Yes, I’ll say right away that this motorcycle is my choice, born of serious personal experience. Not only do I love this class and ride a Kawasaki Z1000, but I tested the Triumph for a long time and thoroughly - first in Europe at the first press meeting, and then in Moscow, where I was given the device for a week-long test.
So, in 2011, the British updated their iconic Speed Triple motorcycle. It earned this title thanks to its expressive design with “glasses” headlights and a 3-cylinder engine with a volume of 1050 cm3. None of the competitors used this scheme, which is in fact the most compact and balanced. For five years, Speed Triple held the lead in the class, but in recent years it began to lose ground to Japanese competitors. And Triumph decided to upgrade.
Instead of round optics, there are now diamond-shaped “eyes”, but most importantly, the steel frame and pendulum have been replaced by lightweight components made of aluminum alloy, which allowed the motorcycle to lose weight by as much as 15 kg. If you consider that at the same time the chassis was modified and the horse herd in the engine was increased by 7 heads, it becomes clear why the end result impressed not only me. Triumph has done it all again!
I believed this when I had the opportunity to test the device in action - literally on the first meters of the journey. The motorcycle turned out to be beautiful, well built, comfortable and compact. It doesn't require getting used to, it immediately becomes part of you. More precisely, on the contrary - you become its important detail. The control levers, buttons on the steering wheel, and the seat are wide and spacious, with comfortable support. However, the ergonomics suggest an aggressive riding style: it has a forward-shifted steering wheel, high footpegs and a seat height of 825 mm. Everything seemed to be made to order for you, my beloved. All that remains is to click the gearshift lever down and unscrew the trigger...
Although the dynamic curve of the “British” is not as smooth as that of my Kawasaki, the Speed Triple picks up speed more easily and pulls forward with the tenacity of a locomotive. This is an amazing feeling: it’s as if the motorcycle is equipped with a powerful electric motor! Although the latter, in theory, should be silent, but here there is such a sound from the mufflers that it gives you goosebumps. This is music, a balm for the soul of a motorcyclist! And no Japanese motorcycle can compare with it.
But this effect can be further enhanced by installing an optional release with Arrow “ends”. Acceleration to hundreds is in a few seconds, and the gears are long enough so as not to bother with frequent switching. And despite the fact that the device is still naked, it starts deflating only after 140 km/h, but it’s quite comfortable.
Speed Triple has the best brakes in the liter streetfighter class
However, the Speed Triple has always been famous not only for its engine. The appeal of the motorcycle is not only its dominance in power and torque, but also its amazing agility. He simply playfully shifts on turns or rides like a “snake” between cars. Unsurpassed ease of control! The pilot is not required to learn body control or use excessive force on the steering wheel. You put a little pressure on the steering wheel, turn it, and the motorcycle does the rest.
Triumph Speed Triple RR Chassis and Electronics
The powerful powertrain is neatly packaged into the new twin-spar aluminum frame that debuted on the RS version. The RR also inherits from its predecessor the adjustable Brembo MCS front brake lever and two Brembo Stylema monoblock calipers on 320 front discs. The rear two-piston Brembo on a 220 disc also migrated to the hooded model.
The same happened with the luxurious Speed Triple set of on-board electronics, including five riding modes, advanced wheelie control, tilt ABS, traction control, bi-directional quickshifter and cruise control. All of this is customizable via a full-colour five-inch TFT panel, and the My Triumph system brings a new level of convenience when paired with a smartphone.
