ONE of the best-kept secrets in the motocross world has finally been officially seen, as the ultra-secretive Triumph motocross project makes its first fleeting appearance.
And I say ‘best-kept secrets’, because the motorcycle industry is historically very leaky, with spyshots and fan pictures usually finding their way onto social media. We’ve not really had that with Triumph’s motocross project, as Ricky Carmicheal and his team tested and developed the bike in the expanse of the American desert.
More information on the Triumph Motocross bike to come
Today, though, we get our first glimpse of the machine, and while it isn't the most detailed of glimpses, there is still quite a bit of information that can be gleaned and we also get to hear from the team behind the new bike's backbone. First and foremost, is that Triumph’s first foray into the motocross world is not a reworked KTM SX-F - as was rumoured on social media. With the frame being the only element of the bike we can see in the video, the information is limited, but it is still enough to see that the frame is designed in a totally different way from the Austrian manufacturer. Moreover, it’s not a clone of the Honda CRF, the Kawasaki KX, or the Yamaha YZ, despite using the same material: aluminium. It does indeed seem to be a clean sheet design from the team, which is both exciting and intriguing.
The frame of the bike is still like a cradle design, in that the engine is cradled between the frame rails, although it’s the section behind the headstock that draws the most attention. Most modern motocross bikes will feature two upper beams that meet just behind the headstock, although the Triumph uses a large cast section that attaches to the headstock, and the upper frame beams then mount to that much further back, nearer to where you’d imagine the front edge of the seat to be. Below the headstock, the frame looks more conventional, with a cast section serving as an anchor point for the bottom rails very much the same as found on the Honda CRF and other competition off-road machines.
Triumph Motorcross Bike Frame - First Look!
While the Hinckley factory and the team in the US have obviously been careful to keep the secrets of this bike hidden for just a little bit more time, we might not have to wait long to find out more. Motocross and Supercross legend Carmichael has himself alluded on social media to more information arriving in the coming weeks, along with the prospect of him actually riding the bike for the first time.
