Triumph Motorcycles has launched a special edition Trident 660, featuring a dynamic, contemporary graphic design that pays tribute to history’s most famous Trident, “Slippery Sam”, who won the Isle of Man Production five years in a row from 1971 to 1975. TT managed to win.
It will only be available for one year, the Trident 660 Special Edition, which is distinguished from the standard model by a striking red/white/blue color scheme with ‘start number’ 67 on the tank (which once represented the Trident of “Slippery Sam ” adorned), a flyscreen and an up/down quickshifter.
The modern Trident 660 made its debut in 2021, 53 years after the very first Triumph Trident three-cylinder made its appearance in 1968. Naturally, the Trident was raced extensively at that time, and with success. Triumph wrote history with the Trident.
Slippery Sam, one of three Trident T150 factory racers built in 1970, earned its nickname during the 24 Hours of the Bol d’Or thanks to a faulty oil pump that covered its rider and tires in the slippery black stuff. A British motorcycle leaking oil in the 1970s was, umm… not unusual, but Sam’s somewhat dubious nickname would soon become legendary.
In 1971, with the great Tony Jefferies behind the wheel, Sam lapped the Snaefell Mountain Course at an average of 98.38 miles per hour, taking his first of five consecutive Production TT victories. A rule change after the 1975 TT banned models older than five years, ending Sam’s race but not his legacy.
To this day, Trident “Slippery Sam” remains the only motorcycle to ever win the Production TT at the Isle of Man TT five years in a row.
Ironically, Slippery Sam’s glory came at the nadir of the British motorcycle industry. Norton Villiers Triumph (NVT), owner of Norton, BSA and Triumph, went into receivership at the end of 1975. And so Trident’s legacy came to an abrupt end.
“Since its launch in 2020, this mid-range roadster has reinvigorated this highly competitive category, with more than 35,600 units sold worldwide.
Its three-cylinder engine and high-quality finish at a great price have brought younger and new riders to Triumph, and just as ‘Slippery Sam’ once inspired a generation, we believe this special edition has the iconic style, extra technology and dynamic performance to make today’s To appeal to Triumph fans.”
The Trident 660 is powered by a liquid-cooled 660cc Triple that, according to the British, produces 80 hp at 10,250 rpm and 64 Nm of torque at 6,250 rpm. It has a seat height of 805 mm and a weight of 189 kilos ready to ride. Throttle-by-wire allows two riding modes (Road and Rain) and it comes with ABS, switchable traction control and a combined TFT and LCD screen.
The suspension comes from Showa, with a 41 mm SFF upside down front fork with a spring travel of 120 mm and a spring preload-adjustable monoshock with a spring travel of 133 mm. Nissin brake calipers engage 31 0mm front discs and a 255mm rear disc and the bike rides on 17-inch cast aluminum wheels with Michelin Road 5 tyres.
The 2025 Triumph Trident 660 Tribute Special Edition adds a white, blue and red graphics scheme inspired by “Slippery Sam”, as well as a Number 67 racing graphic, a flyscreen and Triumph Shift Assist, which allows both up and down shifts without clutch.
– Thanks for information from Motorfreaks.