Retro style dominates the Triumph. The Speed Twin is the best example of this. A dynamic engine, excellent brakes and a crazy look are the shortest characteristics of the new Triumph.
When my buddies ask about classic-style motorcycles, one of the first answers is “Triumph.” Why? Because in recent years the British have been actively promoting in the classics segment and are gradually expanding their range. Examples? If you're looking for a retro bike, you'll probably go for the Bobber. Or maybe you prefer shiny chrome? Bonneville is the perfect choice. Are you looking for a bike racer? If so, take a look at Thruxton. Or maybe you're looking for a combination of a classic motorcycle that handles the pavement and the field? The newly launched Scramblers 1200 will definitely live up to your expectations. The Speed Twin has just joined the group of these cars. This is a motorcycle without unnecessary bells and whistles, simple in shape and, most importantly, well controlled.
The Speed Twin's footrests were mounted lower and more forward than the Thruxton's. / Triumph Speed Twin
The wheels are covered by very shallow but great looking aluminum fenders that are free of any embossing or weirdness. The fuel injection is hidden behind the cylinders, protected from prying eyes by stylish aluminum mannequins. After the Amal carburetor, which had been a Triumph hallmark since the 70s, the trail was lost. Only the 14.5-litre fuel tank featured the distinctive Monza cap above the conventional screw-on fuel filler cap. In addition to the above-mentioned details, the Speed Twin is an example of minimalism. Even the reflector - necessarily round and mounted on aluminum brackets - is painfully simple, but not ugly. In the Speed Twin, all the embellishment has been very deliberately removed.
The catalyst is hidden between the frame beams. And this is good, because it does not spoil the classic motorcycle line. / Triumph Speed Twin
Transfer with Thruxton
The British said there was no point in hacking an open door, so, like many manufacturers, they turned to proven components. Thruxton is the base for the Speed Twin. This racer provided the frame and engine. It was a good decision because 97 hp. was squeezed out of a two-cylinder heart with a volume of about 1200 cm3. You have plenty of torque at your disposal (maximum 112 Nm). However, this engine's greatest strength is not its maximum performance, but the way it performs. When the tachometer pointer in the beautiful round clock exceeds the 2000 rpm limit, you already have 100 Nm. This value remains until the speed limiter dampens your enthusiasm, which is well into the red field at just over 7500rpm.
There are also differences. For example, the Speed Twin is lighter than the Thruxton. Steve Sargent, director of product development, says the designers spent a good three years working on it. The lightweight camshaft cover was made from magnesium, which combined with the lighter clutch saved 2.5 kg. Added to this is a lighter battery and Speed Speed mounted on narrow 7-spoke aluminum wheels. As a result, the new car weighs 7 kg less than the Thruxton R (225 kg).
The air intake is a real work of art, as are the fuel injection covers. / Triumph Speed Twin
Lighter weight and a special position behind the control levers turn into an advantage of the Speed Twin. As soon as you grab the steering wheel, you will immediately feel at home as the first thing you will discover is that it makes driving easier. The Speed Twin has pegs that are 38mm larger at the front and 4mm lower than those on the Thruxton. The seat position (807 mm) is very comfortable. Even after 300 km of riding, my butt did not protest. More sponge and a repositionable shape did the job just fine.
Triumph Speed Twin 2021
So the new Speed Twin 2021 is on the list of classics. Has it become redundant or, on the contrary, has it become part of the lineup of one of the oldest motorcycle brands? I had a great opportunity to find out.
The original Triumph Speed Twin was named after the unusual (for those years) inline-two, created around 1938 by Edward Turner. Today's motorcycle, proudly bearing this name, is much closer to its contemporaries than the one of that time. You could call it a Street Twin on steroids, or a Bonneville with the characteristics of a Thruxton, minus the café features. I must admit, at first I treated it as a “spherical Triumph in a vacuum” - just another classic with an average engine and an intermediate design, similar to several models at once. But. British appearance can often be deceptively ordinary, and under the guise of a “typical” Briton hide fighters and writers, musicians and politicians... And under the classic appearance of the Speed Twin, I somewhat unexpectedly discovered a very modern roadster.
Engine
At the heart of the Triumph Speed Twin is a high-performance version of Bonneville's 1200cc High Power inline-twin engine - tuned identically to the Thruxton engine and featuring the same compression ratio (11:1). But the new model is not just a Thruxton in a new guise. A new lower-inertia crankshaft and higher-compression head, plus a magnesium alloy head cover, a new clutch and “weight-optimized” engine covers (that is, simply made lighter) are some of the changes that make the engine just 2 times faster. .5 kg lighter.
Triumph Speed Twin 2019
Power remains the same as the Thruxton R - 96 horsepower and 112 Nm, but the character of the engine has changed. The torque curve is a work of modern technical genius. Peak thrust is achieved at 4950 rpm, but 90% of the torque is available from 2500 rpm. Stock traction control can be switched off if desired, and three riding modes—Sport, Road and Rain—allow you to further customize the engine's character to suit your own taste and riding conditions. The model also received an easy-squeeze clutch and a six-speed gearbox, and the first maintenance is carried out at around 16,000 km!
Chassis and suspension
The Triumph Speed Twin has a dry weight of 196kg - 10kg less than the Thruxton and 7kg less than the Thruxton R. This is achieved thanks to new components such as cast aluminum wheels, aluminum frame elements, an aluminum swingarm and a lightweight battery. The chassis itself is an adapted version of the Thruxton with updated geometry. Triumph stretched it out, and, coupled with an extended wheelbase, the device received an increased steering angle, making the trail a couple of millimeters longer.
Both suspensions are equipped with elements from KYB - a non-adjustable conventional fork with a diameter of 41 mm and two rear shock absorbers with adjustable spring preload. Probably, the creators had a goal of reducing the price of the motorcycle, because other reasons for installing a basic suspension are somehow not obvious.
However, I was assured that the stock suspension perfectly copes with its tasks, and most consumers do not change the settings even on adjustable suspensions (which, by the way, is true). And when I asked whether we should hope for a Speed Twin R with an advanced suspension, company representatives declined to answer (which, quite likely, means “yes” in marketing parlance).
Brake system Triumph Speed Twin 2019
The Triumph Speed Twin braking system, consisting of two front four-piston Brembos and a single two-piston rear Nissin, is equipped with stock ABS. The wheels measure 17x3.5 at the front and 17x5.0 at the rear and are shod with aggressive Pirelli Diablo Rosso 3. Defiantly modern tires for such a classic motorcycle, but perfectly suited to the character of the Speed Twin - a modern powerful motorcycle in a classic image. It definitely shares its roots with the handsome Bonneville T120 - but looks more powerful and aggressive. Both bikes share the same 14.5-litre fuel tank, but the Speed Twin's is mounted at a slightly different angle, giving it a more rugged appearance.
Design elements
Design elements such as a dual-glass instrument panel with dial gauges complemented by LCD displays, a stylish fuel cap and dual upswept exhaust add old-school charm. Modern components create a bright and striking contrast with them - alloy wheels, diode running lights in the headlight and a thin diode tail light surrounded by the same elegant turn signals.
All this together looks damn cool - and this is not due to the professionalism of the photographer whose photographs are shown in the article. When interacting with the motorcycle in person, small but well-thought-out details become noticeable, not only beautiful, but also well-made. Short aluminum fenders, mirrors at the ends of the steering wheel, cutouts on the side panels and throttle bodies are stock equipment, and not sophisticated tuning from a catalog of expensive accessories. But yes, there is a tuning catalog for it too - brushed Vance & Hines mufflers, alternative seat options and other nice styling nuances. All elements look and feel solid, there is very little plastic, and despite the fact that the modern Triumph Speed Twin engine is liquid cooled, there is very little visible pipes (and wires). The only criticism about its appearance concerns the tail, in the area of the fender and taillight. It looks like a hasty, last-minute project.
The Speed Twin is available in three paint finishes: Jet Black, Silver Ice and Korosi Red.
The silver and red versions were shown during the interview and both looked great. It’s interesting that the graphite line framing the black areas was made by hand. But the white stripe and the Triumph logo are just stickers under a layer of transparent film.
A true gentleman
You will immediately appreciate the character of the engine on the bars. Thanks to the excellent dosing clutch, the mechanisms are activated safely. At very low speeds the Twin Speed responds slightly twitchily to throttle inputs, but as the speed increases you'll stop complaining about boredom. Starting from 2500 rpm, the engine responds to the gas like a gentleman - smoothly and flexibly, regardless of the gear engaged. If you enjoy it, you will never spin the levers above 5000 rpm. In addition, the engine is very eager to rev, which is influenced, among other things, by the lighter clutch mentioned earlier.
The tip of the tachometer is somewhere deep in the red field, and yet the engine does not wheeze. Only at 7500 rpm. Shortly before the end of the tachometer scale, the limiter stops playing. With such dynamics on wet or bad asphalt, the traction control system, even in the quietest mode, does not often work. Much of the credit goes to the Pirelli Diablo Rosso 3 tires. When a wheel catches a skid, the traction control instantly reduces power, keeping the Speed Twin on the right track. Classic fork and two equally stylish shock absorbers, perfectly smooth asphalt strikes, allowing you to enjoy driving.
Only hand-painted lines adorn the Speed Red and Silver Gray. The black version should do without them. / Triumph Speed Twin
Another selling point for the Speed Twin is the brakes. If you want, when you press the brake lever, the 4-piston radial calipers will literally bite into the discs. I got the impression that they wouldn’t be a shame on a sports bike either.
Birth of a legend
The original 1938 Triumph Speed Twin, with the world's first successful inline-twin engine in a unique chassis, was a revelation to many riders. Its smooth, dynamic handling and superb responsiveness have made Triumph the number one motorcycle brand around the world and given it a reputation as a real motorcycle for real people. Then this motorcycle created the very essence of the concept of “classic” or “universal motorcycle”, and since then probably not a single year has passed when one or another manufacturer has not released a motorcycle similar to Triumph.
For 2022, the new Speed Twin once again sets the highest bar with its balanced and torquey character, light and quick handling and the superb design and character of a modern classic. In addition, this is an excellent basis for creating your own motorcycle - more than 50 factory accessories are available in the catalog, allowing you to customize the design, increase the practicality and safety of the motorcycle. These include multi-function LED lights, quilted seats and saddlebags, tank covers, engine decorations, engine head bolt covers, crankcase guards, warm grips and much more.
All Triumph accessories were conceived and developed at the same time as the motorcycle, meet the same high standards and integrate seamlessly with the motorcycle, providing outstanding quality and reliability. In addition, like the motorcycle, they are covered by a two-year, unlimited mileage warranty.
