too if you import it yourself from the UK. I leave the saddle bags off unless we go touring - had the mounting brackets machined so they can be unclipped in seconds, same as the sissy bar. Both lockable. Got floorboards for mum but retained the pegs for me. Better clearance although I've learnt to ride the bike in a more upright position so corner grinding doesn't bother me so much even when I'm hammering it.

If you're thinking of buying a Triumph cruiser, have a ride of the Storm at least before making up your mind. I think you'll love it. Big bike, big presence, silk and satin.

You know how your favorite shirt feels soooo comfortable?? well this is how my Storm fits me! I purchased my 2013 Storm with 2500km on the clock. Xtras included short tors, dart screen,teebars, and black teardrop mirrors. From my first few kms traveled ive been in love! What a smooth, well balanced ride with grunt to burn!
I have since added a touring seat,grabrail, amsoil, K&N air filter,manufactured some highway pegs and most recently added a Power Commander v and will have it remapped and dynoed soon. Triumph have got a beauty here! Gear changes silky smooth and nice even braking all help to make this a great ride!

Been riding Triumphs for 44 years. My first a ridged 500 cut down for bush bashing at the age of 14 years. Xmas 2012 my wife and I went to Chapmans Triumph here in Perth on the pretext of buying herself a new T shirt. I was admiring a new Storm which was having new plates fitted. Ross Chapman threw me a set of keys and said they were for my new bike. Supprise supprise. Did a few mods. Touring seat, rider back rest, quick release sissy bar, dart fly screen, removed cat convertor, BC reverse cone pipes, ECU set to TORs. What a rocket ship, grunt, brakes, handling and looks.
Took it home and parked it next to my beautiful T100 Bonnie intending to keep both but found that every time I went into the garage I jumped on the Storm so ended up selling the Bonnie. (Still kicking myself. Stupid)
Now 2 years later and 10ks it just gets better and better. Never any problems.
PS. Bought a Triumph TR6 off Lloyd Chapman, Ross' father 40 years ago. (Repeat business).

Been riding the storm for about 9 months or so now, and it just grows on you. To start with it grabbed me as the smarter buy, but then simply continued to impress ride after ride. It turns and stops like a gem, and with a touring seat provides armchair comfort for hours.The negative would be the rear suspension is both soft and noisy. The bottom line is the storm is an excellent allrounder capable of a wide array of ride requirements.

February 7th 2017 Update: Triumph thunderbird storm after 10k

Well it has been over 10,000 km and 2 years and can say the storm is still a gem. Yes I encountered a coolant leak from the radiator hoses which required a screw driver and 5 minutes of my time to retention clamps, and has not raised an issue since. I have also found it challenging to get quality service and have found that some dealers are less than acceptable when it comes to loving your bike, however the good ones are out there, and if they do not exist in your area, look for a good custom workshop as they will generally look after you. The bike itself is great value for money...

I brought my bike new, after researching other peoples reviews.
It was hard to find reviews from other women who had ridden this bike but did so in an American review.
All she said was true:
Heavy down low & hard to reverse
Great for long journeys, rides really well,
For someone who is 48yrs, 60kgs on a 345kg bike, I wanted to know everything about this bike but to do so I need to test rideone. In Darwin I tried to get a test ride from the local dealer who wanted me to buy the bike before testing it. I then looked online and found a mob who would pay for my airfare if I choose to or not buy the bike & $3000 cheaper, so I took up their offer and they were true to their word.
My husband came with me and we test rode the bike together and it was everything I expected it to be.
I replaced both seats with touring seats as the originals were very hard to sit on with a removable sissy bar.
Chrome work, short pipes for loudness but not something u cant hear yourself think, after 2 years they are getting louder.
Hi way pegs, Triumph calliper covers, chrome radiator cover
Did get the Triumph alarm but it only lasted 12mths and shut the motor down from a faulty battery on the alarm system. Have not put another one on. Do yourself a favour and get the Harley alarm as they seem to be a lot better than the Triumph ones I've been told.
the bike handles so smoothly and is well balanced for someone my size, one think is having to look down at the fuel tank to check my speed does take your eyes off the road for a few seconds as I have a full face helmet.
It was exactly the bike I had read about and once I had my first test ride I knew straight away it was the bike for little ole me. Hope it helps other women riders out there. Ride safe!
How well balanced and smooth riding for a women
Alarm system only lasted 12 mths before becoming faulty, & shut down the bike would recommend Triumph alarms

So I have had the Storm for 3 months now and purposely waited to write a review. After week two I hated it because it had a bad coolant leak . Back to the dealer and a loose hose clamp . Next week engine management light came on . Called my dealer and they asked me to ride the 90km for them to look at it . I explained the handbook said not to ride it and made them come to me . They had pulled a cable out detailing the bike after the coolant leak . All was good until the second month. Yep , another coolant leak . Come and get it guys !!! Yet another loose clamp . Free t shirt and so sorry . I had to threaten the DP to get these things sorted quick . Having said all of this I love my bike. I have the touring seat as the standard one was poor . Put the dart flyscreen on to take the wind off the chest . Done 2500km now and the bike is just right and nicely run in. It handles very well for a 345kg bike but remember to park backwards on a slope . My advice would be to get one . I also got the removable sissy bar which is great with my hot wife on the back . I will change the pipes and probably customise the tank with a bigger Triumph logo as you can't see it's a Triumph at first glance . I don't want people to think its a Harley. So expect some teething problems but stick with it . It handles well and is quick for a big cruiser . I have mates with Harley's and Diavels who have ridden it and love it . I live on the Gold Coast and it's cool not to have a Harley in my opinion and far better value . I looked at the dyna fat bob and victory judge but the storm was just so much better. I would be surprised if you got one and didn't like it . Just be prepared to sort out the little niggles
Handling, torque
Coolant leaks

Two months on my capable XVS650 Classic, after 25 years absence, yesterday I placed my order, matt grey, short pipes, cruiser seat with rider & pillion back rests, rack, panniers and tank bib & speedo "peak/shade". Separately ordered a Dart screen from the UK. I demo road virtually the same setup on Wednesday and was amazed. Apart from being 106 kilos heavier (it felt heavier but not by that much) and 6 more litres in the tank, virtually all other dimensions are the same as the XVS650, no wonder it was so easy to get used to. Much better cornering though and let's not mention the power, those forward controls and seat, bars triangle was made for me. Two good tiny features that are not in many reviews, self cancelling indicators and a clock in the scrollable LCD display, great for school zone time. It is missing cruise control which is fixable and I am not sure about keeping the dual seat on permanently, but what are bikes for? They need to be not 100% perfect so that they keep you interested! Hopefully it all comes together in a few days time. I will post Part 2 in about a months time after taking it on a few runs.

Part 2 of my Review:
Near as dammit two months of riding, today's ride took me over 4,000 kilometres, all pleasure. Most of the riding is with my local Ulysses Club, with many of the rides over 250 kilometres, today's almost 400 kilometres.

Key KPI, fuel consumption. I run the bike on 95 octane. The dealer said don't bother with 98, the bike will not like it. Given I am averaging 5.2 litres / 100 kilometres for a bike this size, I will stick with 95 octane. The bike tells me that the tank-range is 400 kilometres. I did 340 kilometres today with 65 kilometres left in reserve. Note that there is no reserve tap on this bike, the LCD has 5 functions and the low fuel light comes on with around 100 kilometres "to go" - hasn't let me down.

I have added a stainless steel radiator guard, which gives me a bit of peace of mind protection. Also fitted a power socket & USB to the left handlebar riser. I changed helmets to a Shoei J-Cruise - I recommend riding this bike with a 3/4 helmet (open face) otherwise the chin-bar on a full-face obstructs your view of the tank-mounted speedo. I do not ride with the sissy-bar and rack as I rarely have a pillion, it's in the garage should I need it.

The bike is great to ride. I acknowledge that it is a little heavy and those bends at the top of Kiama are not the right "shape" for this bike - all other bends no problem, including the many hair-pins that I have travelled through. Despite the weight, slow crawling in heavy traffic and approaching traffic lights waiting for them to change, is not a problem. The weight did catch me out once, I parked into a kerb, on a very small slope in a Woolies car-park, it was painful backing the bike out - be very careful that you park up any slopes, or have a mate around that can help pull the bike backwards.

The bike had its first service, no problems. The dealer let me have a Bonneville as a loan bike, it felt like a toy, but lovely to ride, very different feel. I have not experienced any problems with the bike. However, I made one adjustment almost straight away. I found that on certain country roads the rear bottomed out. I adjusted the springs to the next firmer setting "2" and that sorted it out. I have also taken the bike through some pretty bad rain and it coped well, I forgot to zip up the air-vents in my jacket, so I was soaked, such is life.

I recommend the riders backrest - it only comes with the double touring seat - but I find it suits my seating position perfectly and I haven't had any lower back pains after any of the rides. It also helps stop you sliding off the back of the bike on take-off. I ride on setting 2, the other settings crunch me too close to the tank. I also recommend the Dart fly-screen, it looks so good with the double headlights. I rode the bike for three days before the screen arrived and the amount of air pressure that is taken off the chest is superb. If you are going to use this bike for rides as I do, get the fly-screen direct from Dart (UK) - note that you will need a Torx key to fit it - get a decent Torx set, the radiator guard is also fixed with a Torx bolt. If I end up going on a "tour", I will put the Rocket III touring screen on this bike, it can be adapted, big if at the moment though.

The torque is unbelievable, but I would prefer a gear indicator. This is on my birthday list (to myself) and I may install a Kaoko friction type cruise control. Relatively cheap and would be useful for highway riding.

No regrets and I smile every time I ride it.
The fit, the cruiser set-up, the look. The ability to change the feel of the bike quite easily.
No cruise control

I have had the misfortune to own two triumphs. The first being a rocket III,it had computer and major engine management problems.
The second was the brand new Thunderbird Storm. 3 months on I had 3 separate coolant leaks in three different parts of the motor, ECU issues causing a high revving motor which sat on 2000 revs. Problems selecting gears and chrome falling off.

When I spoke with Triumph Australia they offered me a cap and a t-shirt for my problems. Sighting it was under warranty. I could cop that on a couple of these Issues but not the 5 other issues. As I pointed out to Triumph Australia what happens in 3 or 4 years time when it's out of warranty???????

I did love the bike when it was running and even told them I would be happy if they would replace the bike. I

You couldn't give me a Triumph, Which is a real shame as some of their bikes look great.
Looked great, sounded great, went well when it was actually running
The service from triumph Australia was rubbish and insulting, quality control issues, dangerous high revving motor when trying to throttle off or simply sitting stationary

I have had my storm for 6 months now . I have ran it in the way triumph say to. It has all the power and touque you need. I have fitted the shorty pipes witch give better performance and sound a deep growl. Brakes exellent. The seat could do with more padding on a long ride.
the price the power the acceleration
seat too hard needs more padding for long rides

I have upgraded from 2 bikes , a 900cc Vulcan and a Honda fire storm 1000cc about 18 months ago . I test rode the storm at the triumph dealer and was amazed !! I knew straight away the storm had all the power and torque I was looking for in one bike . Pretty much any hill in top gear ,unbelievable torque and effortless arm straightening acceleration even with a pillion on , I really don't think any other cruiser could match it . Not a single fault with the bike in 15,000 km , fantastic brakes , great sound (with pipes fitted ) , Probably not the most comfortable bike in the world for a long trip , but if you like the rumble and the vibration and the power , that's the price you have to pay .
The power and torque !! and the noise and the gel seat upgrade
I was dissappionted in the saddle bags not being available yet in clip on style

Have just upgraded from a speedmaster the difference is huge the speedmaster was a great bike and in the 8 yrs i had it i had no probs but this thing is unreal ive nearly lost the missus off the back a few times so i would recommend a sissy bar for 2 up riding if you like to give it abit as i do.Its remarkably easy to ride and quite agile for a big cruiser with good brakes although the rears seem to good maybe i just need to get more familiar with them as ive only done about 2500 ks on it.the stock pipes are a little wimpy(or is that the adr laws ?)anyway i put the "hogs slayers" on it and they are great not too loud but a definite bark when you give it the berries the original seat is also a bit hard ok around town but on a long ride your bum feels it so ive put a better seat on apart from those minor bits its great so if like me it takes you a month too grow something that even resembles a goatee and you cant afford a winged jacket and tassles go buy one of these weapons but make sure you hang on good!