THE pandemic had caused a “two-wheel shift.” For a variety of reasons ranging from avoiding traffic, saving on gas and the mere delight of feeling the adrenaline rush through one’s veins, more and more Cebuanos have turned their attention to owning and riding motorbikes.
There’s that semblance of absolute freedom as one zips through Cebu’s Transcentral Highway or goes for quick drives to the beach. Compared to four-wheelers, bikes are better, riders say.
For the high school buddies who now make up the board of Motoprime Philippines Corp., the riding experience will always be a special one. In fact, the guys decided to share the thrill of the ride with Cebuanos by bringing in a 120-year-old iconic British brand—Triumph Motorcycles—to Cebu.
“We’d like to refer to this as our pandemic project,” shared Dr. Alvin Roxas, Triumph Motorcycles Cebu president.
“I started in high school with a Yamaha Chappy—50cc!” recalled Jerome Lu, the group’s finance officer.
“Jaime (Sainz, one of the board members), would backride. We’d go find basketball games to play in! Jess Achurra, another board member, also rides.”
“The conversation started in March 2021 when Triumph was open to a dealership in the Visayas,” said Alfonso Luzuriaga, the fifth board member, who also rode a Kawasaki in high school.
The first official dealership in the country opened in November 2020 at Greenhills, Metro Manila. At that time, two riders from Cebu were hunting for their “dream rides” in the capital: The Rocket. The Rocket boasts of the most powerful displacement in a production engine across all brands.
“Gerry Montefolka and Mark Ycong were already looking to get a Rocket,” shared Roxas.
“Gerry, who is a friend, challenged me: Get me a Rocket!”
By April 2021, Triumph Motorcycles Cebu had made its first sale on a Rocket 3 GT and a Rocket 3R to Gerry and Mark, respectively. The pair went on to become founding members of Riders Association of Triumph (RAT) Cebu, a group of enthusiasts with 40 riders strong, both male and female.
The Cebu dealership is currently the only one outside of Luzon, and caters to riders from the Visayas and Mindanao. It recently released the brand-new Tiger Sport 660, taken on a long ride home by their owners to Bacolod and Davao.
“Triumph is obsessed with the perfect ride,” said Roxas. “It starts with aesthetics, because your bike should look good, and you on it!”
The brand features a line of retro-inspired bikes but powered for the modern ride. It also features the latest technology that ensures one has not only a comfortable but also a safe riding experience.
The Triumph Motorcycles Cebu showroom and service center is located on Salinas Drive, Lahug, Cebu City.