All the Duels – Harley-Davidson 48 Vs Triumph Thruxton: the Anglo-Saxons clash! – The queens of the show

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Harley-Davidson 48 Vs Triumph Thruxton: the Anglo-Saxons clash !

All the Duels - Harley-Davidson 48 Vs Triumph Thruxton: the Anglo-Saxons clash! - The queens of the show

Post-modern bobber or neo-retro cafe-racer? While riding on such motorcycles, one is sure not to come across the same one on every street corner. But it comes at a price: that of exclusivity. Two Free Electron Test: Harley 48 Vs Triumph Thruxton.

The queens of the show

Even if they do not play on the same fiber, the sympathy capital of these two machines is quite incredible! Stopped at a traffic light, the two motorcycles attract as much the glances of the madman in sport as those of the frame in a hurry on a 125 scooter. And we quickly take ourselves for a real rebel riding the Forty-Eight. !

Sitting on the very small end of the saddle, arms as wide apart as the legs, we do not forget for a second that we are on a really unusual machine !

In comparison, the Thruxton is much less confusing even if the position of the pilot is also quite typical: you have to go very far back for the foot controls and lean well to grab the handlebars with the pronounced bend..

From one cafe terrace to another…

Our two Anglo-Saxons of the day are far from being utility machines … but they perform surprisingly well for city use. They both offer an ease all the more surprising as they are rather heavy: 230 kg for the Triumph and 260 for the HD.

The big front tire of the American does not put a strain on its handling at all: its round and wide profile is counterbalanced by a very low center of gravity and a wide handlebar.

The very thin tires of the Thruxton and the neutrality of its chassis make it particularly accessible. We just blame the English for a frankly not great turning radius and a handlebar that has trouble passing between cars because of the mirrors that extend its width to 93 cm !

Conciliatory twins

The two mechanics are appreciated as much in the city, but for very different reasons. The Thruxton’s inline-twin and its gearbox demonstrate exemplary docility in traffic jams. Its electronic injection is completely forgotten.

Everything is much rougher on board the Harley, but the latter is more about charm than efficiency. The box is drier and the "good vibrations" are omnipresent. The 1202 cc twin inherited from the Sportster shows great flexibility and generous torque that allows strong starts at fires.

Inconvenient aspects

On the practical side – because even if it is not the radius of these extraordinary machines, they are still made to roll! -, the complaints are a little more numerous.

First of all, it is impossible to take the slightest lock, or even to bring back shopping without taking a backpack or using the large catalogs of accessories from both manufacturers. We will pass on to them the fact that their switches are found in exotic places (to the left of the headlight on the Triumph and to the right of the steering column on the HD), but the pill is more difficult to swallow for the Neiman separated from the switch. .. You even need a different key to lock it on the Thruxton. !

As for the dashboards, they are more than rudimentary, although the English one still offers a tachometer. Finally, the Forty-Eight’s side stand, as is often the case with HD, is particularly annoying and uninviting to use..

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