Box-fresh from the groundup, Ducati’ssmaller and lighter Streetfighter V2 is sure to giveits rivals aheadacheortwo
Trial by Ténéré .....................................34
Yamaha’ssmash-hit adventurebike gets asolid rework for2025. We put it through its paces in the Agafay Desert.
COLUMNISTS
Christian Iddon 96
Round one’sinthe bag, but it wasn’t without its challenges…
FEATURES
Ducati Monster 1200S Buyer’sGuide .54
If you’re after aV-twin roadster rammed with character,Ducati’sMonster 1200S shouldbeon your radar.Here’swhat you need to know BMW S1000RR: Generation game ....... 60 Sixteen years ago,BMW blew away theworld when it delivered the wholly unexpected S1000RR to the market. We retrace the highlights of the model’sevolution over the years Project Corner:PetronasFP1 86 Fancy an RC45 but don’thave enough dosh stashed down the back of the sofa? Well, you need to read about this VFR750 conversion. Tech Talk: Strokers 92 Is there anew street-going two-stroke on the cards? We look into the feasibility following a subtle hint from Kawasaki.
Alternatively,scan the QR code on this page and order your next copy today.Wewill send it directly to you!
Get out there…
I’m often quick to hop on abike and head to the Continent,but just the other day Iwas reminded of the cracking roads and breathtaking views that litter this stunning island of our own. Those whoknow me know how much Iloveliving in the LincolnshireWolds, especially during spring andsummer when everything’sin bloom and the roads aren’t cooler than icebergs… it’sa biker’sparadise.That being the case,with abit of gentle persuasion froma couple of mates, Ifound myself up at Glencoe,inScotland, which is arguably one of the most dramatic and breathtaking vistas you’ll findanywherein the world. To get therewe’dtravelledup through the Dales, Moors, Borders and Trossachs, clocking about 1000miles in
total. Thehighlights wereendless, and the laughs weretoo.And despite riding on many roads that I’dridden numerous times before, the whole trip felt freshand exciting, not least of all because Idid it on abikeI’d never ridden before– Triumph’s new Tiger Sport 660. As you’ll see next month, the test was to see whether bigger bikes arebetter bikes in asports-touring context, but what should be considered non-negotiable is the need to just get on your bike andhead somewhere… even if it’s just for aday.That’smymessage to you, and I’dlove to hear whereyou go and what you get up to.It’smad to think we’re nearly halfway through the year already,so there’snotime to waste.Pick aplace,gear up,and get out there.
Doing thisjob,I’ve been jammy enough to travel to afew exoticplaces in the last few weeks, including the desert, whereI tested the new Ténéré700, and to Portimao for ablast on Triumph’snew Speed Triple 1200 RX. That bike reallygot my juices going, but will it do the same for you? The supernaked scene is red-hot this year,and the sub-litreoptions aretastier than ever too,ifBig Mac’sreview of Ducati’snew Streetfighter V2 is anything to go by.On that note, I’llleave you to get stuck into what we’ve made of them.
Some things arebetterlef t behind,but Fast Bike s isn’tone of them... trustus. Fora start , we’d miss you, butit’dalso mean you’dmis sout on awhole
load of news,reviews,tech, talksand insightintopioneering protagonist s. Just thinkabout theroad trips, theproject bike builds –and allthe excuseswe throwinwiththem. We want you on this ride,and we want your stories, your inputand guidance, so don’t be astranger! Check outthe cracking dealswe’ve got here andlet’s getyou settled into anotherseasonof thegoodstuff from the UK’s leadingsport sbike magazine.
PL ANE T FAST BIKES –
HE AV YWEIGHTCHAMPS: BMWR1300 RANGECOMPLETE
If you’re afan of BMW’sBoxer range but don’t like theGS, then you’ve probably been quietly fuming the last 18 months or so.It’snearly two years since the Munich massive unveiled the latest 1300 flattwin, in the R1300 GS,and they’ve only now got round to releasing the R, RS,and RT variants It makes sense,ofcourse: the GS and GS Adventure have been the top-selling big bikes from the firm’sBerlin factory for decades now (even without adding their sale totals together). Folk can’t getenough of ‘em, so obviously the Bavarian bean counters are going to prioritise the gangly adventure tourers in theproduction schedule.But now we have afull gamut of 1300 Boxers to choose from, with the Rroadster,RSsport-tourer and RT full-tourer all on sale in the next couple of months
And it’sfair to say they looktobeworththe wait Allthree share the same fundamental engineand chassis package,with acouple of differences on the RT tourer.That meansa 145bhp water-cooled flattwin withfour-valve DOHC headsand ShiftCam variable valve lift andtiming, 13.3:1compressionratio, 106.5x73mm bore and stroke,shaft drive, six-speed gearbox and ride-by-wire throttle. All theR1300s can also be ordered with BMW‘s new ASA automatic gearshift set-up,whichhas computer-controlled actuators for gearand clutch, and an ECU givinga full-auto transmission function, plus manualoverrides
That peakpower figure of 145bhp,withthe torquey delivery of abig flattwin, is probably just about enough for the Rnaked, albeit agood bit down on the latest inline-foursuper-naked andhyper-naked machinery.Itshould be spot-onfor the RS andRT tourers though, with their more relaxed requirements
The latest Boxerchassis is based around BMW’s modern fabricated sheet steel main frame design, with alightweight cast aluminium rear subframe TheRTisa little different: its frame is designed to accommodate the Telelever front end ratherthan theupside-down forksused on theRand RS,and the rear subframe is amuch sturdier unit, designed to cope with heavierpillion and luggage loads BMW has uprated its suspension offerings too, with new optional semi-active suspension on the R and RS,which also includes acunning variable spring rate system on the fork. BMW brought out this tech on rearshocksyears ago with the ESA II system, which used amoveable polymer insert to change the stiffnessofthe springing rather than just altering spring preload. But the 2025 system is
afirst on aproduction bike’sfront fork. The Dynamic Suspension Adjustment(DSA) set-up gives semi-active adjustment ofthe damping, spring rate andpreload on the front fork and rear Paralever system, andit is integrated with the ECU’s other electronic rider aid functions
The RT needs adifferent suspension arrangement thanks to its chunkier all-up mass,and it comes with the BMW Telelever front end, which the firmuses on its larger machines, plus the usual Parelever shaft drive rearswingarm. The front and rear monoshocks havethe new DSA set-up as standard, but BMW has also added anew Dynamic Chassis Adaptation function (DCA), which holds two pre-set springing and damping options Oneof these sits the bike up and back, withsofter damping and laziersteering geometry,for touring luxury and stability.The other,sportier mode lifts the bike up for moreground clearance,but also tips moreweight onto the front end, sharpening the steering, while also firming up the damping.So, youcan change between two wholly different chassis geometries at the push of abutton, making it easier to swap from highway miles to twisty backroad blasts
The wheels,brakes and tyres arealso common across the range–new four-pistonradial monobloc calipers have BMW brandingand bite on 310mm discs,plus there’salso anew sport performance braking optionwith more powerful titaniumfinished calipers,whichlookpretty smart. Wheels are anew lighter cast design,saving 1.4kgof rotating unsprung mass,and all three bikes have 120/70 17 frontand 190/55 17 rear tyre sizes –spot onfor theR andRS, but maybea little on the sporty side for the big oldRT. Speaking of big, the RT weighs in at achonky281kg kerb mass,compared with the245kg RS and239kg R. All that kit, plus the Boxer’sbeefy shaft drive,obviously brings abit of a weightpenalty compared with simpler machinery
Away from the powertrain and chassis fundamentals,it’sthe technology and the optional kitwhich arguably makes the BMW Motorrad experience so tempting.All the new Boxers have a slick standardset of electronic riding aids to boost safetyand comfort– cornering ABS and traction, power modes, quickshifter,cruise control and large LCDdash. Dig into the options list, though, and the sky’sthe limit, with optional electronic suspension,
prorider modes,short seats,tall seats,seats with heating, touring windscreens,soft and hard luggage systems,with lights,central keyless locking and USB charge points all built into the hardcases (hardluggage comes as standard on the RT tourer,ofcourse). There’salsothe option of the latest active radar-assist cruise control, which keeps asafe distance between you and the vehicle in front in traffic, as well as giving forward and rear collision alerts.Pair this with the ASAautomotive gearbox options and you don’t have to do anything except put out afoot when you come to ahalt in the M25 traffic jam. We’ve not yet reallybeen sold on the active radar cruise thingy –itmakes sense in cars,weguess,but on abike it seems likeabit of afrippery
The RT,a st he me ga-tourer of the bunch, also has an optional audio sy stem, with powerful speakers in the fairing, DA B+/FM ra dio and Bluetooth audio link. Go for the even fancier Audio Pro se t-u pa nd you get mo re speakers, with separate premium tweeters and woofer units,a nd active cros so vers,p lus as ma rt audio adaptation function that optim ises the audio volume and freque ncie st os uit the speed and wind nois e. Yo uc an als or oute the audio through the speake rs or directly into your helmet he adse td epending on just how antisocial your tune sa re.F inally,t he RT comes wi th am uch larger 10.25in widescreen HD colour LC DT FT dashboard tha tu ses clever spl it-s cree nf unctions to access navig a tion, audio,b ike controls and information displays
Thenew R1300 RT is availablenow,withpricing starting at £18,900, plus about £750 for the ASA automatic transmission. The Rand RS models will be on sale in July,starting at £13,200 for the R, with theR1300 SE model costing £15,500 and the ASA SE £16,255. The R1300 RS startsat £13,700 in base form, rising to £15,990 for the SE version, and the same £750-ish for the ASA box.
pro rider modes, short seats, tall seats, seats
Keep an eye on ouronlinechannels –Facebook,Twitter,and the Fast Bikes website (www.fastbikesmag.com) –for news as it happens
DUCATIPANIGALEV4L AMBORGHINI EDITION
Honestly,wenever quite ‘got’ previous Ducati/Lamborghini tie-ins –the posh limited-edition Diavel 1260 and StreetfighterV4done up in Lamborghini paint schemes
Although since we’dstruggle to afford any Lambo outside the Hot Wheels range,we’re probably not the target audience anyway (again).
But this makes much more sense from the two Volkswagen-owned brands: an Italian superbike,the Panigale V4S,honouring an Italian supercar,the Lamborghini Revuelto That’sthe latest car from the firm, with ahybrid powertrain making 1015bhp from aV-12 petrol engine and three electric motors.Ithas a carbon-fibre chassis,tops 220mph, hits 0-60 in 2.5 seconds,and costs about £450k. Anice little runaround for popping to Tesco,nodoubt.
And the bike is pretty neat, too Ducati has taken the base 2025
Panigale V4S –anincrediblebit of kit –and added some trick paint from the Lamborghini spray can cupboard, adry clutch conversion, plus atitanium Akrapovicpipe. You also get forged aluminium wheels and carbon fibre bodywork, all saving acouple of kilosover stock, meaning 185kg wet with no fuel and 218.5bhp peak power.Just 630 of the ‘standard’ Lambor-gales will be produced, with an extra 63 ‘special’ variants reserved for genuine Lamborghini owners,which can be painted to match their cars, or whatever other Lambo-hue they fancy.And, of course,buyers will get the usual certificates,bikecovers, wooden crates,fancy ignition key and aone-off animation on the LCD dash start-up screen.
So far so decent, but the price is pretty stiff consideringthe spec; £75k is the RRP,for which we’d
probably liked to have seen some carbon wheels,perhapsthe Brembo Brake Pro+ big-discs andGP4 caliper package and therace Akrapovic system in thebox too. Regardless ofour ‘little people’ moansthough, theBolognafirm will no doubt sell the full allocation to the collectors andcompletists out there,and good luck to them. As ever,ifyou buyone andneed a hand runningitinround Cadwell Park to win Inters,we’ll bemore than happy to helpyeout
TRIDENT660 SLIPPERY SAMSPECIAL
Triumph has released another special-edition bike –this time it’s the novice-friendly entry-level Trident 660 getting the posh paint job andbolt-on trinkets.The Trident 660 Triple Tribute Special Edition has slick race-inspired graphics based on the number 67 ‘Slipper Sam’ five-time TT-winning Trident race bike from the early 1970s.You also get acolour-matched belly pan and flyscreen, plus special Diablo Red wheels
Under thefancy paint is the ace 660 Trident, with 81bhp (actually about the same as the750 Trident race bike) and 190kg wet. There’s some decent rider aids,too:
sport riding mode,cornering ABS and traction, plus a Triumph quickshifter.It’sall priced to sell at £8045 and will be in the shops as you read this
YAMAHA SHOWSOFF PROTOT YPEHYBRID-POWEREDMT-09
It’salways been in the forefront of new technology,ever since the daysof Monocross suspension, YPVS power valves,five-valve cylinder heads up to the first hub-centred bike GTS1000 and Niken leaning three-wheeler.And nowYamaha has dropped somehints about another new piece of innovation –a prototype hybrid-powered MT-09.
Avideo released in Japanese through the firm’sglobal YouTube channel shows astandardlooking MT-09, with an extraelectric motor mounted behind the cylinder block, operating as aconventional hybrid set-up.The video shows thebike pulling away at low speeds withthe
battery-powered motor,thenswitching to the petrol engine,and then acceleratingwith both power units operating. It’savery early stage,with the firm sayingaproduction machine is still some way off,but it does seem fairly advanced in the video footage shown
We’ve seen this sort of thingbefore,ofcourse: Kawasakilaunched its Ninja7 hybrid in 2023, which has asimilar set-up,albeit with a500 twin engine. Andhybrid cars havebeen around for acouple of decades now,usingthe technology to reducefuel consumption.
The question on the MT-09 hybrid is about the nature of the se t-up.I fi t’sj us tt here to ti ck an
VO GE DS 625X RELE ASED
The Chinese are definitely coming, with more and more very decent, well-priced bikes appearing each year.And as anyone using an Apple iPhone knows,the guysover there can make very high quality stuff when they want. This new Voge DS625 Xadventure machine has agreat price as its headline: £5999 on the road is tempting in the current climate.But it’sgot a solid spec as well. A581cc parallel twin Euro 5+ engine putting out 63bhp comes with slipper clutch,
switchable traction control and rider power modes,all accessed via a7in colour LCD dashand Bluetooth phone app. Meanwhile,o nt he chas sis front, there are Nis sin brakes with wave discs and twin-pis ton slid ing calipers,f ully ad justable KY B suspension with remote reservoir rea r shock, and Metzeler To urance
eco-box for ag ove rnme nt agency somewhere an ds ave af ew miles per gallon around town, th en fair enough. As with the Kaw asaki we te st ed last year,i t’ss ome time sn ice to ride around town with no heat or noise blasting out fr om the engine
But what would be much more interesting is if Yamaha uses the technology to give areal performance upgrade,witha high-output electric motor and amore aggressive approach to the software settings.There areplenty of modern hybridcars which do this –see the Lamborghini Revuelto mentioned in our Ducati story,which uses three electric motors on top of the V12 petrol engine to boostits total power output to over 1000bhp.Ifthe 120(ish)bhp MT-09 could turn on an extra50-60bhp fromthe motor when you fancy it, like some sort of Greenpeaceapproved nitrous button, it could add awhole newlevel of attraction to the technology
We’d expecttohear more onthe MT-09Hybrid at the bike shows later this year
tyres –l ittle to complain about there.D ry we ight is ab it lardy at 206kg, but it is packed with ge ar: ac entres tand, eng ine bars,s ump guard, hand prote ctors,r ear ra ck and fog lamps.I t’se ven got a built-in forward-facing vide o cameraw ith 10 80p HD recording onto an SD card. Al ot of bike for the cash the n, it se ems –a nd well wort hal ook if you’re in the market for this sort of thing, we’di magine
2026 HONDACBF125
Many of us will have learned our two-wheeled skills on a125 Honda learner bike –myown first road bike back in 1989 was aproper Japanese CG125. Great days.Sothis newHonda will actually have abig impact in the real world of learner schools,student commuters and Just Eat delivery troops.It’sthe CBF125 basic commuting roadster –amodern CG125, really –and uses a super-efficient four-stroke 2v SOHC air-cooled 124cc single-cylinder motor in a basic street chassis.For the 2026 model year though, Honda has given it some properly trick tech. It gets asweet full-colour
Keep an eye on ouronlinechannels –Facebook,Twitter,and the Fast Bikes website (www.fastbikesmag.com) –for news as it happens
LCD TFT dashboard with Bluetooth phone linkfor navigation, calls,and media, as well as a USB-C chargingsocket and LED lights all-round. Andtocut fuel consumptionand emissionseven more,it hasanew stop-start system that cutsthe engine when at a standstill. It’safirst on a manualtransmission
Honda bike and uses a special AC starter/ generator for fast, reliable starting.Angry people whohate this sort of thing can also turn it off,sodon’t panic! No word on cost oravailability as yet but expectittobe well-priced forthe spec when it does arrive
KAWASAKI HYDROGEN BIKE AT LE MANS
We saw this at the Suzuka 8-Hour endurance race last year,but Kawasaki brought its hydrogencombustion-powered bike to the Le Mans endurance round, showing the tech off in Europe for the first time,inadamp paradelap.The bike looks –let’sbehonest –ridiculous, thanks to the enormous tanks needed to hold auseful amount of high pressure hydrogen gas, rounded off with aJetsons-esque sci-fi design. Under the wild blue plastic is avariant on the H2SX supercharged999cc machine, re-engineered to burn hydrogen.
The jury’sout on hydrogen as a fuel.Onthe one hand, it only
produces water when burned, and in theory youcan generate effectively limitless amounts of it by electrolysis of water using solar or nuclear power,meaningthere’s virtually no carbon dioxideemitted into the atmosphere.Itwouldlet manufacturers use their extensive back catalogues of proven internal combustion engine technology in a carbon-free fashion.
On the downside,itwastes a lot of energy to produce the hydrogen, compress it, distribute it, and then burn it: it’seasier and much more efficient to use the solar power to send electricity over existing wires andcharge a
battery.Hydrogen is atricky material in manyways andwill need awhole newdistribution network. And burning it in an enginedoes produce other pollutants like nitrogen oxides and small amounts of burned engineoil, which will still need catalysts to clean up Nevertheless,it’sgood to see the big firms tryingtowork out all the alternatives
GETONTRACK WITH MICHELIN…
French rubber ace Michelin has just announced a trio of Track Experiences in the UK this summer Sporting limited numbers and hosted at some of the very best circuits (Donington on July 3, Knockhill on July 21 and
Brands Hatch on August 26), customers will also get the chance to take on-board expert tuition from ex-WSBK racer and Le Mans winner Sylvain Barrier and the SB Coaching team, including Kyle Ryde, Storm Stacey,
Danny Buchan and James Toseland. They’ll be on hand to point you in the best direction to enhance your riding and tyre optimisation. With just 20 spots up for grabs, riders will be split into a novice or medium-plus group, based on experience and track confidence.
Both groups will have two instructors who will film the participants on track and give a full debrief between sessions, offering plenty of tips and advice to get the best from the day There will also be plenty of talks on safety, airbags, bike maintenance, noise limits and Michelin’s impressive range of tyres
What do you need to do to take part?
According to Sylvain, it couldn’t be easier “The client needs to buy a set of Michelin tyres (Power GP2, Power Cup 2, Power Slick 2, Power Performance Slick and Power Performance 24) and then go to the Michelin website We’ll send out a code and they can choose the date they want.”
More info: www.michelin.co.uk/ motorbike/trackday
REDEFINED
Surprises come in all pe carbon-kitted supernakeds with 180bhp on tap. limited-editionSpeed Triple 1200 RX… Surprises shape clad, supernakeds with 180bhp on tap. Sa
NO MATTER HOW MUCH BADGERING, BEGGING, OR BLEATING, THERE WASMORE CHANCE OF CRACKING AWALNUT SHELL WITH TWEEZERSTHAN HAVING ANYONE SPILL THE BEANS.
I’d just about had time to wash my pants, remind my kids what their dad looks like, and makemyexcuses, beforeIjet off again, fnding myself back at theexact same place I’d been six days earlier.The difference this time was Ihad absolutely no ideawhatI was set to test at Portimao racetrack.In20 yearsofdoing this job,never before have I experienced such ascenario.The secrecy was up therewith the Stasi, and thespeculation was on another level.
I’d made three predictionsofwhat it was most likely to be that we were testing: a Daytona 765for the masses.Onpaper, it fgured, what with thebrand’swealth of success with its Street Triple-derived765 in World Supersport and British Supersport alike. And that’salso without forgetting theDaytona 200win and TT successes,plusthe huge impact of Triumph’slaudable Moto2 programme.Surely,this had to be thetime to cash in on the hardwork.
Afaired Speed Triple 1200 would’ve also made sense.What with the RR being dropped last year,maybe they’d gone back to the drawing boardand developed somethingin parallel with the 2025 Speed Triple?
Perhaps, fnally,wewereset to see abig capacity Daytona backonthe cards Guess number three wasarguably my wildcard, but I’d fgured the possibility of aDaytona 660R wasn’texactly ludicrous. The ‘R’acronym hasbeen aprovenhit for the Hinckleymassiveonnumerous occasionsand models before, so a frmer,meaner and lighter 660 also made sense… at least, in my book.
Obviously, these guesses, and many more, were made to the top bods at Triumph during the build up-to the big unveil, but no matter how much badgering, begging, or bleating, therewas morechance of cracking awalnut shell with tweezersthan having anyone spill the beans. Suffce to say, the only option left was good old patience,until the time came to head down to a secluded part of our hotel, out of sight from the masses,in which acoveredbikeawaited our attendance
impressions? Agenuine surprise. Maybe I’d been hoping for something wholly different, but the rationale behind this smarter,sharper, and morefocused iteration of the Speed we’d tested just aweek beforemade good sense for amarket rife with performance-inclined supernakeds.Triumph had made no bones about the Speed Triple 1200 RS being asporty roadster,well-suited to backroads and going thedistance.However,the message with the limited-edition (1200 units) RX was one of performance frst.Inessence,the DNA between this bikeand the RS is massively similar, yetdifferent enough to makethis
scream out to those wanting amoretrackcapable protagonist. Howso? Well, for starters, the ergonomicsare markedly different. You’d be hardpushed to overlook the introduction of clip-ons– as per the original Speed Triple of 1994 –which sit 69mm lowerand 52mm further forward than the ‘bars on the RS.And to really hammer homeasporting stance,the pegsare located 14.5mmhigherand 25.5mm morerearward…which is ideal for track antics, but probably less so for arthritis.Of course, anew riding position alone wouldn’t have suffced, so the bikeisbettered in other waystoo, including the ftmentofa mechatronic Öhlinssteering damper to go with the full suite of SmartEC3 semi-activeÖhlins suspension. And then there’sthe smattering of fancycarbon fbrethat’sworth mentioning (tank inflls and front mudguard), plus the redesigned rear seat unit featuring the brand’s vibrant PerformanceYellowpaintwork. Last but not least, the RX is kitted with atitanium Akrapovic silencer that would set youback almost the difference in price between the RS and RX, should youbuy one as an accessory. Unlikesome brands which go down this route and slap askyrise-sized price hikeon limited-edition motorcycles, Triumph haskept things pretty modest with the RX, which will set youback £18,995, while the RS costs £17,495. Andit’sworth mentioning, in case youmissed my recent launch report, that the RS,fromwhich the RX takes its foundation, hasbeen heavily updated for 2025. The highlights include afew moreponiesfromthe
UNLIKE SOME BRANDSWHICH GO DOWN THIS ROUTE AND SLAP ASKYRISE-SIZED PRICE
HIKE ON LIMITED-EDITION MOTORCYCLES, TRIUMPH HAS KEPT THINGS PRETTY MODEST WITHTHE RX,WHICH WILL SET YOU BACK £18,995.
To cut to the chase,this wasthe moment we frst came eye-to-eye with the Speed Triple 1200 RX. First
No chickenstrips were harmed in this process.
motor (180.5bhp), lightweight wheels,afancy GP-derived shifter and blipper system, plus separated wheelie control, tiered enginebrake management and brakeslide control. That’sin addition to cruise control, rider modes, and switchable cornering ABS, which also seesthe introduction of atrack-spec function forthose whoreally want to get the best fromthe bike’s Brembo Stylema calipersand fancy Brembo MCS master cylinder. In other words, the RX is fully loaded with tech, and another nice touch is the image of the model which boundsto life on the bike’s5in TFT dash when youhit the start button. Attentiontodetail is everything, and on abikelikethis,the little touchesreally mean alot. Aesthetically,the whole motorcycle looked very neatly packaged, and very striking too, but for all the goggling it afforded, all I really cared about was howitrode.
‘Portimao’ and ‘dry’ aretwo wordsI’venot beenable to sayinthe same sentence fora very long time,but for once thesun godswere on our side.Better still, we’d been given six 20-minute track sessionstosoak upthe brilliance of the RX,aided by Öhlins technicians, plus ahorde of engineers, racers, and the development team from Triumph… spoilt just isn’t strong enough Iwasted no time in putting on my cowhide overalls and clambering onto adedicated RX I’d work with forthe duration. It meant that whatever changesImade to it remainedthe same throughout the test. Having been askedmyweight toinput into the bike’sdash, asuggestion of preload came up on screen and that gotdialled in manually to the bike’sset-up. As fancyasthe EC3 suspensionis, automatic adjustments of spring tension aren’t facilitated by the tech, but pretty much everything else is.Thereare seven different waysoftweaking the set-up in dynamic mode,covering everything from corner support to braking support, and within each of those areasofdamping, youcan go plus or minusbyfve points either way.The range on tap is massive, and it should be reiterated that the suspension adjustments areautomated, whereveryou have the settingsnotched to, changing up to 100timesasecondifneeded. The EC3 systemismind-blowingand is probably whythe Triumph bodssuggested we started with asimple and supple base set-upto get our track test underway. But long beforeI
had chancetoappreciate howgood, bad, or indifferent the set-up felt, what hit me immediately was howpalatablethe ergonomics were.I wasgenuinely surprised at my fndings, trundling down pitlane having half-expected to fnd myself saddled on something resemblinga torturedevice,but that simply wasn’tthe case As drastic as the differencesin‘barsand pegs areonpaper,I’d be aliar if Isaid the altered ergonomics felt anydifferent to the RS –the RX felt every bit as big and spacious as a supernaked should do.Myfeet weren’t being forced up into my armpits and as for my wrists,well, theywerepretty damn cosy on theclip-ons.
But cosy wasn’t the aim of the game on this occasion –itwas speed. Riding the RS just the
previous week, I’d had asolid taste of what the morepowerful and torquier Triple motor had to offer,but riding abikeinthe dryallows for awhole other leveloffreedom with the throttle.Having ridden just afew laps, Iwas feeling at home on the RX, building in confdence,pace… and stupidity. The motor was the thing that wasegging me on, never failing to deliver the goods seamlessly to the rear wheel wheneveritwas requested. While the Speed’ssome 30bhp down on anumber of its coresupernaked rivals,the energy it deliverswouldhave youbelieve otherwise. From lowdowninthe revs, there’sa real urgencyfromthe motor that seemstokeep the party aliveuntil you’recresting11,000 revs –then hook another gear and it goesagain. The sensation is made all the sweeter by faultless fuelling that feels slicker than a greased dolphin. Regardless of whether Iwas rolling on, rolling off, or at full throttle and smashing through the ‘box, the mapping on the Triumph felt frst-class.The noise it was making wasn’t too shabbyeither.Aswith all of Triumph’sTriples,the induction whine is harrowing and the bark from the raucous Akrapovic only adds to the mix. The bike sounds menacing becauseitis.
Towardsthe end of that frst session Iwas absolutely buzzing, and while the set-up wasn’t totally to my liking, I was still able to crack on. The track’sfourth corner is notoriously sketchy, an uphill left that changes camber at the summit. It asks for trouble,which is what Ifound at big lean and big revs, causing the rear to spin andthe biketo buck. It’d been ayear
IT’D BEEN AYEAR SINCE ILAST HIGHSIDED THERE, ANDIWAS SURE THAT’S HOW THIS MOMENT WASSET TO PLAYOUT,BUT THE TECH ON THE TRUMPETKICKED IN AND LET ME OFF WITH AWARNING.
Thewheelie controlwas very much needed around Port
imao
since Ilasthighsided there, and Iwas sure that’show this moment wasset to play out, but the tech on the Trumpetkickedinand let me off with awarning. With the fag out, I headed back into pitlane and mulled the instance over. Arguably,alack of fnesseon my part hadn’t helped, but Iwas also keen to analyse the suspension. Everyone rides differently,aswas hammered homebythe pace of some of those testing on track,so while the initial set-up dialled in was agood blanketfor the masses, Iwas in desperate need of moresupport. Speaking with the Öhlins guys, the frst thing theydid wastocrank up thebike’sfront and rear frmness,before asking the system to introducemoreinitial acceleration support too.This suggested that when Igot on the gas, there’d belesssquat at therear, andhopefullymeantmoretraction would be found from the outset. While the
scope wastheretotweak away at severalmore parameterswhile we were at it, theysuggested astep-by-step approach to perfecting the set-up.Myother bit of feedbacktothem was that the bikewas running wide on corner exit, which again theyhoped would be bettered with the rear support. Having grownupwith bikes that requirescrewdrivers, spanners, and abit of brain powertochase an improved suspension setting, the novelty of simply touching afew buttonsand leaving it to the tech wasn’t lost on me
Beforelong, Iwas back out thereand feeling the benefts of their tweaks. The bikewas instantly more supportiveand better-suited to the undulating natureofPortimao.The trackis one of the best in the world and feels like a rollercoaster,littered with blind crests and heart-in-mouth moments.The Triple was in its element around there, making use of every cresttopop wheelies, regardless of howmuch wheelie control wasdialled in. When it came to hardacceleration out of bends,the Lif control stoodagood chance of keeping the front down, but on sectionssuch as the waterfall around the back of the track, it was up therewith achocolate freguard. To be fair, that’spretty much the case on anybikeI’ve ever ridden around there, but what differsis howtheycull the wheelie.For perspective, on full throttle without anyrider aids,you couldfip abikeonthat crest, as the ground very quickly descends beneath you, so it goes to reason that anybike’swheelie control hasits work cut out. That said, I found the Triumph’ssystem to be superharsh, and it often meant the front end slammed down with zerodecorum. Ifound it frustrating, and when feeding this point back to the bike’schassis engineer,hesuggested
being alittle less aggressivewith the throttle when dropping over the edge.This approach defnitely helped, but not to the extent that I stopped grumbling about it all day. Of course, the other option wastoturn the tech off all together,which again, Idid, but that only ensured that front tyrewear was minimised, as Ifound the bikespent an unholy amount of time on its rear wheel. In short, Ineeded the tech for afastlap, as it defnitely helped, but I wish it’d been alittlemorerefned.
With the daycracking on and the remaining sessionsstarting to dwindle,I wason something of amission to extract the best from the bike. Everyouting demanded moretweaks to the suspension, with the breakthrough coming in the early afternoon following a complete overhaul of the set-up from Felipe Lopez, Triumph’slead development rider and chassis guru. I’d been bothering him daylong and he eventually threw in the towel, sideswiped my feedback, and dialled in the settings that worked for him. Gone wasthe sensation of thefront folding while trailbraking into bends,orthe suppleness of the rear when gassing out of them. The bikewas not just frmer,but the poise of the RX had been completely altered too, adding 3mm of rear ride height to get the bikereally on its nose.Fromapurecorneringperspective, the thing wasonrails,and the feel from the front tyrewas the best it’d been all day. Despite the fact the RX features clip-ons, it’sworthnoting that your hands stillsit higher thantheywould if youwereonatypical sportsbike, andthen there’sthe exposureofthe elements to think about too; youcan nevertruly replicate the feeling of afairing-clad machine,but you, Felipe,got this thing pretty damn close
One of my favourite parts of the track is the
frst corner,which Iwas pitching into fast, squeezing hard on the Brembosjust after the pitwall wherethe track beginsto descend The front would be loaded, yetfelt supported, meaning Iwas neverindanger ofmissingthe pitchinto the fast frst corner,which then feeds the fast-approaching second bend, which leads to athirdand fnal right-hander. When youget this section right, it’sakin to one sweeping arc, and the sensationis exceptional. Iwas being givena wholenew appreciation of the Triumph’shandling prowess and loving what it had to offer.For a machinethat weighsinat199 kilos, it’s surprisingly lithe and easy to pitch in, through, and out of bends.The chassis is also super-talkativeand thenatureofthe motor aids goodgrip levels.Ofcourse, therewill always be apoint in time when physicswins no matter what, and for me,that moment came lap after lap on the exit of the carousel of turn fve. It sees youfre out of the left-handeratbig revs, uphill, working your way through second, thirdand fourth gear, with the bikeleaningoverthroughout–abit likeSchwantz at Donny. The whole time the rear tyrewould struggle for grip, butthe biggestfght waswith the tech.Having nearly highsided the bikeinthe morning, Iwas riding in sport mode but with the most minimal amount of traction controldialled in As handy as the TC was, it was causing me a right headache around thispartofthe track as the tech engaged to cull the rear slipped
It’s notoften he finds an apex.
repetitively, transferring weight forward,beforethe drivewould re-engage and the weight would shift back to the rear tyre, provoking apumping sensation. Therewas no quick fx forthis particular problem, with my only other option being to turn the TC off altogether. Naturally,that’swhat Idid, and the ride wastransformed again.
Thetruth is that we’renow so accustomed to TC that it seemsludicrous to ever switch it off, but by doing so, as I’ve learned on many adifferent machine,you’reoften given a wholly different experience becauseabike’s no longer chastised. It’sthe old riskversus reward conundrum, but with asingle session left on the cardsand afresh set of Pirelli slicksftted, Iwas wanting to roll the dice, and I’m glad Idid. If anyone ever tells youa Speed is tooslow, tell them to turn the tech off andsee what theymakeofit. Honestly, that bike unchained felt exceptional around there, proving zesty,characterful… and an absolute nightmaretohang onto down the front straight –comfortableatthe best part of 170mph it is not, but the buzz Igot from doing so morethan warranted the strained neck and forearmspainsIpicked up along the way. The lack of pumping out of turn fve wasproof of howintervening the TC had been, but without it on Iwasn’tleft feeling vulnerable.Infact, Ireckon Ihad more
I’D BEEN BOTHERING HIM DAYLONG AND HE EVENTUALLYTHREW IN THE TOWEL, SIDESWIPED MY FEEDBACK, AND DIALLED IN THE SETTINGS THAT WORKED FOR HIM.
BO DY WO RK
To make this bike st andout,Triumph hasgiven the RX anew andsharp er rear seat unit,plusa PerformanceYellowpaint job. Carb on tank infills anda mudguard complete thelook.
ER GO NOMIC S
Unlike theRS, theR Xget sclip- onsthatsit both lowerand furtherfor ward than theformer’s‘bars Thep egsare also mountedhigherand further forward, making thepackage more in line with what you’d expect on asport sbike.
EN GINE
for dis It identic al to the
If youwereafter an ex tra2 0bhp anda fewthousand more revs from Triumph’supdated Sp eed Triple 12 00 RS motor, you’re in fordis appointment. It is identicaltothe unit found in theRS, pumpingout 128Nmoftorqueand awholesome 18 0.5p onies, at 10,750 rpm. Thehikeinp ower to 18 0bhp -plusmakes this motorthe most potent produc tion motorTriumph haseverpro duced, andthe gainsoverits predecessor have largelyb eenmadethanks to a freer-flowing exhaus t. On theR X, there’salsoalighter and fanciertit aniumA krap ovic silencer
