If you grew up with a Baby Boomer dad as I did, there’s a good chance you’ve seen the 1963 film ‘The Great Escape’ at least once in your life. Watching Bud Ekins jump over a 12-foot-tall barbed-wire fence on a modified 1962 Triumph TR6 Trophy (dressed to look like a German wartime motorcycle) was awe-inspiring to my old man’s generation.
Standing in for Steve McQueen - who did most of his own riding in the film save for that final, infamous jump - Ekins performed the stunt in a single take due to insurance restrictions. That 60-foot motorcycle jump put Triumph motorcycles at the forefront of American motorcycle culture.
Every young rider in the country wanted to be McQueen, escaping from a German POW camp by gapping a massive entanglement of barbed wire on a modified Triumph.
But it wasn’t until 2024 that Triumph officially entered the modern motocross market with the launch of the TF 250-X. Up until that point, the only off-road motorcycles the British manufacturer offered were either branded as an ADV or Scrambler. Sure, you can ride those off-road, but they weren't dedicated dirt bikes.
Two years later, however, Triumph now offers a Motocross, Enduro and Cross-Country variant of their off-road machine, all of which are available in 250cc and 450cc configurations.
But how do we know if they’re any good? Can you send one over a 12-foot fence in khakis and a cut-off sweatshirt like Ekins did in 1962? Well, I guess it’s a good think Triumph is kicking off its Off-Road Demo Days at 20 dealerships around the country this month...
A perfect opportunity to get some quality seat time on a Triumph TF motorcycle, the Off-Road Demo Days program is available to riders in 15 states (use this handy interactive map to see which dealerships are participating), and, according to the press release, the first 20 registered riders to complete a test ride at participating Triumph Off Road Demo Day events will receive an exclusive Triumph Magnetic Parts Bowl (cue the excitement!).
I'm personally interested in throwing a leg over the 2026 TF 250-E, a lightweight enduro motorcycle outfitted with a six-speed gearbox, KYB suspension, Brembo brakes, dual engine maps courtesy of Athena, and some fancy stuff like traction control, launch control, and even a quick-shifter.
So, if you're looking to do your best Bud Ekin impression on a Triumph dirt bike, check the list of participating dealerships, get yourself registered and hit the trails on a 2026 Triumph TF motorcycle this month.
