Nice bike but the low suspension is a drawback

I purchased this new in 2018 thinking the low seat height would be an advantage with my 28" (71cm) inseam.  I had a Suzuki 650 V-Strom prior to this for comparison.  One thing I learned is they get the lower seat height using very soft spring.  I bottomed the forks braking for a turn when there was a groove cut in the road for a sensing wire at a stoplight.  The back was similar.  It was bad enough I tried to sell it in under 1,000 miles. 

No takers so I contacted EPM Performance for HyperPro suspension as I had used them on another bike.  This $900 modification changed the bike enough for me to like it.  Prior to the change the Suzuki handled paved and gravel roads better.  Now the Triumph had a slight edge plus the stronger engine.

Seats are a personal choice and while prior to this, my BMW R1200GS low had the record for the worst seat this one was right there with it.  I had Sargent make me a special seat a bit more narrow in the front than their standard, but regular height and now I can drain a tank of gas, about 220 freeway miles, in one sitting and get right back on after a fill-up.  

The OEM tires are good, but I have since switched up to Avon Trek Rider which make the bike a lot better, but life expectancy seems shorter.  So far zero engine trouble. It does burn a little oil, but 11 ounces in 5,000 miles isn`t bad, but it is a bother as most of my bikes have burned none.

The steering stem nut came loose at about 11,000 miles. The dealer fixed it and retorqued the steering stem bearings for $50.  Reasonable as the bearings are not covered by warranty and I had pulled the bike up without an appointment for them to look at the nut as it takes a special socket. In under an hour they handed me my bike back and told me mine was far from the first.

Fuel mileage runs about the same as past bikes, but not as good as the Suzuki.  I normally get about 53-54mpg (US) on easy backroads.  Falls to under 50 on the highway. Headlight is ok, but beam pattern seems to be lacking.  The windshield works great for me.  One of only a few bikes I have owned that I have no desire to replace the windshield. 

With the suspension change I can recommend this bike. My brother had the XRx and I rode it.  I found the balance made it easy to stop with the higher seat and it handled better and felt better.  I am not a road racer by any stretch of the imagination, but before the suspension I touched pegs down on corners.  Since the change only once. On rough gravel roads I have had occasion to slam straight through potholes and the bike was not upset at all. 

Speaking of the gravel roads the fact that the ABS/TC settings cannot be changed on the fly is a real pain.  I have been caught out going uphill when the road switched to gravel.  The traction control kicked in and suddenly I barely could make it up the hill due to the power cut.  A couple times I have almost dropped it because the gravel would get thick and you need to spin the rear, but it would not. You have to be at a stop to change the mode.  If the hill is steep enough you are not going to stop as it would slide backwards. Been there, done that.