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Zonko’s attack on the Triumph Thruxton R

Lord laurel

Content of

The 900 Thruxton was a charismatic machine, but not a revelation in terms of sport. The new Triumph Thruxton R with the 1200 twin is a completely different caliber. Wow!

I do not know exactly. But I do think that motorcycles have a soul. You shouldn’t insult them or even scrap them. They take it personally. I’ve seen it many times. Motorcycles are definitely sensitive beings. So now I have real difficulties with the old one Thruxton 900 to explain how its successor, the Triumph Thruxton R, is. The unvarnished truth soberly presented could trigger a resigned defiant reaction in the 900s.

Zonko‘s attack on the Triumph Thruxton R

Lord laurel

Comparison is brutal

The new 1200 twin of the Triumph Thruxton R brutally stomps the old 900. If you put the test bench data on top of each other, it becomes obvious that the new one marches much better from bottom to top, although it turns less high. 95 hp at 6800 rpm (900: 70 hp at 8000 rpm) and 107 Nm at 5200 rpm (71 Nm at 6400 rpm) are now very worthy values ​​that no longer make the term “sporty retro machine” ad absurdum to lead. And then there are the technical goodies of the present such as ride-by-wire, three driving modes, traction control and a worthy ABS. Everything is flawless and impressively well caught right from the start. Admirable.

I’ve already ridden three new Triumphs (Speed ​​Triple R, Street Twin, Thruxton R) and have the impression that the British manufacturer is on a run, as they say. A priori, I did not assume that the switch to the electronic throttle and the corresponding engine control would be so brilliant. But de facto, the three new Triumph engines tested depend on the gas and have a very good response. You can congratulate and take off your helmet in appreciation. It’s just less funny for the previous generation. Especially in the case of the Thruxton. The new one is much nicer, much stronger and also way ahead in handling. Only when it comes to weight has not changed much: The horsepower scale showed 222 kilos for the new Triumph Thruxton R with a full tank. Let’s agree here on "just still athletic".

The kilos are right

So the Triumph Thruxton R is not super light, but it not only looks slim, it also feels that way. Especially when driving. In this respect, one can casually say that the kilos are in the right places. The feeling of lightness that arises when cornering is largely due to the new geometry and the 17-inch rim at the front.

With a relatively compact wheelbase of 1415 millimeters and a steep steering head angle of 67.2 degrees (only 92 millimeters of caster!) The Triumph Thruxton R is on the agile side. The commitment to 17 inches is also decisive. No question about it, the real classics were on the 18-inch front, but the associated stubbornness in turning has always bothered me.

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All people who would like to have a classic looking motorcycle, but at the same time cannot do without sporty performance, will love the R..

And when I rioted through the radiuses of the Vienna Woods with the new Triumph Thruxton R and the 120 / 70-17 Diablo Rosso Corsa, I rejoiced: “That’s how it has to be! 17 inches! ”It was fantastic. The iron may look like a fossil from the wild 1960s, but it drives like a state-of-the-art street athlete hungry for laurel wreaths and trophies. Although – I will come back to this – there is still nothing to win against a Speed ​​Triple R and other power nakeds.

So a thought-lost, melancholy tobogganer who fights back tears because the girl left him, even though he gave her an expensive Arai helmet, will not stand a chance against a motivated lucky guy on a Triumph Thruxton R even if he is on a Tuono sits. But under normal circumstances the new retro triumph in the tough league cannot of course take place. The fact that the old Thruxton is now so kinked is not only due to the overpowering new twin and the brand-new geometry, but also to the noble components of the R version: Big Piston Showa fork, Ohlins struts, all fully adjustable, and radial recorded Brembo calipers on 310 double discs at the front. These are exquisite goodies that even the layman will recognize. Fit perfectly into the picture.

Looks embrace class – finally!

I have always asked myself why the manufacturers use inferior components for retro machines and cafe racers and thus reduce the driving pleasure and sporting potential. BMW then got really serious with the R nineT and set the new direction. Ducati has not done without a clever chassis with the Scrambler, and now Triumph has accurately transformed the steep lean. All people who would like to have a classic looking motorcycle, but at the same time cannot do without sporty performance, will love the Triumph Thruxton R..

The fact that the impression of killer Schmalz arises even though you are actually “only” driving with 95 hp is probably due to the fact that the power does not take much time to fully develop. Row fours and sporty V2 engines only really wake up at 6000 rpm, where the twin of the Triumph Thruxton R is already fully dispensing. The fact that it then falls into the limiter at 7300 tours is kind of strange in the sense of the sport (more reminiscent of a chopper), but on the other hand the usable speed range is pleasantly wide, since the engine is already in the juice from 2000 rpm and willingly served torque and power.

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The finest chassis material exclusively for the R and bought at a high price by Ohlins.

This characteristic fits perfectly with the appearance of the Triumph Thruxton R. Just like the dull thud from the well-formed mufflers. In times of Euro 4 this is of course not a sound that will tear the afternoon sleeper off the couch, but in the saddle it sounds really full and good.

I can only pay homage to the smooth yet robust engine run and the throttle response. Even the transmission of the Triumph Thruxton R, which was not always Triumph’s forte, can be operated precisely and almost no longer gnarled, the smooth clutch is world class.

Rabauking in the Vienna Woods

It didn’t take me long to really let it rip. At first I was afraid that the long tank of the Triumph Thruxton R would "stretch" me a little and the deep handlebar stubs would be uncomfortable, but no: The seating position fits perfectly for a 178er like me. Already has sporty knee angle with the possibility to put pressure on the notches and a clear front wheel orientation, but by no means extreme. The stubs, which are positioned in a sporty but not super sporty way with fork clamps, lay perfectly in the hands. I took one last admiring look at the polished triple clamp, put in the A and thundered into the world.

The first kilometers through the city made it clear that the Triumph Thruxton R, despite its not inconsiderable weight, is nimble and easy to waddle. I immediately took confidence. And although from 3000 to 6500 rpm there was always at least 100 Nm on the rear tire, I never had the feeling that the slim 160 would have a strong desire to hike in a lean position. A lot of confidence, great handling, good grip.

Triumph Thruxton R nimble in handling

Of course I took the left turn in forehead of the bus station on my knee. You have to especially reward those children who do not sacrifice their attention to the crazy microcosm in the smartphone, but to the objective world. I then greeted the boy with the wide-open eyes with a raised clutch hand. Casual look,
and was an easy exercise.

Because the Triumph Thruxton R is nimble in handling, but by no means bitchy or nervous, but murderously good-natured. Even Waldi must have recognized that. Or he was just happy about the banging iron. In any case, he yelped euphorically and hung in strangulation mode on Grandma Kunz’s taut leash, which held him back with all her might. Wonderful good world!

Clean the wheel arch!

With the city at its back, the Triumph Thruxton R served a decent amount of extra enthusiasm on my mental plate. That was pretty quick! In general, cafe racers these days are rarely really strong, because the drivers are less interested in the extreme lean or the uncompromisingly late dropping anchor, but rather find the look great and like to surround themselves with the aura of the wild, old days – without much themselves wanting to risk. But this new Triumph is not only suitable for appearing in front of the coffee house, but also when you drive it really briskly.

I already got by with the series setup of the chassis, even if the fork is of the very tough kind and tramples wildly over bumps. I turned up the rebound and compression levels for more comfort – I was still athletic. The Brembo brakes of the Triumph Thruxton R matched responsiveness, controllability and bite. A rare stroke of luck was the two-lane 270-degree left-hand bend after the Guntramsdorf rest stop in the direction of Ebreichsdorf – anyone who has already been there knows everything. The curve has good grip, a perfect course and no metal planks with sharp-edged stanchions on the outside, but concrete guide rails that are easy to fall. I just have a much better feeling when I press it. On the road in "knocking-on-heaven’s-door" mode, you never know for sure whether you will feel the tire grip limit in time or not.

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It doesn’t have much to do with a modern superbike dashboard, but despite the Cafe Racer style, the information and animation content of the Triumph front is right.

Now the said curve is a wonderful experience in itself, because you can drag your knee for a long time, but when the rare case occurs that a relatively committed but unsporting car with screeching tires defends itself inside, it’s like Christmas and Easter together. The Triumph Thruxton R allowed a considerable lean angle, was really sensitive to the throttle, provided feedback with the Pirelli Rosso rubbers, and so I was able to enjoy the entire radius at the same height as the citizen cage, although of course I needed more speed outside than inside. Good triumph, wonderful buck!

As I allowed myself a brief but deep look to the side in the dashing hanging-off, I saw that the front wheel arch of the Fiat was incredibly dirty. It had certainly not been sprayed out in years. In a completely networked world, as we may still experience it, I would have called in a friendly manner: “Dude, clean the wheel arch! It’s really scary! ”But since he couldn’t hear me in this presence, I nodded appreciatively at the end of the curve and thanked for the nice shared experience and let the 1200 twin of the Triumph Thruxton R fire straight out into the straight. Four, five, six, 220 km / h on the clock. Worthy, very worthy.

Is that real eye level?

Triumph didn’t miss anything with the Thruxton R. But the question of whether it could rage on an equal footing with power nakeds such as Tuono 1100 or 1290 Super Duke R, I can say no without a direct comparison. She just lacks a wheelbarrow full of power, which can only be made up for if the pilot on the power-naked is a technical zero. Nonetheless, the Triumph Thruxton R is a fantastic iron for me.

Visually, it is reminiscent of the time when winners were still honored with thick, braided laurel wreaths, but technically it is a great country road bike of today, with which you can really let it go. In the Critique of Judgment, Immanuel Kant says: “Not only the object but also the existence of it appeals.”In the case of the Triumph Thruxton R, I can fully agree.

Technical data Triumph Thruxton R

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The Triumph Thruxton R is nimble to handle, but by no means bitchy or nervous, it is really good-natured.

Here you can see an extract of the technical data. If you would like the complete measurement values ​​determined by us, including all consumption, torque and acceleration values, you can buy the article as a PDF for download.

Conclusion

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For Zonko, the Triumph Thruxton R is the queen of modern cafe racers and further proof of the thesis: "Retro doesn’t have to be residual waste. "

When I think about the Triumph Thruxton R, I feel so sorry for the old 900 Thruxton. On the other hand, I am as happy as a carolers that Triumph did not let the enormous potential of the "Lord Laurel" (no other machine of the present point the way to the time when the winners on the podium were still awarded with laurel wreaths) lie idle, but pushed ahead with full development effort.

For me, the Triumph Thruxton R is the queen of modern cafe racers and further proof of the thesis: “Retro doesn’t have to be residual waste.” Despite all the euphoria, in the case of a serious mountain rating and a penchant for the traditional British brand, I would prefer to go to speed Grab triple R. It’s just too good a feeling when you get to the top first.

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