Triumph Speed ​​Triple 1200 RS motorcycle test

Menus

• Madame More
• 3 cylinders in line, 1160 cm3, 180 hp at 10,750 rpm, 125 Nm at 9,000 rpm, 198 kg in running order, from € 17,500
• Discovery
• In the saddle
• In the city
• Motorway and expressways
• Departmental
• On Track
• Comfort and duo
• Consumption and autonomy
• The video test of the Triumph Speed ​​Triple 1200 RS
• Conclusion

Madame More

3 cylinders in line, 1160 cm3, 180 hp at 10,750 rpm, 125 Nm at 9,000 rpm, 198 kg in running order, from € 17,500

Each time a new product is launched, the same ritual is repeated over and over again. First we cram in a plane with other lucky privileged (test journalists) to a destination that allows you to take pretty pictures and where the weather conditions are good, then we get loaded into a shuttle that brings us at the hotel – or almost (Honda made us sleep in a tent once for the launch of the Transalp 700). Finally, we sit in a meeting room for an hour to listen to a speech patiently crafted by an army of marketing graduates to explain to us that the machine we are going to try is the best in the world. Or in any case infinitely better than the one it replaces…

In the case of this Speed ​​Triple 1200 RS, it almost turned to caricature. In 20 years of career, I have rarely heard the term “more” so many times during a presentation: lighter, more powerful, more torquey, more efficient, more technological, more reliable, more practical, more everything…

Test of the Triumph Speed ​​Triple 1200 RS

Triumph makes crates of them? Spoiler alert: no, but the Speed ​​Triple is the stainless icon (it will celebrate its 30 years in 2024) of the Hinckley company and as the competition is tough in the segment of big sporty roadsters, out of the question to take the feet in the carpet by doing in half measures! Moreover, there will be no standard S version of the Speed, the sales volumes were too anecdotal. So RS, only.

Discovery

Unlike Ducati with its new Monster, Triumph played it rather soft on aesthetic developments. Visually, the biggest changes are the disappearance of the two pots under the saddle, replaced by a single element in the low position and a modernized full led headlight / light assembly – the Speed ​​Triple now has bright eyebrows like an automobile..

The headlight of the Triumph Speed ​​Triple 1200 RS

That’s all ? In fact no, almost everything is indeed new, starting with the engine. This three-cylinder cubic 1160 cm3 (against 1.050 cm3 for the 2018 version) and delivers 180 hp (+ 30 hp) at 10,750 rpm and 125 Nm (+ 8 Nm) at 9,000 rpm. It is also lighter (-7 kg) and more compact. The intake and exhaust have obviously been redesigned accordingly and the inertia of the crankshaft has been reduced by 12% to promote liveliness on angle changes..

The three-cylinder in-line now delivers 180 hp and 125 Nm

The gearbox is also new. Announced as softer, it is entitled to hollow shafts (less weight and inertia) superimposed which allows the block to gain in compactness. Shall we continue with the plus? The entire lubrication and cooling system has been redesigned to be both more compact and more efficient. Overall, Triumph has reinjected into this block all the know-how accumulated in Moto 2. According to the Triumph engineer responsible for development, the experience of competition has enabled them to gain in performance AND in reliability. Thus, the three-cylinder only requires an oil change every 16,000 km and a valve clearance check every 32,000 km..

The Triumph Speed ​​Triple 1200 RS

The chassis is also brand new. Despite a wheelbase identical to the 1050, the Speed ​​Triple 1200 has seen its frame completely redesigned to swallow without flinching the 180 hp of the new block. The swingarm is longer and its anchor point has been raised to promote anti-squat (limits load transfers on the rear suspension during acceleration, which improves behavior when exiting a corner). If no gain in rigidity is announced, the frame and its peripherals (rear loop, tank, footrest plates …) have been designed to optimize behavior (centralization of masses, center of gravity further forward and more low) and gain weight with a total gain of 10 kg which translates on the scale to a nice 198 kilograms in working order.

The RS loses 7 kilos and now claims 198 kg full facts

A little anecdotal treat that shows how much Triumph has dug its head to improve its Speed ​​Triple in all areas, the footrests have been “tucked in” towards the inside of the chassis to gain ground clearance without radicalizing the position. driving.

Electronic side, it’s classic. There are plenty of driving modes (Road, Sport, Track, Rain which restricts the power to 100 hp and a fully customizable user mode) coupled to a 6-axis inertial unit that manages braking and anti-wheeling on the angle in a way. more or less permissive depending on the mode selected. You can also disconnect everything if you want. As standard, the Speed ​​Triple 1200 RS comes with a smooth running up & down shifter, a more anecdotal cruise control, an improved keyless start system that also unlocks the fuel cap and My Triumph connectivity that allows control music and phone on the handlebars and display GPS indications on the dashboard.

The shifter of the Triumph Speed ​​Triple 1200 RS

The 1200 RS did not convert to the trend for electronic suspensions, preferring to bet on safe (and very high-end) values ​​with a 43mm Ohlins NIX inverted fork and a TTX36 shock absorber, both adjustable in all directions..

The Цhlins fork of the 1200 RS is adjustable

Braking is Brembo stamped with a 320mm double disc at the front clamped by Stylema 4-piston calipers as well as a 2-piston rear caliper clamping a 220mm disc. Another delicious candy that does not run the streets, you can adjust the force of the front brake lever via a small eccentric at the base of the master cylinder.

The Brembo front brake calipers of the Triumph Speed ​​Triple 1200 RS

The 17-inch aluminum rims are fitted with Metzeler Racetec RR tires..

The rear rim is well put forward by the single-sided swingarm

Finally, note that the Speed ​​Triple RS – whose delivery to dealerships has just started – is available at a price of € 17,500 in two colors; a glossy black Sapphire Black and a satin gray Matt Silver Ice. You can finish lightening your wallet with a range of 35 accessories including heated grips, screen, luggage and a host of other stuff too numerous to list here (everything is on the Triumph website).

In the saddle

After this long list of “more”, it’s time to see the result handlebars in hand. First observation, the finish is the quality of the materials is sublime: surface treatment of engine foundries, screws, welds … everywhere you look, it’s a permanent retinal detachment or almost. By quibbling, the passage of certain cables could have been more discreet and the mechanism which controls the valve on the exhaust is a little posed there. What made me stand on end, however, was the plastic covers ensuring the junction between tank and frame, of a quality unworthy of the rest of the machine and rather poorly adjusted. It’s invisible if you don’t have your nose on it, but it’s like a black pimple on a top model’s face, once you notice it all you can see is that. Too bad, we weren’t far from perfect.

Roadster Triumph Speed ​​Triple 1200 RS

Once stepped over the saddle which culminates at 830 mm high (825 mm on the previous one), me and my 170 cm find ourselves with the two feet – almost – flat. The handlebars, 13 mm wider, require you to lean your chest forward slightly to get caught, but the position is anything but radical.

Before my eyes, the on-board computer is ultra complete, the definition of the TFT screen (5 inches) is irreproachable, the animations of the interface are sublime, but all this runs a little on the Lexo 1000. When you want start up, power up and the accompanying animation take almost ten seconds and there is always a little latency between actions on the switch and what happens on the dashboard. Rest assured, if you are in a hurry to leave, just press the starter twice in a row to wake up the three cylinders immediately. And there it is ecstasy, especially if you are fans of engines with an odd number of cylinders. At low speed, the noise level remains relatively discreet (this is not always the case).

The TFT speedometer of the Triumph Speed ​​Triple 1200 RS

Navigating the computer’s submenus via a mini joystick is very damn good and instinctive and a special button allows you to change driving mode without taking your eyes off the road. If necessary, we can even play with various parameters of each mode (engine mapping, level of intervention of the ABS …), but with less latitude than the user mode. Another very well seen thing, we have the choice between a minimalist display or adding information on the screen (autonomy, trips, lap time on the circuit, to name it and the best).

The commodos of the Triumph Speed ​​Triple 1200 RS

In the city

Leaving Pau city center has nothing to do with the Parisian urban jungle, but the RS 1200 is perfectly at home here. If we except a turning radius as bad as its competitors in the large sporty roadster segment, everything else is forgotten. The brakes are soft and responsive, the shifter operates smoothly even when flirting with idle speed, and the three-cylinder resumes smoothly from 2000 rpm. We can go down to idle speed on the first three reports with a few vibrations of disapproval and lazy ankles can stay in fourth and start again on a trickle of gas at 50 km / h in fourth around 2,500 laps. Even with a widened handlebar and rear view mirrors at the end of the handlebars, interfile lifts are a simple matter..

City test of the Triumph Speed ​​Triple 1200 RS

Motorway and expressways

Once out of Pau, our route took us to the foot of the Pyrenees. Then almost all the way up. Suffice to say that we did not see the shadow of a highway on the way, but some very rolling sections allowed us to verify (oh, surprise) that the protection is non-existent. Sticking to the dab-style tank doesn’t change much. To cut the road, the windscreen available as an accessory (there is also a mini transparent bubble) should probably improve things, but that will not turn the Speed ​​into a Trophy. You have to choose your side … In sixth at 130 km / h, the three-cylinder battery at mid-speed (a chouia more than 5000 revolutions therefore) ensures guns recoveries and the saddle comfort is more than decent.

Triumph Speed ​​Triple 1200 RS test on expressway

Departmental

Haaaaa, here we are. I will not hide from you that I had some concerns before attacking this presentation. What made the charm of the old Speed ​​was its consistency. Unlike the hairiest of its competitors, it was neither a sportswoman disguised as a roadster nor a thing which sought to decapitate you with the first blow of gas a little too pronounced. There are still 30 more cannons … Worse, the maximum torque on the previous Speed ​​was available at 7,150 rpm against 9,000 rpm for this 2021 vintage. Logically, we could therefore imagine that this new block is sharper than the previous one. In fact it is quite the opposite … There is no difference between the two blocks under 6,000 rpm.

Road test of the Triumph Speed ​​Triple 1200 RS

Above, however, power is on sale and torque is on sale, it’s chock full of everything, everywhere all the time! So much so that exploring the last 1,500 laps on the road to an unreasonable side. We can go, electronics will save you the worst. But in our driving conditions (a bit cooler weather and a lot of grip variations), it tended to trigger a bit too unexpectedly. It’s always better than ending up on the ground, but also a little frustrating because the chassis perfectly accommodates this large surplus of cavalry..

The Triumph Speed ​​Triple 1200 RS on the road

This Speed ​​seems even lighter than what its technical sheet announces. The settings on the angle are done without forcing and when the tires are at temperature, the front axle seems riveted to the ground and goes up in the handlebars a lot of information. Swinging it from one angle to another is also a formality. The widened handlebars certainly help, as does the reduction of the inertia of the three cylinders and everything is done without forcing, except when approaching the maximum angle. In all sincerity, a Street will perhaps be more efficient in a case as narrow as a small departmental one, but given its size and its power, this Speed ​​1200 RS remains a monster of ease with regard to its power and his template. This Speed ​​is healthy, easy and very communicative.

The Triumph Speed ​​Triple 1200 RS on a curve

And the soundtrack is more than up to par. Passed mid-speed, the combined melody of the air box and the opening of the exhaust valve borders on auditory orgasm. Criticisms ? Little ones. On our journey, the shifter had a few misfires and the engine mapping in Sport mode was a bit brutal on the go-around, but not enough to whip a press officer. Afterwards, that’s why there are motor modes, so that everyone finds their account..

The Triumph Speed ​​Triple 1200 RS on the small roads

On Track

Arriving on the sublime Pau Arnos track, Triumph fitted our machines with Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SC2 tires to help us exploit the full potential of their machine. And probably also to reduce the chances that some of them will be crushed in the process. In this exercise, we touch the limits of the sporty roadster genre. Unlike a Tuono, closely derived from a sports car, or a radical Super Duke R, the Speed ​​was designed and developed for the road. But that does not have all disadvantages. With regard to the quality of the brakes and suspensions, the Triumph roadster is perfectly at ease on the track, even on a turnstile as tortuous as Arnos. You need a little muscle when changing angles and improvisation skills are limited as soon as you force the rhythm. And in sheer efficiency, I’m not sure it can keep pace with its main rivals.

Test of the Triumph Speed ​​Triple 1200 RS on the track

In return, the Speed ​​Triple 1200 RS is the most “user friendly” in its category and will delight pilots of a level … let’s say intermediate. Because the front axle always seems to be glued to the ground and its reactions are always healthy. The Track mode which lets go of the electronic control as much as possible ensures its role of guardrail wonderfully and if you are not looking to scratch 10 meters on your braking marks in each lap, this is the perfect tool to do his first steps on a track day. Especially since the brakes (did I tell you about the brakes?) Never showed the slightest sign of fatigue during our sessions. Perfect feeling, incredible power, in short, nothing but caviar !

The RS is much easier than other big European roadsters

Footrests a bit further back would have been welcome to counteract the colossal thrust of the three cylinders without clinging to the handlebars. Better, (let’s be crazy) a pair of optional / accessory bracelets would be just perfect for loading a front end that only asks to point to the sky as soon as you weld the right grip. Maybe one day … At the moment, the only performance accessory available is a silencer bracket; without the silencer that goes with it !

Comfort and duo

We touch the limits of classic Ohlins suspensions. If you have the tools for (Triumph should provide suggestions for “standard” settings – duo, solo, road, track, etc. – with its machine), the Speed ​​can potentially play the flying carpet. Otherwise, you’ll have to make do with the basic settings that we haven’t had the opportunity to test. In terms of saddle comfort, the Speed ​​is in the upper average for the driver (flexible foam and plenty of freedom of movement) and in the lower average for the passenger (a mouse pad in the format of a packet of cigarettes). So much so that the model tested had a seat cowl. But we got back on the bike a few days later and Sandrine confirmed her memory of Speed ​​journeys, where no more than before it is not a machine for duos, or on an occasional basis..

The rear light of the Triumph Speed ​​Triple 1200 RS

Consumption and autonomy

Difficult to give you a realistic average consumption. A half-day course made up of 90% of departmental roads and 10% of urban crossings plus track sessions are not really representative of normal use. What I can tell you is that when stabilized at 130 km / h (thank you cruise control), consumption fluctuates between 5 and 5.5 l / 100 km. Enough to do about 300 km with the 15.5-liter tank. A few resets of the on-board computer while driving calmly (it never lasted long) on ​​departmental roads showed averages always less than 5 liters and even sometimes 4 liters. Angry, we climb to 6, 7, even 8 liters and more.

Consumption varies between 5 and 5.5 l / 100 km

The video test of the Triumph Speed ​​Triple 1200 RS

Conclusion

It’s quite common to bury a new machine under an avalanche of compliments. Because if the manufacturer has done its job well, the novelty is necessarily better than the one it replaces … So yes, the Speed ​​1200 does better everywhere than the 1050 version of 2018. But the real tour de force of Triumph, it is to have succeeded in creating a machine as powerful as the references of the category without ever departing from the ease and the homogeneity which was already its strength when it made “only” 150 hp. And that was not a given.

The Speed ​​Triple 1200 RS is available in two colors and priced from 17,500 euros

Without direct comparison (later this year) I would say that the future Aprilia Tuono would surely be more efficient on the track and the more radical Super Duke R 1290 will be a bit ahead in the hands of a seasoned pilot. But the Speed, designed for the road, will never be far behind and much easier on a daily basis. In particular thanks to an ultra communicative front axle which inspires total confidence. Finally, when we manage to keep it on the ground. So much for the goal.

On the subjective side, the English roadster buries the Italian and the Austrian in other areas: a three-cylinder with a reinforced concrete character and a divine sound, a name and an aura (a mouth too) unlike any other – to perhaps the Ducati Monster aside – while still being perfectly usable on a daily basis. The legendary Triumph roadster still has a bright future ahead of it.

Strong points

• “Perfect” engine
• Three-cylinder sound
• Easy and homogeneous frame
• Peripherals (brakes, suspensions) at the top !
• Mythical look

Weak points

• Some shocking finishing details
• Slightly slow on-board computer
• Duo
• Well that’s all…

The technical sheet of the Triumph Speed ​​Triple 1200 RS

Test conditions

• Itinerary: A loop of about 150 kilometers in the mountains overlooking the city of Pau, not at all mixed with only the departmental and the national and a little foaming urban. Followed by a half-day on the Pau Arnos track, a sublime ultra hilly turnstile (any self-respecting sports biker should go there to put his knee there before dying). Special mention to the team that manages the circuit, professional, flexible and of rare kindness.
• Motorcycle mileage: Absolutely no idea! The total mileage is either very well stashed in the dashboard interface or written very small on the TFT screen.
• Problem encountered: ras

Test equipment

• Nishua helmet
• Road: Spidi jacket, Bering gloves and Vanucci sneakers
• Circuit: Vanucci jumpsuit, Vanucci gloves, Puma boots

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