Menus
- Warning ! Nasty roadster !
- Discovery
- Contact
- Highway
- Small roads
- Brakes
- Comfort
- Consumption
- Convenient
- Conclusion
Warning ! Nasty roadster !
Is it
necessary to present the Speed Triple? Jewel of the English brand,
the big "three legs" roadster is present in all the reviews
muscular. Its dual optics have inspired and continue to inspire the
tuning on other roadsters. In short, it is a reference
essential since 1993 with the T301 which became T509 in 1996 and 955i in
1998.
Faced with such a reference, it still gave
no longer want to try it … far and long. After a quick
taking control of Paris, the most logical direction therefore seemed
the virolos players of the Jura … Test over 1500 kilometers in four
days !
Discovery
The
Speed can be recognized from afar by its double tubular frame, highlighting
worth a big black engine and its two-stage saddle (or should we say
its saddle including the jump seat for the sandbag) without forgetting a
magnificent rear single-sided arms.
The Speed Triple and the Daytona (the brand’s hypersportive) share
almost everything: the engine, the frame, the saddle, the instrumentation…
up to the maintenance booklet. The ‘Speed’ engine has just been reworked
to provide torque from low revs and the fairing has been removed.
Here no original nose screen, no protection, nothing but raw
shuttering.
Contact
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Commodos and dashboard are identical: a digital display for
the speedometer and a big traditional tachometer on a white background
with an immense 955i to recall the displacement and the injection. Everything there
is: partial double trip, clock, engine temperature…
The saddle is firm and not very thick. At the position level, we meet
tilted forward, reminiscent of the sports base. This is the big handlebars
which allows, despite this clear tilting, a position of the bust relatively
"straight" typical of roadsters.
At start-up, the roar of the 3 cylinders is reminiscent of the noise of a turbine
so characteristic of the Daytona. Like the Daytona, the passage of the first
is characterized by a magnificent ‘klonk’, frank and friendly. And the
the differences start there … The bike is taken in hand very quickly.
If the driving position has a lot to do with it, it is especially important to
account of the throttle grip much less sensitive to the slightest
wrist flexion. Suddenly, the motorcycle goes to the finger and the eye.
Like the Daytona, the gearbox is particularly precise and the speeds
go without a fuss.
The torque is present from two thousand revolutions and on all gears.
Driving in the city turns out to be a treat, with the possibility of forgetting
largely the selector.
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The first kilometers will just give me some worries,
the engine having the annoying habit of systematically cutting
when decelerating: surprising! The game will consist of
So to play the clutch and the accelerator
more than normal in order to stay high in the laps. It will finally be
the passage on the motorway which will make you forget this
temporary bad mood and which will allow to find a Speed
in great shape whatever the circumstances.
Highway
The passage on the motorway leaving Paris quickly turns out to be a real
hell. The jacket begins to click from 130 km / h and above 150 km / h,
the arms and neck are obviously in pain. Despite
the best will in the world and strong endurance, you will make
grace after 80 km and you will have to stop to
blow, not to mention the screams of your possible sandbag.
The Speed guarantees you a personal training session, repeated,
on this type of route.
Make no mistake, the Speed claims its roadster character
villainous and never claimed to be able to morph into a GT. As for
its daily users, they end up acquiring good arms
and concrete cervicals and forget these symptoms after a few thousand
kilometers.
Small roads
In
fact, the bike finds its marks as soon as it returns to national and departmental.
And if the route turns out to be winding, it’s the foot! A Dantesque couple,
clear climbs allow you to play between 4000 and 7000
rounds without stopping and much more if affinities. Let’s meet
quickly to take a sporting angle in complete safety without the
motorcycle does not flinch or deviate a bit, whether solo or
duo. Angle changes are precise and quick. The secret
of this behavior? The frame, from the brand’s sports car. The motorbike
never comes to wiggle, regardless of angle or coating.
Result: we go faster and with more angle than with a Bandit
while having the impression of still having a safety margin! Without
the 2002 model benefits from an angle of
reduced column for more liveliness, a longer wheelbase
short and a new single-sided arm with the most beautiful effect.
Brakes
In terms of braking, the Speed is surprising … starting with
its rear brake. It’s simple, the rear brake is so effective
than in ‘normal’ driving, it would eliminate the need for
front brake (not to be done of course). I just rarely lived
as effective rear brake, whether on roadsters or
sports. And when you go to the front brake, that’s the pinnacle. Just
imagine the difference in efficiency between the front brake and
back. This difference is also found on the Speed … but the brake
rear is already terribly effective. The front brake is revealed so
biting that it requires skill and precision. In short, it is handled with two
fingers and very gently under penalty of going over the handlebars !
Comfort
It should first be remembered that the Speed Triple is really a
raw version of formwork, from a sports car. In short, prepare
the terrain … Suspensions and saddle are there to secure
the pilot and allow him – almost – anything, but especially not
to bring him comfort, not to him more than to his passenger.
For the passenger, it’s even worse: a folding seat with a lace
foam and the absence of grab handles. Of course, this obliges
to hold the pilot firmly, but do not reassure, especially when
with the carcatère and possibilities of play of the raodster. In all
state of affairs, forget the long journeys, you will come out
exhausted. These remarks made, the driving position
is natural and the bike is easy on a daily basis. She will appreciate a
optional windshield to provide an appreciable semblance of protection.
Consumption
The Speed benefits from injection. Effective ? Well in
smooth driving, at constant speed on the motorway (130 km / h),
it consumes just 5 liters per hundred, despite the absence of fairing.
This puts it in reserve at 290 km! The problem,
is that with a roadster like this, we cannot have
smooth driving and we do not drive on the highway, not to mention that we
tends to stay in 3 or 4, without ever reaching 6. And
in muscular driving, consumption rises quickly. It would be better
therefore expect an average consumption of 8 liters per hundred.
Convenient
Forget
all practicality! He’s a nasty roadster: no room under the
saddle, or just for a small lock, part of which fits
in the center, and the U in the front from the edge until it disappears (any
a technique before finding it).
You thought you would put a magnetic mat to take some things with you
Nevertheless ? It will not be of use to you: the tank is made of plastic
! You will therefore make up for it on a traditional tank bag
to be secured with straps.
Conclusion
The
Speed does not demerit. It’s a good big roadster with a fabulous couple with
which it is really possible to have fun for a long time … alone. The lack
protection, the wooden rear folding seat, the absence of any handle
are all reasons not to place a human being … under
quick divorce sentence.
Apart from the comfort aspect, prohibiting any long journey and any duo,
the Speed is a motorcycle to which one attaches quickly, for its face
second to none, its exemplary behavior, and its consumption
adjustable according to the mood.
It is definitely a motorbike with a strong character, and a Plaisir motorbike.
with a capital P. It will therefore be reserved for a biker who has already had
a good driving experience (beginners do not).
Ultimately, to try it is to adopt it … not to mention that
for those who love exceptional motorcycles, we are far from seeing them in
every street corner … Only 500 copies were sold per
year, compared to the 2,500 sold copies of a roaster like the
XJR 1300.
Strong points
- single "mouth"
- motor character
- braking
- consumption
Weak points
- duo comfort
Competitors: Ducati 900 Monster, Suzuki
Bandit 1200 N, Triumph Speed Triple 1050, Yamaha XJR 1300
Datasheet
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