TRIUMPH Thunderbird (2009-2010) Specs, Performance & Photos

In 2009, the British motorcycle manufacturer introduced a new series of Thunderbird models with a large displacement engine. The motorcycle was manufactured at the Hinckley factory in Leicestershire, England.

The bike's name came after a five-year hiatus from previous Triumph Thunderbird models, such as an 885cc powered machine and a 650cc twin Bonneville made in the mid-1960s. The latest but earlier model was the Thunderbird Sport model, dropped from production in 2004.

Compared to the earlier model, the new Thunderbird had a more relaxed riding position and packed standard fittings, such as a round headlight, a teardrop-shaped fuel tank, a two-piece dual seat, side-mounted shock absorbers, a dual exhaust system with a muffler on each side, and five-spoke lightweight aluminum wheels.

The bike's suspension system comprised a 47 mm Showa telescopic fork on the front with 120 mm wheel travel and twin adjustable Showa shock absorbers on the rear with 95 mm wheel travel, offering excellent handling.

In the braking department, the bike's wheels were fitted with two 310 mm floating discs coupled to four-piston Nissin calipers on the front and a 310 mm disc with a dual-piston Brembo caliper on the rear.

As for the power figures, the 2009 Triumph Thunderbird had mounted between the wheels a 1,599cc four-stroke liquid-cooled parallel-twin engine with a fuel injection system in charge, delivering 85 hp at 4,850 rpm and 146 Nm (108 lb-ft) torque at 2,750 rpm.