Triumph Sprint ST - 1999 (How good)?

[kentfallen]

I wanted to ask you chaps over on the Triumph forum - Just how good is a Triumph Sprint ST 955i? Normally I can be found over at Yamaha forum. I'm a confirmed XT nut.

I'm interested in a low milage 1999 example in Blue. Although over 12 years old it's absolutely mint and has only done 12,000 miles.

I am considering it for £1,500 which to me seems quite a bargain. Basically the way I see it I'm getting an almost new bike here. It's been regularly serviced by the owner who I know is a perfectionist. It's likely to have been looked after better than one maintained by a dealer.

£1,500 for a bike like this seems a REAL bargain. A newer Sprint will cost at least £4,000 and will probably have done more than 12,000 miles.

I want to use it for touring on tarmac. I have 2 Yamaha XT6's which I use for long distance RTW tours. This Sprint will be used for European tours only probably Russia and Ukraine this July/August/September.

The tour will be 3 months around Western Russia and Ukraine. I am particularly interested in touring the Crimean area (Charge of the Light Brigade). Can't wait to see where that posh knobber Lord Lucan (and Lord Cardigan) sent so many of our brave men to their deaths at Balaclava.

I want to put luggage on it and carry the Mrs. Obviously I need something that will pull well under heavy load.

Economy (running costs) needs to be reasonable. Above all it needs to be RELIABLE and COMFORTABLE.

Is this Triumph Sprint ST likely to tick ALL (or most) of my boxes or not?

I have heard that Blue ones are particularly powerful..

Thanking you in anticipation for valued advice....

Neil

[Docsherlock]

Yup, ticks all your boxes and then some; I had a 2001 model - best bike I ever had.

[Deolali]

I had a 99 model and sold it to a friend a couple of years ago with 60,000 km on the clock. It had never skipped a beat and with a sheepskin seat cover I and my wife could do 1000 km days no problem. Biggest mistake I made was "upgrading" to the 1050. It has now done nearly 80,000 km and the current owner still loves it.

Givi make racks for it - or used to! With a topbox and 2 x 36 litre panniers we could carry everything we needed for 2-up touring.

I highly recommend it for tarmac touring.