Triumph Speed ​​Triple RS test

Menus

• British icon returns sharper than ever
• 3 cylinders in line, 1050 cm3, 150 hp at 10,500 rpm, 117 Nm at 7,150 rpm, 189 kilos dry, from € 15,850
• Discovery
• In the saddle
• Engine and transmission
• In the city
• On motorways and main roads
• On departmental
• On circuit
• Part-cycle
• Brakes
• Comfort & duo
• Consumption / autonomy
• Conclusion
• The video test of the Triumph Speed ​​Triple RS

British icon returns sharper than ever

3 cylinders in line, 1050 cm3, 150 hp at 10,500 rpm, 117 Nm at 7,150 rpm, 189 kilos dry, from € 15,850

Remember: she was black, parked under a lamppost, a mean dog strapped to her side, it was scary and she was envious. In 1994, Triumph launched its first Speed ​​Triple, the first of a long generation: at the time, it was simply a 900 Daytona stripped of its fairing, equipped with a round headlight (and curiosity about the first vintage, from which the sixth gear had been withdrawn). The Speed ​​Triple matured in 2005: it then went into 1050 cm3 and reinforced its identity by no longer being the bare version of a sports car. Since then, the Speed ​​Triple has become both an icon and a pillar of the English manufacturer’s range; pillar successfully replicated on the Street Triple family.

Thirteen years later, the Speed ​​Triple 1050 is still here. Admittedly, it underwent developments in 2011 and also in 2015. Admittedly, since then, sports roadsters do not hesitate to place the level of the game between 160 and 180 horsepower. So, has been, the Englishwoman ?

Well, not at all ! Because Triumph does not let go and comes back with what they call the best Speed ​​Triple of all time (the marketing rules, however, did not allow them to tell us "well, we did something, we will have to deal with it. , it is not that bad…. ”). At the same time, Triumph has enough to prove this claim: presentation, engine and electronics have been seriously revised..

Besides, Triumph does not come back with one, but two machines. Alongside the Speed ​​Triple S (from € 13,750), the RS plays the role of flagship of the range (from € 15,850). We have tried this RS extensively on the road but also on the track, at the Almeria circuit in southern Spain.

Discovery

Single-arm, pots under the saddle, double optics, three-cylinder engine: at this little game, it’s impossible to miss a shot, even if we will have noted the new visual signature of the LED lights. We are in the presence of a Speed ​​Triple. Cosmetically speaking, we are also not breaking away from the previous generation, renewed in 2015.

However and we have seen it in all our last tests, whether in the Classic range like the Bonneville Black Bobber or in the trails with the Tiger 800 and Tiger 1200, Triumph places more and more importance on presentation and to the finish of his motorcycles. In fact, the quality of assemblies and logos has further improved, not to mention that of the equipment. However, the base is starting to look a bit dated, which gives a few contrasting situations, especially on the left side between the old cable clutch control and the backlit switch full of buttons and a joystick..

Compared to the S, the Speed ​​Triple RS is distinguished by the presence of carbon parts (side scoops, front fender), a seat cowl, wheels with a red border, a range of colors with , in addition to white, a matte black (that of our test model, while the S offers the choice between white and glossy black). There is also the twin Arrow tailpipes, with titanium finish and carbon end caps, which is fitted as standard on the RS. Finally, the suspensions are more upscale, with Ohlins instead of elements from Showa.

There is also what we do not see, in particular the IMU inertial unit which allows to fine-tune the operation of the driving modes and electronic aids.

In the saddle

Before easily finding his bearings, with this driving position a tad sporty, but not too much, it is obviously the new color TFT dashboard (present on both versions) that strikes immediately, coming together with the new backlit controls and, on the RS version, a keyless start.

However, the RS version is distinguished by a greater number of displays (12 instead of 6, taking into account the backlight combinations). We are starting to know this TFT panel, in particular because it appeared on the last generations of Street Triple as well as on the Tiger. Nothing to say about it: the information is super comprehensive, readability is never lacking and it gives the whole a nice touch of modernity. We appreciate the overall ergonomics thanks to the joystick and shortcuts ("mode" button and steering lock button), for example.

At 825mm high and combined with a not too wide tank, the Speed ​​Triple is easily tamed. Transponder in pocket, it’s time to turn on the engine room.

Engine and transmission

We thought we knew her and well we’ll have to get back to work. Because what we know above all is the age of the machine housings: 13 years old is not nothing. On the inside, however, Triumph made no less than 105 mechanical modifications. And not small changes, in fact.

Hang in there: new Nikasil liners, new crankshaft, lighter; new pistons able to withstand more pressure (the compression ratio increases from 12.25 to 12.9: 1); new valve springs, new cylinder heads and cam profiles, new crankcase and new balancing arms. That’s not all: the starter is new, the battery and alternator are lighter, the airbox has been redesigned, the injection and the lubrication system have been revised. Admit, it’s not nothing.

While the 1050 block posted 130 hp at 9100 rpm and 107 Nm at 5100 rpm in 2005, then 140 hp at 9500 rpm and 114 Nm at 7850 rpm in the R version of 2016, it is now capable of outputting 150 horsepower at 10,500 rpm and 117 Nm at 7,150 rpm. What a great feat to give it more revs while improving torque and making it available lower than before..

Looking at the curves, we realize that, above 4700 rpm, the new one is always more powerful than the old one. Admittedly, 7% more horsepower doesn’t change the face of the world, but it’s as much the extra stretch as the aggressiveness in the laps that makes the difference. As for the torque curve, it is again superior to the old from 4500 rpm and illustration of the generous character of the three-cylinder, we still have a good reserve of at least 110 Nm of torque available from 5200 to 9200 rpm.

Finally, praise the sound of the Arrow that comes standard on the RS. Well raised on the gas net and at stabilized speed, they offer a dull and deep sound at the same time when you open wide. A treat for Portuguese women !

Triumph also made some modifications to the clutch and 6 gearbox. An up & down shifter is optional on the RS; it was installed on our test model and we have the right to believe that it could be delivered in series.

In the city

Admittedly, the suburbs of Almeria, wedged between greenhouses (the region is the supplier of tomatoes to all of Europe) and its Mediterranean bay have little in common with the Parisian hell cleverly organized by Anne H., the Cruella of mobility. Nevertheless, the Speed ​​is doing well in the urban test. Soft controls, itou engine (we are at the limit of the flexibility threshold, at a small 2000 rpm in fourth at 50 km / h, which means that I stay more spontaneously in third in town), turning radius in the average, fairly natural driving position, brakes with bite marred by progressiveness: the list of good attentions unfolds. The mirrors at the end of the handlebars could, perhaps, constitute a limit between the Kangoo and other Berlingos, but it should be noted the narrowness of the machine, with a width at the handlebars of 775 mm.

It should also be noted that, if necessary, the "rain" mapping reduces power to 100 horsepower. The response to the accelerator is then much smoother and this can be useful in congested urban areas on fat-wet.

On motorways and main roads

The cruise control present as standard on both versions is a useful attention, more than the small nose screen which, in fact, does not protect anything at all. And so, guys, we’re on a roadster !

In fact, the driving position allows you to lower your head a bit and face the elements. In sixth at 130 km / h, the three-cylinder purrs at a little over 5000 rpm and we navigate right into the fat of the couple. Suffice to say that the reruns are amazing, if suddenly you cross the German border. With the kilometers, we see that the saddle comfort is rather good on this RS.

On departmental

It’s the perfect playground for all motorcycles and even more so for the Speed ​​Triple RS, which can reveal the range of its skills, which begins with an incredible naturalness. Unlike these roadsters which are in fact naked hypersport cars, more complicated to identify and operating in a smaller spectrum of use, the Speed ​​Triple RS has delighted us throughout this long day of testing, alternating large (very) fast curves where decency prevents us from really explaining the reality of things, to more sinuous parts where we alternated between the second and the third between the pink of almond trees in bloom and the white of the small villages perched in the mountain.

The Speed ​​Triple RS, in its sporty air, has nothing against a little poetry. It can be taken with incredible ease (note that the "sport" mode, which accentuates the response to the grip a little, sometimes gives a little jerk; it is then preferable to select the "road" mode), while allowing you to pick up the pace just as easily. It’s a real roadster, in the best sense of the word, meaning a machine above all designed to perform at its best on the road. This does not exempt her from having sporting claims, as we will see in the paragraph below.

On circuit

4025 meters long, the Almeria circuit is downright technical with in particular two beautiful series of blind turns, straight lines that go in third with a point of rope behind a hillock. Vicious, the thing. There, something happens, especially in the second corner, called "Almendros 2": "Small, small, small! ". The gravel in the tank is calling you, because the trajectory is super tight and it is played down to the millimeter. Here, what is needed is precise steering and a straightforward collar machine. The Speed ​​dives blindly towards the chord point and suddenly the trajectory is revealed. The flare had been anticipated, a small lick on the nose gear, full angle, allows you to tighten to pass "Alemdros 3" and the Speed ​​takes off like a bullet in third.

Of course, a roadster is bound to reveal its limits on the track. The Speed ​​Triple RS is no exception, with a driving position which limits the precision of the feeling of the front axle (useful in the third corner, a long left, "El Curvon", just like in the sequence of turns 11 and 12, two straight lines, "Cerro" and "Entrada Recta" that we try to link in a single trajectory), with some suspension movements (sensitive to braking downhill, after the straight line of the pits, where we arrive full fourth). But this is necessarily in the genetic heritage of the machine and above all it does not prevent having fun! Once again, praise the agility and precision of the bike, just like the IM inertial unit, because let us remember that unlike the S, the Speed ​​Triple RS has both more sophisticated electronics and a mode. "Track", with an IMU which manages the power distribution according to the angle socket as well as an ABS with corner function.

All this makes it possible to take advantage of the potential of the RS without a second thought. Special mention at the end of the circuit, in the “Esse 3” from which we emerge full throttle, in third level with the vibrator, before passing the four and plunging blind (again!) Into the “Montana de Piedra” , then tangent outwards by downshifting two gears at once and entering the chicane on the brakes. Nice !

Engine side, the machine necessarily seems less explosive than on the road, but it pedals anyway. The high elasticity of the three cylinders allows all the technical parts to be rolled up in third, while in the long straight line, the fourth sends up to 210 km / h and we have time to see 235 km / h in fifth before having to take the brakes. Not bad for a roadster, right? As for the shifter, it’s simple: it’s perfect.

Part-cycle

The RS differs from the S by its higher quality suspensions: instead of Showa elements, the RS has Ohlins elements. We therefore have a 43 mm diameter NIX30 inverted fork (travel: 120 mm) and a TTX36 shock (travel: 130 mm), both fully adjustable. The tires are entrusted, on both versions, originally to excellent Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP, in classic sizes: 120/70 x 17 front, 190/55 x 17 rear.

Brakes

Here too, the two versions share the same braking system: it is a set composed of a Nissin 2-piston caliper clamping a 255 mm disc at the rear, but especially at the front with calipers. Brembo radial 4 pistons M4.34 and discs of 320 mm. Never during this test were the power or the braking feeling a problem..

The RS makes the difference with its ABS with a "turn" function.

Comfort & duo

The RS has a ‘comfort’ saddle and it has to be said that it lives up to its name by being overlooked throughout the test. Obviously, the suspension setting is a bit firm, but nothing brittle and we can say that the Speed ​​Triple RS is a comfortable machine! The driving position, tilted a little forward, does not however inflict pain on the wrists. In short, that’s good ! And we will not forget that heated grips are available as an option.

And on the passenger side? What is special about Spain is that you can sometimes find Geraldines, along the roads, sitting in an old Trafic or simply resting on a plastic chair. While the life of the motorcycle assayer, in some ways where loneliness and self-sacrifice are not the smallest words, borders on the poor lonesome cowboy, then I fell in love with it. Granted, she had to wear boxing gloves when she coated her toothless face in lipstick and her chest looked like it had been self-service in a maternity hospital for a few decades. Finally, a little shampoo would probably have given his stringy horses some shine. No matter what appearances, I saw her inner beauty and was ready to indulge myself for a life of pure love, however punctuated by the deep sound of the two Arrow.

Unfortunately: the Speed ​​Triple RS comes with a seat cowl and the passenger seat in question was left in the garage. Caramba, still missed !

Consumption / autonomy

The tank is 15.5 liters and it is complemented by a fuel gauge as well as an indicator of autonomy and average consumption. With that, running out of fuel is impossible !

Although: my test bike had an average fuel consumption of 4.1 l / 100, although we rode like pigs all day; on that of colleagues, it was then sailing between 6.5 and 6.9 l / 100, which allows for a little more than 200 kilometers of autonomy, which is the average of its kind.

Conclusion

We’re not going to lie to each other: there is a little bit of a bistouquette competition in the biker world, which many of us take on perfectly. So, who says better? 150, 160, 180 horsepower? The Triumph is not at the top of the basket. It catches up with its name, its lineage, its presentation and its technology even if, opposite, the competition does not stand idly by..

The great strength of Triumph, however, is to have managed to understand his identity, his Britishness (that’s a new word) and to fully embrace it. In that sense, Triumph is a bit like Aston Martin. The new DB11 is less efficient than a Porsche 911 Turbo or a Ferrari GT4C Lusso. Maybe, but it’s definitely more classy and that’s what makes it both eternal and unmissable. So yes, the new Speed ​​Triple RS, to be the best of the Speed ​​line, is not necessarily the most techno (there is a standard shifter and Ohlins suspensions driven on an MT-10 SP, for example. ) nor the most powerful sports roadster.

But it’s a real roadster, meaning a bike built for the road too, where it excels at it and in the real life of real bikers, that’s no small argument. And she can always count on her personality, as strong as it is endearing. And if, as always with Triumph, the price is no longer complex (remember that a BMW S 1000 R is worth € 14,000 and that the next Honda CB 1000 R will be in the € 13,200), the S version will be sufficient for those who do not practice the track or who do not ride permanently like leftovers, while already offering a lot ….

Strong points

• Mythical look
• Neat presentation
• State-of-the-art electronics
• Powerful and torquey motor
• Arrow sound
• Ease, agility
• Correct comfort

Weak points

• The shifter could be in series on the RS
• Matte black paint brittle at the level of the tank

The technical sheet of the Triumph Speed ​​Triple RS

Test conditions

• Itinerary: 350 km in a good test day, with a bit of motorway, a lot of mountain roads and three sessions on the Almeria circuit
• Motorcycle mileage: 1,500 km
• Problem encountered: a fanciful average consumption indicator

The competition: Aprilia 1100 Tuono V4, BMW S 1000 R, Ducati Monster 1200 S, Honda CB 1000 R, Kawasaki Z 1000 R, KTM 1290 SuperDuke R, Yamaha MT-10

The video test of the Triumph Speed ​​Triple RS

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