My local showroom where I got my Speed Twin was a dual HD/Triumph dealer. "Tobacco Road HD" in Raleigh NC. They no longer sell Triumphs. They literally waited until the ink dried on my sale to tell me "We are no longer servicing Triumphs." Coincidently I shot the sh-t with this cat who drinks in my local a couple weeks later and is the lead motorcycle insurance adjuster for a MAJOR insurance provider, handling claims for the entire mid-Atlantic region. Dude's SERIOUSLY in the know with motorcycle culture around these parts. He told me they were fired with prejudice by Triumph for their sh-t service and overall scumbag methods. I've dealt with Triumph USA directly a couple times over the last 2 years. I definitely got the impression that they do not go easy on those who feature their products. In this case it was a good thing.
Interesting twist of events- Right after Tobacco Rd informed me I was on my own service-wise, I got wind that the only remaining Speed Twin there was about to be sold right then and there as well. They were trying their best to liquidate everything they had ever since Triumph told them they were sh-tcanned. So I dutifully went over to the buyer and informed him that the bike he was buying had 90 miles on it(mine had 5 miles, same color, that's why I picked it). I went on to say that he's out of his mind if he doesn't insist on them shaving a good bit off the price, because whoever rode that bike could've been some complete idiot, ground the gears, and God only knows what else. I told him "For all intents and purposes you're buying a used bike, that's a road-ridden demo model at the very least." Poor guy hadn't even read the odo. He thanked me enthusiastically while the salesman stood there looking stupid and uncomfortable. No idea what happened but I also told him another Triumph dealer about 50 miles away, Baker Cycles, had the same bike with only a scant couple miles on it for a couple hundred dollars less. Their service dept turned out to be completely lackluster as well but I didn't know that at this time.
I stopped into Triumph Roswell while I was working in Atlanta last year. The son of the owner, who runs their service dept, use to work for Triumph in England. He emphatically claimed that most Triumph dealers he's ever dealt with are not very customer friendly, and that's why he insists on top notch customer relations and service there. He went on to say that from his experience a depressing number of motorcycle dealerships in general treat customers horribly. I tend to agree. They like to think that they possess some magical mojo that puts them on some kind of pedestal. A truly helpful bike shop employee with a genuinely good attitude is worth his weight in gold. Like I said, I gladly travel 3+ hours for this.
Triumph Roswell in Atlanta is one bang-on operation too, BTW. Don't hesitate to use them if you're in that area.
.
