First Ride: Triumph’s updated Trident 660 brings a renewed focus

What is it?

Triumph’s original Trident 660 showcased a brand new look for the British motorcycle brand. Entering into the competitive middleweight roadster segment, the Trident sought to appeal to riders with a characterful motorcycle which brought a lot of performance at a more affordable price than some of the firm’s other offerings.

Now, for 2025, Triumph has given the Trident 660 an update, bringing in new styles, a premium finish and enough technology to keep riders happy.

What’s new?

There’s a more distinctive look to this new Trident thanks to a series of new colourways, but the changes that have been made go further than design alone. There’s a new traction control system for more secure riding, while a quickshifter comes equipped as standard for lightning-fast changes. Most importantly, this is being done at a price – £7,895, in fact.

But despite this price being the same as the older Trident, there’s a lot more on offer with features that used to be paid-for extras now equipped as standard.

What’s it powered by?

The good news about this updated Trident 660 is that the characterful triple engine remains the same, kicking out 80bhp and 64Nm of torque, with peak power coming in at 10,250rpm. However, Triumph has made sure that 90 per cent of the maximum torque is available across most of the rev range, ensuring that you’re never left without some in-gear shove when you need it.

As mentioned, there’s now a standard-fit quickshifter connected to the six-speed manual gearbox, and there’s the option of adding a restrictor kit should you be riding with an A2 licence but still after the Trident experience. Once you’ve passed your full test, it’s easy to remove it again.

What’s it like to ride?

The Trident remains just as user-friendly as it did in its first incarnation, thanks to a handily low seat height and an easy-going riding position which isn’t too hard on the wrists. The triple engine kicks into life with a raspy note and when you’re on the move, it feels alert and energetic, while the low weight of the bike in general inspires confidence through the corners.

The standard-fit quickshifter makes changes a breeze and you get into the swing of using it more often than you’d expect. But it’s the lightweight feel of the Trident which helps to give this middleweight a sense of fun no matter where you’re riding.

How does it look?

The Trident has always been a rather striking bike, despite being quite compact in its design. For 2025, the Trident’s new range of colours introduces a fresh feel while still keeping things close to what came before. There’s a new underslung exhaust silencer, too, which gives the Trident a cleaner look while enhancing the engine’s sound.

You’ll pay a little extra for any colour aside from the standard Jet Black shade, mind you, with a £100 premium coming for red, yellow or blue shades – so it’s not all that bad price-wise if you fancy a more distinctive look.

What’s the spec like?

Prie is all-important in this middleweight category, which is why Triumph has aimed to strengthen the Trident’s appeal through additional kit for no additional outlay. The now-standard quickshifter plays a big part of this and ensures that the Trident lines up with others in the market, such as the Suzuki GSX-8R.

You now get Bluetooth connectivity as standard, too, which allows you to pair your phone to the bike’s in-house system and control aspects such as calls or media via the handlebar-mounted switches. Our bike also came with heated grips – a big plus point given our slightly brisk riding conditions. At £245, we’d say they’re an extra which is well worth adding to the Trident as a way of giving a more year-round ability.

Verdict

The Trident continues to strike out in a market which is overrun with options. It’s easy to get along with, looks good and now, with this new version, brings more standard equipment than ever before. We like the finish, too, and the inclusion of a standard quickshifter transforms the Trident experience, both in terms of riding and purchasing, too.

With a more attractive price, there seem to be even fewer drawbacks for the Trident than ever.