It’s been many months now since Triumph first announced their plans to not only enter off-road factory racing but also launch a line of motocross and enduro motorcycles, with dual sport machines also in the mix. To aid in this effort, the Hinckley-based manufacturer enlisted the help of two of the biggest names in off-road racing to spearhead the project — Motocross legend Ricky Carmichael and five-time Enduro World Champion Iván Cervantes. 

Now, Triumph is giving a quick update on how things are coming along after Carmichael and Cervantes spent the last week with the Triumph motocross and dual sport team in the UK to review and test the latest prototypes. Receiving a warm welcome from the British company’s employees, Ricky and Iván took the time to meet some passionate Triumph fans, before deep diving into development workshops with the design team.

Continuing in their unique role of providing feedback and input into the project, Ivan shared how proud he is of the off-road bikes developed. “For me, this is a huge moment. We’ve tested the bike many times, but it was wonderful to ride with Ricky in person, and so satisfying to see how happy he is with the setup we’ve developed. We have made some very big steps and some very productive changes, and I’m very happy with where we are.”

Triumph explained their current focus is on developing a strong fleet of high-performance off-road motorcycles. In an interview with MCN Chief Product Officer, Steve Sargent revealed the dual sport machines will be based on the competition platform. “They’re all competition off-road motorcycles. We have a range of motocross and a range of enduro motorcycles in development. The enduro motorcycles will be road registrable, but the motocross bikes will be pure off-road performance motorcycles.” 

According to the British brand, the development of the bikes is being heavily guided by the two off-road legends, from the ground up. For Ivan, building a high-performing chassis was a priority. “For the enduro machine, you put the bike in extreme conditions. At the beginning I said we need a very good chassis… because we need a very quick bike in narrow, difficult places.”

No information has been shared on when Triumph will launch their new off-road bikes but Sargent confirmed the project is in its later stages. “There will be a range of engine sizes. I’m not going to reveal today what they are, but they’re already well under development. Everything is already fixed in terms of the specification of what we’re going to deliver.”

And while Triumph is expected to reveal some of the specs soon, Carmichael was able to share his thoughts on how things are coming along after finally visiting the Triumph headquarters. “I have been incredibly impressed throughout the project, from my first test with the team in the US, and it’s great to see how much progress they made to this point.” He added that the bikes are being developed with the purpose of not only competing, but winning.

This is sure to be one of Triumph’s most ambitious moves since coming back from the brink of bankruptcy in the early 90s. The off-road segment is highly competitive with many established players offering models with fingernail-thin differences in suspension, power and weight. One thing is certain though, having two off-road legends like Ivan and Ricky closely involved in the effort is invaluable, and Triumph is surely making the most of it.

“Having both legendary motorcycle racers together to contribute to such a crucial phase of the bike’s development is invaluable,” explained Sargent. “Together we share a single-minded ambition to launch motorcycles that are 100% capable of winning, that bring something new and different to riders in both worlds, that encompass all of Triumph’s expertise and capability, and that leverage everything Ricky and Ivan know about winning and developing bikes that deliver consistently race after race.”

More details on the new off-road bikes are expected to drop in the next couple of months and we’ll be sure to keep you posted with new developments as they become available.