I got the France info from something Alan Cathcart wrote a year or so back. He knows the industry fairly well. It was either 5 times more bikes or 8 times (can't recall). I was shocked by this figure, always assuming the UK had more bikes on the road. Not even close.

Since I've toured France twice (6 weeks each time) on my former Tiger, I had my French friend make a list of all Triumph dealers in France. You wouldn't believe it. Must have been 50 of them. (this in '03) I was shocked. I saw exactly two Triumphs in my travels there. (outside of dealers showrooms) Visiting bike meets, shows and ride outs. I visited a few dealers just for fun. One Yam/Triumph dealer let me ride the then brand new FJR1300. I tried to refuse ... he insisted. Good bike! While I was out they mounted a new rear tire for me. France is great ... just don't try to do anything on a Catholic holiday. Shut Shut Shut. (only the Donar Kebabs are open )

Make that any Sunday or Monday, particularly "en province": time off is taken very seriously over there!!

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Adventure: it's an experience, not a style!
(so ride what you like, but ride it somewhere new!)

I dont think its going to be much if any bigger than 800cc, the side casings in the pics look like a 675 and also the 1050 triple is getting very long in the tooth now and it would be difficult for it to meet stringent new Euro 4 noise and emission laws.
I would imagine Triumph will probably release a 1200 triple in the near future but we will see that in a tourer first and maybe later on in a larger adv bike?
Also Triumph will be trying to keep costs low on this new bike, im guessing 7 to 8 grand stg.
This would be hard to do if they are using a newly designed engine, which is why I think they will use a stroked version of the 675 (common Triumph practice) with similiar casings and cyl head etc.
The 675 has been subtly developed over the past 4 years to make it quiter/cleaner etc to the point that many of the internals from a 2006 675 motor will not fit into a 2010 675 motor, even though they look virtually identical from the outside. Whereas the 1050 motor has not.

I spent 8 days riding around France last year and was amazed at the amount of BMW tourers and Triumphs (mostly bonny's and Tigers) I met on the roads over there, I hadnt expected to see so many.

And the whole closing businesses on a Sunday/holy thing is pretty common across Europe, allways has been.
I really hope this turns out to be a great bike, I would be tempted to buy one if it is.

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My trip to Millau (France) and back 2009.http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...u-france-43474