Triumph’s Trident Or Kawasaki’s Zed? Battle Of Mid-displacement Naked Supremacy
- by Jehan Adil Darukhanawala
- Apr 6, 2021
- | Views: 5979
In which areas does the new Triumph naked outscore the current segment champ, the Z650?
Triumph has delivered a masterstroke with the launch of its entry-level naked: the Trident 660. The naked arrives at a sweet introductory price of Rs 6.95 lakh (ex-showroom India), making it the most affordable bike in the British bikemaker’s portfolio. What makes it even sweeter is that its price is not that much dearer than its main rival: the Kawasaki Z650. So, how do these two mid-displacement motorcycles fare against each other?
Engine
|
Specifications |
Triumph Trident 660 |
Kawasaki Z650 |
|
Engine |
660cc, triple, liquid-cooled, 12-valve engine |
648cc, twin-cylinder, liquid-cooled, 8-valve engine |
|
Power |
81PS @ 10,250rpm |
68PS @ 8,000rpm |
|
Torque |
64Nm @ 6,250rpm |
64Nm @ 6,700rpm |
|
Gearbox |
6-speed |
6-speed |
Triumph wanted to bring accessibility to the masses without diluting the brand’s DNA with the Trident 660. Hence, in true Triumph fashion, you get a triple-cylinder motor here, the only bike in the class to offer one. Not only is it more powerful but it also has a wider powerband and makes its peak torque sooner than the Z650. Hence, the motor will not only be more lively but could also very well be easy to use within city limits. And no twin will ever sound as sweet as a triple. Fact.
Underpinnings
|
Specifications |
Triumph Trident 660 |
Kawasaki Z650 |
|
Frame |
Tubular steel perimeter frame |
Tubular steel trellis frame |
|
Front suspension |
41mm Showa USD SFF |
41mm telescopic fork |
|
Rear suspension |
Showa preload-adjustable monoshock |
Preload-adjustable monoshock |
|
Front brake |
310mm discs, Nissin twin-piston floating calipers |
300mm discs, Nissin twin-piston floating calipers |
|
Rear brake |
255mm disc, Nissin single-piston floating caliper |
220mm disc, Nissin single-piston floating caliper |
|
Front tyre |
120/70R17 |
120/70R17 |
|
Rear tyre |
180/55R17 |
160/60ZR17 |
|
Tyre Make |
Michelin Road 5 |
Dunlop Sportmax Roadsport 2 |
The Triumph has the Kwacker beat once again over here. Offering Street Triple-esque handling experience, the Trident uses a similarly potent perimeter frame built from tubular steel. The Showa suspension units are certainly more sophisticated and the Michelin Road 5 tyres are a lot grippier based on our past experiences.
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Dimensions
|
Specifications |
Triumph Trident 660 |
Kawasaki Z650 |
|
Wheelbase |
1,407mm |
1,410mm |
|
Ground clearance |
NA |
130mm |
|
Fuel tank capacity |
14-litres |
15-litres |
|
Seat height |
805mm |
790mm |
|
Kerb weight |
189kg |
191kg |
Both these mid-displacement motorcycles are pretty evenly matched here. The two stark differences arise in the seat height and the kerb weight. On the Trident, you are sitting 15mm taller than you would on the Z650, slightly hampering manageability for short riders. What goes in its favour is that it is 2kg lighter, which should be evident in parking and low-speed riding situations.
Features
|
Triumph Trident 660 |
Kawasaki Z650 |
|
|
Ride-by-wire |
Yes |
No |
|
Colour TFT dash |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Traction control |
Yes |
No |
|
Bi-directional quickshifter |
Optional |
No |
Again, the Trident 660 has the Z650 beat in the features arena. While both motorcycles pack colour-TFT dashes, the Trident gets LED lighting all around, whereas the turn indicators on the Z650 use conventional bulbs. Furthermore, it gets a healthy amount of electronic rider aids such as ride-by-wire, two riding modes (Rain and Road), switchable traction control, and dual-channel ABS. The Kawasaki is raw and simple, with the only aid here being dual-channel ABS.
What’s more, Triumph will sell you a bi-directional quickshifter for around Rs 29,000 as an authentic accessory. Plus, the MyTriumph Bluetooth module, which costs an additional Rs 20,000, unlocks smartphone pairing, turn-by-turn navigation, call alerts, music controls, and even GoPro connectivity. The Kawasaki’s dash does get smartphone pairing but it is more of a data logger and doesn’t offer the experience the Triumph unit does.
Price & Verdict
|
Triumph Trident 660 |
Kawasaki Z650 |
|
Rs 6.95 lakh |
Rs 6.18 lakh |