Faster and more capable than the Trident 660, the new Trident 800 might just be the sweet spot of Triumph’s naked bike lineup.
Subscribe to our Instagram Channel for instant news & updates!
The middleweight naked bike segment has become one of the most competitive categories in motorcycling today. Everyone wants that perfect balance, enough power to have fun on weekends, but still comfortable and manageable enough to survive daily traffic. And honestly, that sweet spot is not easy to get right.
For the longest time, Triumph’s lineup felt split into two extremes. On one side sits the Triumph Trident 660, a bike that’s approachable, friendly and easy to ride for almost everyone. On the other side, you have the Street Triple family, especially the RS and Moto2 versions, which are incredible machines but also very aggressive and heavily track-focused for normal riders.
Somewhere in between, it left a noticeable gap. Not everybody wants a razor-sharp naked supersport, and not everybody wants something entry-level either. That’s exactly where the new Triumph Trident 800 comes into the picture.
Instead of building another hardcore streetfighter, Triumph went for something much smarter. The Trident 800 feels like a proper roadster first, something designed for real roads, real traffic and real riders, while still keeping that addictive triple-cylinder excitement the brand is famous for.
And honestly, Triumph naked bikes have always been a little underrated in Malaysia. Japanese brands still dominate heavily here, especially in the middleweight category. But among riders who understand what Triumph is about, the appeal has always been the same, refinement, character and one of the best engine personalities in motorcycling.
I had the chance to properly ride the Trident 800 during its launch at LYL International Karting Circuit in Cheras. But riding around a circuit and living with a bike in the real world are two very different things.
So I brought it through city traffic, highways and twisty roads around Klang Valley just to understand what this bike is really all about. And honestly, it didn’t take very long before the Trident 800 started making a lot of sense.
Engine and Specs
On paper, this doesn’t feel like a cheaper Street Triple replacement at all. Instead, it feels more like Triumph taking the original Trident concept and pushing it to another level. And honestly, that works really well because this bike has its own identity instead of trying too hard to imitate the Street Triple RS.
The heart of this machine is the new 798cc inline triple engine. While it shares some DNA with the Tiger Sport 800, the tuning here feels like a completely different animal altogether. It delivers roughly 115 horsepower at 10,750rpm and 84Nm of torque at 8,500rpm, and honestly, the engine feels incredibly happy revving all the way up to its 11,500rpm limit. Compared to the Trident 660’s 94 HP and 69Nm, that’s a pretty significant jump in performance.
What makes the engine special isn’t just the numbers, it’s the way the power comes in. The delivery feels smooth and refined at lower rpm, but once the revs climb, the bike suddenly wakes up and starts pulling much harder than expected. It has that signature Triumph triple personality, somewhere between the torque of a twin and the screaming top-end feel of an inline-four. And of course, the sound is still one of the best parts.
Underneath, Triumph also gave the bike a completely revised chassis setup paired with Showa suspension front and rear. Up front sits 41mm Showa SFF-BP upside-down forks with rebound and compression adjustment, while the rear monoshock gets preload and rebound adjustment as well. Braking comes from twin 310mm floating discs clamped by J.Juan four-piston calipers, and honestly, stopping power feels more than strong enough for road use.
Electronics are also properly modern now. The Trident 800 comes equipped with Ride-by-wire Bosch EFI, cruise control, Bluetooth smartphone connectivity, a hybrid TFT/LCD display, cornering traction control and cornering ABS assisted by a 6-axis IMU, plus three riding modes consisting of Road, Rain and Sport. Triumph also includes an up-and-down quickshifter as standard, together with Michelin Road 6 tyres 120/70 front and 180/55 rear, straight from the factory, which honestly suits the bike perfectly for Malaysian road conditions.
Chassis and Ergonomics
Compared to the old Triumph Street Triple R, the new Triumph Trident 800 immediately feels more relaxed and easier to live with. The riding position is upright, natural and far less aggressive, which honestly makes much more sense for real-world Malaysian roads. You don’t feel cramped or overly committed like on a supersport-style naked bike, and that makes longer rides a lot more comfortable.
The fuel tank design is also slightly rounder and slimmer around the knees compared to the Street Triple. It doesn’t “lock” you into the bike as tightly, but for daily riding and casual weekend blasts, that actually works in its favour.
Visually, Triumph nailed the balance here too. The big circular LED headlamp keeps the classic roadster identity alive, while the sharper rear section and muscular stance still give it enough aggression to look modern. It feels less like a stripped race bike and more like a proper old-school streetfighter with modern touches.
The 14-liter fuel tank capacity is quite respectable for this machine.Wet weight is quoted at just 198kg too, which is honestly impressive considering the extra power and bigger engine. In fact, it’s only around 3kg heavier than the Trident 660, and you can genuinely feel that lightweight character while riding. The bike never feels bulky, intimidating or tiring to handle, even in slow-moving city traffic.
Riding Experience and Performance
If you’ve ridden the Triumph Trident 660 before, the new Triumph Trident 800 immediately feels familiar the moment you pull away. Around town, it still carries that same easy-going personality. It’s the kind of bike you can hop onto and instantly feel comfortable with, even in heavy city traffic.
But once you enter the highway or a long open stretch, the difference between the 660 and the 800 becomes very obvious. Honestly, the Trident 800 feels like a Trident 660 after a proper gym transformation. It still keeps the same friendly character, but now there’s noticeably more muscle everywhere, especially in the midrange. The bike pulls harder, accelerates stronger, and continues building speed effortlessly as the revs climb.
And that triple-cylinder engine really comes alive on faster roads. The sound, the smoothness and the way the power builds all make the bike feel addictive without becoming intimidating. Combined with the standard up-and-down quickshifter that keeps everything seamless, it’s fast, but honestly, not in a way that constantly scares you.
Through twisty roads, the Trident 800 feels planted and confidence-inspiring. It doesn’t attack corners with the razor-sharp aggression of a Street Triple RS, but honestly, that calmer chassis setup actually makes it more enjoyable for real-world riding.
I brought the bike up to Genting Highlands through the Ulu Yam and Batang Kali route, and honestly, it felt superb there. The torque delivery is smooth and predictable, giving you confidence to push harder corner after corner without feeling like the bike is trying to throw you off. It’s one of those motorcycles that flatters the rider instead of intimidating them.
That said, don’t mistake “friendly” for boring because this thing can still get wild when you want it to. Turn the traction control off and the front wheel comes up surprisingly easily. Honestly, the Trident 800 is a bit of a wheelie monster. The power delivery is smooth enough to stay controllable, but there’s still enough torque to make the bike playful whenever you feel like having fun.
Setbacks
My only real complaint is Triumph’s traction control adjustment system. There’s no quick shortcut button, which means you still need to stop the bike and dig through the dashboard menu every time you want to turn TC on or off. For some riders that won’t matter much, but personally, I like changing TC settings depending on the road conditions or mood.
Sometimes I want maximum safety, especially in the rain. Other times, I just want the bike to behave slightly more alive. Compared to brands like Suzuki or Kawasaki where TC adjustments are easier to access directly from the handlebar, Triumph’s setup feels slightly less convenient.
Still, once you move past that small issue, the Trident 800 continues impressing almost everywhere. Riding through heavy traffic felt surprisingly easy because the bike itself remains slim, compact and lightweight despite the bigger engine.
The suspension setup deserves praise too. Malaysian roads aren’t exactly perfect, but the Trident handled bumps, rough surfaces and uneven roads really well.
Rain mode also deserves special mention. Unlike many motorcycles where rain mode completely kills the bike’s personality, Triumph tuned this one properly. Full power is still available, but the throttle response becomes softer while traction control intervention increases. It’s one of the few rain modes that still feels enjoyable instead of frustrating.
Verdict
For the Malaysian market, the Triumph Trident 800 honestly arrives with a pretty attractive package straight from the showroom. Early buyers even received premium add-ons like an Akrapovic exhaust, seat cowl and bar-end mirrors, which instantly make the bike feel even more special without needing to spend extra money modifying it later.
I also noticed that European-spec bikes come with heated grips, something Malaysian units don’t get. But honestly, with our weather being hot almost all year round, that’s hardly a dealbreaker here.
What Triumph has managed to do with the Trident 800 is actually quite smart. Instead of building another aggressive naked supersport, they created a motorcycle that sits perfectly between the easy-going Trident 660 and the much sharper Street Triple RS. It gives you enough power and excitement to keep experienced riders entertained, but still remains approachable, comfortable and friendly enough to ride every single day.
That balance is honestly what makes this bike so good on Malaysian roads. Whether it’s heavy city traffic, long highway stretches or weekend rides up Genting Highlands, the Trident 800 always feels composed, playful and surprisingly easy to live with.
After spending proper time with it outside the track environment, I can genuinely say this is one of the most complete middleweight naked bikes Triumph has built in recent years. It has the character, the performance, the comfort and most importantly, it still feels like a motorcycle made to be enjoyed on real roads instead of only chasing lap times.
And honestly, after riding it properly around the town, this is easily one of the best middleweight naked roadsters I’ve ridden so far.
Triumph Street Triple 765 RS 2026 Specifications
Engine & Drivetrain
- Engine Type: Liquid-cooled, 12-valve, DOHC, inline-3 cylinder
- Displacement: 798 cc
- Bore x Stroke: 78.0 mm × 55.7 mm
- Maximum Power: 113 hp (115 PS) @ 10,750 rpm
- Maximum Torque: 84 Nm @ 8,500 rpm
- Clutch: Wet multi-plate slip & assist clutch
- Transmission: 6-speed with Triumph Shift Assist (up/down quickshifter)
- Final Drive: X-ring chain
- Riding Modes: Rain, Road, Sport
Chassis & Suspension
- Frame: Tubular steel perimeter frame
- Front Suspension: Adjustable 41 mm Showa SFF-BP upside-down forks
- Rear Suspension: Showa monoshock
- Front Brakes: Twin 310 mm discs with Optimized Cornering ABS
- Rear Brake: Single 220 mm disc
- Wheels: 17-inch cast aluminium wheels
- Tyres: Michelin Road 6
Dimensions & Capacities
- Seat Height: 810 mm
- Fuel Capacity: 14 litres
- Wet Weight: 198 kg
Electronics & Features
- Display: Circular TFT display with Bluetooth connectivity
- Lighting: Full-LED lighting system with self-cancelling turn signals
Rider Aids:
- 6-axis IMU
- Cornering ABS
- Traction Control
- Cruise Control
Facebook
Instagram
X (Twitter)
YouTube
LinkedIn
RSS