IUMPH AN T!
E MOST POWERFUL AND
THEMOSTPOWERFULAND TECH-FILLEDSPEED TRIPLE YET!
IN DIAN CH IEFTAIN
POWERPLUS112
POWERPLUS 112
field’s fin d bruiser
SUZU KI V-STROM1050 V-STROM 1050 this year ’s forgot tengem?
ld’s finessedbruiser year’s forgotten gem?
Do we ever
getold?
Edi
tor Dave Manning
As motorcyclists,we’reprobablyused to being told to ‘act ourage’…
Asayoungster,Ican remember hearingfolk talkingabout people who had recentlyretired,and whowerelooking to do some exciting things with their newly-acquired spare time,and referringtothemas“entering their second youth”
Whilethe average ageofa motorcyclist,in theUK, at least, has been slowly butsurely risingoverthe last couple of decades(as I have previouslymentioned,overthe last few yearsithas coincidentally happened to be identicaltomyown age), we must remember this is an average -not only arethere motorcyclistswho arebelow that age, butalso thoseabove
Tankstothe many letters we receive at MSLHQ–albeitalmostalwaysbeing in digital form viaemail,and please keep them comingbythe way–I’vebecomeaware we have quiteanumberofregularreadersand subscriberswho areabove theaverage age. Andafew whoare aboveitbysomequite signifcantmargin. People whocould quite easily be labelled with beingintheir “second youth”,asmentioned above.
In this part ic ular scenar io,Idohavea litt le quibblew it ht hatter mb einguse d.
Aside from thefac tt hese more senior memb ersoft he motorc ycle frater nity have invariably nothad abre ak in their riding care er,s o cannot be ‘retur ning’ to thet wowheele dworld,I also have theopinion(yes, Ik now, it’s adangerous thingadmitt ingto having an opinionint hese st ranget imes) that us motorc yclistshavecontinual ly remained in ouryouth,e venifonlyf roma psycholog ic al perspe ct ive.
Anyone abovethe ageof, ooh, about30will have been on thereceiving endofacomment alongthe lines of “Isn’t it abouttimeyou gave up thosenoisy,dangerous motorcycles?”
Forthe more polite of us,the answerhas invariably been ashort if somewhat curt “Er, no,Idon’t thinkso…”ifindeed an answer wasprofered at all. Does such acrass and unwarrantedquestionevendeser ve an answer? Surely themostappropriate response is goingout anddoing what we allenjoy doingmost. Andbythat, Imeanridingour bikes, of course…Cue theclichedcomments alongthe lines of ‘Ifyou don’tuse it you’ll lose it’, ‘Bikingkeeps youyoung’etc etc
Butbikes aretoo expensive nowadays, you mayhearfolksaying. Surely if youwantto fll that ‘secondchildhood’withahobby then thereare better,cheaper alternatives than motorcycling? Really?Aside from thefact
Motorcycle Sport&Leisure’s contributors...
Adam ‘Chad’ Child
Yorkshireborn Chad hasb een profes sionally te st ingbikes for20years,a tten de d more than 350bike launch es,and covere dover am illion ro ad te st mile s. Wi th race wins at Oliver ’s Mo untand twotop 10 TT finishe s, Chad is just as happyelb ow-dow nona race tr ackork icking up mudof- ro ad
Alan Cathcart
Al an ha sb ee n wr it in ga bo ut bikes fo r mo re th an 30 ye ar s, an d ri di ng th em fo re ve n lo ng er.H e’sr eg ul ar ly gi ve nt he ke ys to fa ct or yp ro to ty pe sa nd be in go nf ir st na me te rm sw it ht he bo ss es of bikec om pa ni es ar ou nd th ew or ld al lo ws hi mt ob ag ma ny sc oo ps
Alan Dowds
Al an is a fr ee la nc ej ou rn al is t, wh o’sb ee nw rit in g ab ou tb ikes fo r25 ye ar s. He’s Sc ot ti sh , bu tb as ed in Lo nd on , an dc ut hi sr id in g te et ha sac ou ri er,s o love sab it of ha rd co re tr af cs pl it ti ng .B oo ks , ma gazi ne s, we bs it es –he’s wr it te nfor th em al l, an ds ti ll love si t.
most of us actually alreadyhaveabikeand, if we startedanew hobby, we wouldhaveto invest in thekit andcaboodle to do so,are bikesreallythatexpensive nowadays?You’ll have seen theprice pointofvarious 2025 modelthatare,tobefrank,a bargain(Honda Hornet 1000, Voge DS900X,Triumph 400, Enfeld twinsetc), so allowmetomakeaswif correlationtoabikethathas been pointed outasbeingalandmarkmodel andthe price pointatwhichitwas sold.TeTriumph Trident900, as sold in 1994, andbeing a three-year-oldmodel from theHinckley factor y, hadaretailpoint at £6,700. More than 30 yearsago,the Tridentwas asmidge over agrand cheaperthanthe currentTrident 660, pricedat£7,895. Youmay pointout the capacity diference,atwhichpoint I’ll point outthe engine performanceofthe twomodels is actually quitesimilar(the660 is 81ps, 64Nm, 190kgand the900 Trident was100ps, 80Nmand 239kg) in therealworld,and the newTridentislighter,morefuelefcient, and has asignifcantlylargernumberofelectronic toys with whichtoplay. Roughlyspeaking, thecurrent valueof£1in1994 is £2.50, so if a 900 Tridentwas sold nowit’dbeover£19k!
Tell me againhow expensive modern bikes are! Andnow go outand enjoyyouryouth.Be that thefrst, second or even thirdversion…
Andy Bell
Andy st ar ted riding as soon as he wasold enough to pass histest. Like many others,the love of bikessoontookhold andheended up racing at club levelfor afew years. Whil st having aver y nost al gicfeeling forbikes, he embraces anything newand is willingtotry ever yaspec tofthe twowheeledworld
Chris Moss Mossyhas made alivingfrombikes since1985–firstasa motorcycle courierin London,and then as ajournofrom1995. He’s raced, ridden and tinkered with hundreds of diferent bikes,but he’s thefirsttoadmit there’sstill loadsto experienceand learn.
KNOWLEDGE
ROAD TESTS
Mossyheads
Hamamatsu’s under-the-radar vee
TOURING &ADVENTURE
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Abrilliant
Clocking
Need to know ◆ Newmodels ◆ Industry info
R12G/S is aBMW resurrection
BMW’s oldRnineT rangehad some crackingniche models,and oneofour favourites wasthe UrbanG/S ‘retro street scrambler’variant.Sowe’re pleasedtosee theideaofa neo-classical Boxerscrambler resurrectedfor 2025 with this, thenew R12G/S.
It’s also aresurrectionofthe G/S moniker, 45 yearsaferthe frst R80 G/S appeared in 1980. Tere’s no ‘Urban’either, presumably becausethe new bike has much more of-roadchops than before –BMW’s giventhis variantofthe R12 retrorange a 21in frontwheel,full-adjustable long-travelsuspension, optional 18in rear wheeland optional Enduro Proelectronic riding mode.It’snever goingtobe troublingserious ofroad tools –it’stoo fatat229kg –but we expectitwill have some solid capability in experiencedhands
Te heartofthe matter is the new/old powertrain seen on the otherR12 models:Anair/ oil-cooled fattwinBoxer engine with four-valveDOHCheads and ahigh-power tune of 109bhp,the same as on theR12 nineT and R12 Smodels. Te classy lump is bolted into asteel frame, allthe better forcopingwithof-road stress,witha 45mm USDfront
fork –nofancy frontendshere –and Paralevermonoshock rear swingarm,withBrembobrakes. So far, so conventional Motorrad It’s thestylingthatgrabs you though,inthe same wayasthe Ducati DesertXorthe Triumph 1200 Scrambler
Te designers have done agood jobonthisnew G/S –the lines fownicely, thesleek bodywork looksbothmodernand classic at thesametime, andthere’s a purposeful stance,likea keen sheepdog readytogo to work.
Tere arethree colour schemes, whichwedon’t normally gettoo excitedabout, butthe whitemotorsportand brown ‘sand’ schemesare very tastyindeed, with blackasthe understated entr ylevel scheme Astainless-steel high-level exhaust silencer is nicely proportioned, thefyscreen matches theround LED headlight perfectlyand thosebig toughwire-spoked rims will look even better once they’rewearing some hardcore dirtrubber.
Notvisible is the2025tech: A bigpartofthe R12platformwas giving theretro rangea more solid platform forelectronic gizmos such as optionalLCD dashboards andthe latest rider aids whichweren’t easily added
to theRnineT lineup. So theR12 G/Shas afullsuite of current tech includingthree riding modes(Rain, Road andEnduro) as standard anddynamic traction control(DTC), whichcan be switched of forof-roaduse Tere’s also engine brakecontrol (MSR) as standard,aswellas BMW Motorrad ABS Pro, keyless ignition,anew roundspeedo/ displayunitwiththe option of a microTFT colour LCDdash, up/
down quickshiferand tyre pressuremonitor system.
Abrowsethrough theoptions list revealsanemergency call telematics function,Bluetooth phonelink, Headlight Pro adaptive lightsand more,all at extra costofcourse… Ahandsome, well-appointed retro-scrambler by thelooks of it then, with theoptiontospecitto themoonwithBMW’s usual greataccessor ylist.
Te only slight downsideswith thenew R12G/S arethat229kg kerb weight andthe price: £14,420 in base form (thought both thosenumbers compare fairlywellwiththe Ducati and Triumphretro scrambler competitors). It’llbeindealers this summer
Triumph launches enduro range
Triumph has launched the road-legal enduroversions of its TF250 and 250 motocross machines. The TF250-Eand 450-Eadd basic lighting and road kit, so that theycan be used on road sections of enduro rides.
Good-looking, high-spec kit with aheady 41.5bhp from the 250 and 58bhp from the 450, aluminium frames andbespoke endurosuspension packages, they’reindealers in May, priced from £9795 forthe 250 and from £10,395 forthe 450.
Morbidelli T100 2V and2VX
Morbidelli is one of the great names in bi king –unli ke the moni kerfor itslatest machines. The T1002VXmight sound li ke a low-rent Terminator from a made-for-TV miniseries, but it’s actuallyanew low-cost adventurebikefromthe brand rather than apoorly-acted ki ller cyborgfromthe future.
The 2VXand its 2V sister both use aunique 997cc V-twin engine from Morbidelli’s parent firm, Chinese bike maker QianJiang, in awell-equipped adventuretouring chassis, with the 2VXhaving aslightlymore dirt-oriented design.
The engine is an unusual one: Aliquid-cooled 80° V-twin with SOHC four-valve heads, and it puts out amodest 88.5bhp@7500rpm, abit down on peak powerthan more mainstream competition such as the BMWF900 GS or Triumph Tiger 900. It’s fitted into asteel tube double cradle frame with fully-adjustable KYBsuspension
at both ends, and JJuanbrakes. Youget asolid electronics package too, with switchable Bosch ABS Pro, traction control, riding power modes and atyrepressure monitoring system –all controlled via backlit switchgear anda7in colour TFT LCDdash. Cruise control, heated gripsand seat, anda 20-litrefuel capacity alladd extra touring ability
The main diferencewith the 2VX is wire-spoked of-road rims rather than the cast aluminium road wheels on the2Vbut, perhaps surprisingly, both bikeshavethe same wheel and tyre sizes: 19in front and 17in rear,with 120/70 19 and 170/60 17 Pirelli Scorpion Rally STRrubber.Wet weight is very much on theportlyside at 265kg, which is going to dent the performancealittle.
The big story hereisthe price though: £7999 forthe 2V or £8199 forthe 2VX, which may well makeup forthe power-to-weight deficit. More infofromUKimporter MotoGB at www.motogb.co.uk
Ducati TricoloreItalia
Ducati has released yetanother megabucksspecial limited edition of its Panigale V4S. Just 163 of the bi keswillbebui lt, with special blue Azzurri paint to celebrate Italy’s nationalsports teams –it’s areplicaofthe MotoGP bi ke at last year’s Mugello round.
Youalso getcarbon fibre wheels, adry clutch, the new Ducati racingbraking system
with 338.5mm discs and, forthe first time on aproductionbike, exotic Brembo GP4Sport Production brakecalipers. The price?£75k.
•Ducati recentlyposted abillion euros in income, forthe third year in arow.Itbrought in €1003 bi llion, alittle down on the 2023 figureof €1.065 bi llion, with profits of €91 mi llion, or 9.1%.
Harley-DavidsonRoad GlideCVO RR
Canweout-do thePanigale Tricolore Italia in termsof madness?Ithinkwecan Tisisthe Harley-Davison Road Glide CVORR, or Race Replica. It’s aroad-going version of thefrm’s King of theBaggers AMA racebike,witha mad one-of153bhp 2147cc MilwaukeeEight engine packed with tuninggoodies.
Te chassisfeaturesfullÖhlins superbikeracesuspension, speciallyadapted to thesteel tube frameand one-oftwinshockrearswingarm, machined from billet aluminium.It’sall set
up to raisethe entire bike by a couple of inches formore ground clearance, andthe whole shebangisstopped by Brembo’s high-endGP4-RXnickel-plated four-pistonradialmount superbikecalipersand T-drive 320mm discs.
Just 131 will be made,and if you’re nowconsideringyour owneconomic boycottofthe US, then this might be an easy purchasetocancel: Te CVORR costs $110,000, or around £80-85k (dependinghow farthe dollar hasnow plummetedat time of reading…)
Hondaextends warranty
Effectivei n the UK and 14 European co untries, Honda has n ow ex ten ded its new service-act ivated wa rranty sc heme to cove ra ll ro ad-going Honda mo to rcyc les fo ra maximu mp erio do fs ix ye ars after the dat eo fi nitial re gistratio n.
When acustomer follows the scheduled service andmaintenance plan, usingauthorised Honda dealers, the originaltwo year warrantyisautomaticallyextended by afurther 12 months, up to the six year maximum.
This warranty is tied to the vehicle, and not the owner,so
buyers of second-hand machinery wi ll also be covered.
WelshClassic Motorcycle Festival
Next on the2025 rollcall of excellentClassic Bike Trackday events is formanytrackday addicts their favouritevenue, Trac MônonAnglesey.
Held over theweekend of May 24/25, thefourthWelsh Classic Motorcycle Festival is notjust classic bikes(of up to 2010 manufacturer) taking to the iconic tarmac,but thereisalso plenty of entertainmentinthe paddock,withclubs,exhibitors andtraders, lunchtimeparades, theinfamousChippyRun (a tour of theisland’swonderfulroads, back to thecircuit forfsh ‘n’ chipsonSaturday evening), and live musicand guests on Saturday evening. Oh,and campingisfree! Formoredetails visitwww classicbiketrackdays.com/ wcmf-2025/
THE TECHNICAL triple
Thenewly Öhlins Smar tEC3 suspended Speed Triple RS is nowTriumph’s most powerful bike ever
WORDS:
Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RS
Can youbelieve it has been more than 30 years since Triumphlaunched thefrstSpeed Triple, back in 1994? Countless bikeshavecomeand gone over thosethree decadesbut theSpeed Triple story continueswiththis heavilyrevised andfully naked 180.5bhp Street Triple RS –Triumph’s most powerful bike to date.Itisalsoarguably theHinckley factory’s most advanced bike to date,withÖhlinsSmart EC3 electronic suspensionand even more advanced rider aids than ever before,includingaver ycleverfront wheellif controland anew engine brakestrategy.
Te ÖhlinsSmart EC3 suspensionisthe very latest electronic systemfrom thefamous Swedishcompany,onlyseenbefore on theconsiderably more expensive Ducati Panigale V4 Sand Honda FirebladeSP. Te systemuses ObjectiveBased TuningInterface (OBTI), whichallowsthe rider to electronically tune thebehaviour andcharacteristics of thesemiactive suspension, whichitself constantly changescompression andrebound dampingonthe move. Triumphhas also takenthe
opportunity to play with thestyling, with anew seat cowl andexhaust andlighter wheels lendinga lighter more agilelook. Te one-piece bars areslightlywider andhigher, and there’sanew adjustable steering damper,but nowfromMarzocchi. An updated5-inch TFTdash with Bluetooth connectivity controls thenew rider and suspensionaidsvia fveriding modes. Cruisecontrol,backlit switchgear,fully keylessignition, andracyPirelli DiabloSupercorsa SP V3 come as standard,along with anew EmergencyDeceleration Warningsystemthatfashes therear brakelight under hard braking. At frst glance,the £17,495 RS appearsver ysimilartothe previous model, butunderneaththere area vast arrayofchanges,whichiswhy Triumphlaidontwo days of testing to make sure we couldexperience thenew Speed Triple on both the road andtrack.Teplanwas relatively simple: afull dayonthe road in southern Portugal, which should allowustoevaluatethe new SmartEC3 suspensionon challenging roads.Ten to the famousand demandingPortimão racetrack,where we couldsafely push thesuspensiontothe limitand
Adam ‘Chad’ Chi ld PHOTOGRAPHY: Triumph Motorcycles/Chippy Wood
Road Test
tr ythe newrider aids.However,Mother Nature hadthe fnal say…
At 180.5bhp,the SpeedTriple1200 RSis theBritmanufacturer’s most powerful bike to date.But with dodgyweather conditions and aride on some challengingPortuguese roads scheduledfor dayone of itslaunchtest, the ideawas to experience thereal-world aspects of theRSfrstand then sample allthose horses,along with thehandlinglimits, new wheelie controland trackmodes,inrelative safety on trackonday two.
As we lef thehotel,conditionswerecold butdry (withthe RS’s optionalheatedgrips settothe maximum). Instantly, Inoticed the diference in theriding position –withthe fat, one-piecebars10mm wider and7mm higherit’sroomier butstill poised and brimmingwithattitude.Assoonasthe lighter cast aluminium wheels were rolling, the qualityEC3 Öhlinssuspensioncamealive,
too, giving asumptuously plushride on poorlysurfacedroads.(By contrast,the older RS model’smanuallyadjustableÖhlins suspensionfeels atad harshondodgy roads Te newEC3 systems canstill be manually adjusted if youprefer, electronically changing compressionand rebound, andpre-load is mechanical,not electronic).
Initially, Iopted forthe standard Road mode,which,likeRainmode, automatically selectsa comfortsetting forthe semi-active suspension, andatslowspeed andaround town it wassupremely forgiving. Te fuelling wasalsonoticeably sof, thestandardShif Assist quick-shifer wassmooth, andthose huge 320mm Brembo discscould be brushed with fnesse andease. What,Iwondered, became of theangry Britishbulldogweused to know?
Once into themount ains,t he susp ension cont inue dtodeliver an unflustere dr ide on
cr umblingand potholed ro ads.I knew I wasr idinga180bhp st re et fighter– or hyper na ke d, if youprefer– butit’ss oforgiving andrelaxed it fe elslikeyou couldf it a smal ls creenand some equa llysma ll luggagetot he minimalistnew tail se ct ion andgotouring .The ridingp osit ionhas ro om fort he ta ll rider as well as theshort; cr uise cont rol, op erate df romt he lef t cluster, is st andard .There’s even classy back litswitchge ar to ease your brain throug ht he day.
Youcan certainly ride brisklyinthe standard Road mode,despite thesuspension settoprioritisecomfort,asthe compression andrebound dampingrates arecontinuously changing in response to theinputsfromthe rider,the road,and amyriadofother parameters.Ride alittlemore aggressively, andthe suspensionreactsand frms up.No wallow or dive –justunderstated control when thepacehotsup.
With better roads ahead, aquickshif into Sportmodesharpened thethrottlemap somewhat as rider aids intervention levels reduced. Tere isn’ta drastic change to throttle response or power(select Rain mode, though,and peak output dropsto100bhp) but, with thesuspensionnow in Normal mode,the overall ride isn’tassof,and there’s less suspensiontravel, notablywhenyou brakedeep.
In thedry conditions andwithsomeheatin thePirelli DiabloSupercorsaSPV3rubber, I washavingsomerealfun in what felt like relative safety.Tepower delivery isn’t aggressive,while thetriple’sbroad spread of torque is strongwithout beingoverpowering. Te chassistakes ever ythinginits stride but, crucially, also transmits what thesporty rubber is doing. Tose wider bars andlighter wheels make theRSfeelmorechuckable.Ata claimed199kg,it’snolightweight butiseasy to throwand around andhavefun.
Funisthe keywordhere. Historically the SpeedTriplehas always been afun bike,and this continueswiththe 2025 model, butnow itsclass-leadingsmart suspensionand suiteof electronic rider aids make itssporting performancemoreaccessible.Tere’ssomuch more refnementcomparedtojustafew years agoand thenew suspensionespeciallygives youthe confdence to have fun.
As thepacequickened,Ihad to trim therider aids slightly.Withlif controlonsetting oneof four,it’sa little toolow forexperienced hands. It works well,hoveringthe frontwheel abovethe road,but levelfourismoreentertaining, particularly over crests, as it holdsthe wheel belowthe balancepoint butimpressivelyhigh. I also experimentedwiththe newenginebraking rider aidbut before Icould create my own ‘idiot-stuntsmode’,itstarted to rain.
Ablendof180bhp, track-focused Supercorsa rubber andslipper yPortuguese roads wouldnormallyappeal to me as much as listeningtoatwo-hourDonaldTrump
ENGINE
The 1160cc triple receives afew tweaks with peak powerup3PSto183PS (180.5bhp) and peak torque up 3Nm to 128Nm, nowslightlylowerinthe rpm at 8750rpm (from 9000rpm).
SUSPENSION ADJUSTMENT
The newÖhlins Smart EC3suspension can be set to Comfort, Normal or Dynamicin activemode, or alternativelythree‘fixed’ settings in whichthe suspension isno longer semi-active.
SUSPENSION
Smart EC3Öhlins electronic suspensionfeatures for the firsttimeonaTriumph. The newsystem uses a unique spool valvefor faster and greater adjustment. Öhlins ObjectiveBased Tuning Interface constantly monitors and adjusts thedamping accordingly.
DASH
5-inch full colour TFT displaywith Bluetooth connectivity is controlled by the familiar 5-way joystick on the left bar and neat backlit switchgear.Standardfit My Triumph ConnectivitySystem allows turn by turn navigation and phone control.
WHEELIE CONTROL
All newfront wheel lift control has four levels that range from just-hovering to high-and-closeto-the-balancepoint. It can be deactivated but not independentlyfrom the lean-sensitive traction control.
BRAKESAND WHEELS
Brembo Stylema calipers are carried over from theprevious bike, and grip320mm floatingdiscs.The Brembo MCSmaster cylinder enables an easyaccess multi-adjustable lever. Cast aluminium wheels areall-new and lighter than theprevious model’s.
address. Butagain, this potentiallyangry beastwas easy to tame,thanksmostlytoits newSmartEC3 suspension. Back into the standard Road mode,the suspensionreverted to itssofer base settingand thelean-sensitive rider aids increased, andthe RS somehow conjured up grip on theglassysurface and gave allthe feedback my confdence needed In fact,Iwas enjoying theride so much that I soon switched back to theSport mode despite thedampconditions.
When rear-wheel traction eventually breaks, thetractioncontrol (TC) soflytakes over andthen, equallysofly,reintroduces the power. Tere arenobangs andnomisfres;it’s allcalmand measured despitethe fact you lostgrip. Te diferentridingmodes appear to catch aslide at aboutthe same moment but thereintroduction of powerisquickerand more abrupt in thesportiermodes
Ienjoyed playingwiththe modesand changing therideraidsonthe fy,but the dash is still alittleslowinoperational speed andnot perfectlyclear or intuitive. Ihave madethiscomment previouslyabout other Triumphs that sharethe same display: that
accessingthe largequantityofinformation availableorchangingthe modesislike operating an oldlaptopwithnot enough storage. It’s tooslowtorespond
By theend of theday,however,I wasfull of praise of thenew SpeedTripleRS. It is incredibly easy to ride andenjoy in difcult allconditions, whilethe newÖhlinsSmart EC3 suspensionistruly next levelinterms of comfortand ease of use.
TO THE TRACK
Cookingintyrewarmers in thefamous Portimão pitlane,the newSpeed Triple 1200 RS looked like it meantbusiness. Triumph removedthe rear number plateand mirrors forthe trackand,despiteits swept-backlook andnaked state, it looked race-ready.Te newstylinglooks greatinthe fesh butIdo wish they’d nothidden thelovelysingle-sided swing-arm with aratheruglyexhaust (a factor y-commissionedAkrapovic silencer is an option). Te only otherblemish on the landscapewas underneaththose warmers: instead of thescheduled Pirellislicks were race wets as theweather wasagainst us again.
RIDERAIDS
Triumph has vastlyimprovedthe tech on the newSpeed Triple 1200 RS.First up is the very latest EC3Smart Suspension from Öhlins, whichreacts faster and has moreadjustment than the EC2system Triumph used on the caféracer-style 1200 RR. We can nowchangefront firmness, rear firmness, brakesupport, acceleration support, cornering support and (newfor 2025) initial acceleration and cruising support. The 4-levelfront wheel lift control and four-levelengine brakecontrol areboth newfor 2025. Triumph has also added BrakeSlide Assist for2025, ABS forthe track, allowing morefront wheel slip and more rear wheel lift.
Four standardrider modes, plus two personal modes, twolevel ofcornering ABS, four levels of TC (and ‘of’) arethe sameasbefore, but reconfigured to work with the newpower,chassis and semi-activesuspension.
Road Test
Yes, theTriumph has Rain mode,but that limits powerto100bhp andautomatically increasesthe rider aids to themaximum. Fine forthose whohavenever ridden on atrack before,but IknowPortimãowelland therefore optedfor themuchlessrestrictedRoadmode. Conditions were slippery andfar from ideal, butagain thesheer rider-friendlinessand ease of useofthe Triumphcameto theforefront From theof, Icould push alittleharder and rely on itsrider aids,includingcornering ABS, whichdespitethe wetIcouldn’t feel interveningduringthose earlylaps.
Portimão has huge andspectacular undulationsand gradientchanges,and with the suspensionset to Comfortitwas alittletoo sof. Back in thepitsIchanged theset up to Normal andthenaddedalittlefrmnesstothe rear and acceleration support, againall done electronically.Springpre-load is still manually adjustable butyou canuse therecommended settings from thedashtoget it spot on.Simply addyour–and be honestonthisone –weight, andthe dash clearlyshows therecommended pre-load settings forthatweight.Testandard settingis85kg,whichisclose-ishtomyhonest weight,and wastherefore lef alone. It’s acool feature(andthe same as thesystemusedinthe newHonda FirebladeSP).
With thenew settings in thesystem, Ifelt confdentto push alittleharder and, as the trackstarted to dr y, Icould nowmakefulluse of those180 ponies. Te Triumphmay not have the200bhp bragging rights of the competition, butitstill feelsoutrageously quick. It regularlyhit 155mph to 160mph at theend of thestraight, punishingmyneck andarmsasonlyabig nakedcan.
At theheart of theSpeed Triple experience is that surgingglutoftorquethatmakes it as satisfying to drivehardthrough themidrange, short-shifingasyou go,asitis to rev. At Portimão,Ibecameaddicted to short-shifing from fourth to ffhtoasthe RS exitedthe long fnal turn of thelap before bracingfor a wheelie over thecrest andjustholdingon over thestart andfnish –exhaust barkingas only aHinckleytriplecan
Te conditions were changing almost ever y lap. Some cornerswereclosetodry while furtheraroundthe trackthe linewas soaking wet. Each sessionwas diferentand as difcult as anytrack-riding test Ican remember,but theRSwas my helpful and friendlycompanion. On days like this,you need to be perfectlyintunewiththe chassis andtyres –and despiteits semi-active suspension, Icould forensically feel thegrip levels throughits wets. Icould also feel the ABS workingontrack in thestandardmode, whichgives reassuranceand allows youto push andgenerate heat in thewets. Conditions mayhavebeenhorrendous, butI washavingfun behind that blackvisor
My only on-track criticism, whichprobably appliesmore to thespecifc nature of Portimão than most circuits, is that youcan’t
have thefront wheellif (wheelie) control turned of andthe TC on.Toremoveit, you have to turn of theTCtoo,yet in thewet conditionsI wanted some TC –justincase–butalsowantedtocontrol thewheeliesover thetrack’s blindcrestsand undulations. On otherbikes in theclass youcan have TC active,and wheelie controldeactivated at the same time butnot on theTriumph
With thetrack neverfullydry,I can’tsay forsurewhatthe ground clearanceislike, or whetherthe very strongBrembostopperswill in anyway fade,orevenhow thesuspension reacts on thelimit. Butifabikegives this much confdence in thewet, it should translate to thedry
VERDICT
We stillhaveafew unanswered questionsas we nevergot to push theSpeed Triple RS’s chassisontrack.But we cancategorically confrmthatTriumph hasmadeasignifcant improvementoverthe previous model, and themeatof that improvementisdowntothe Öhlinssuspension. On theroad, it canbe friendly, plushtothe pointofsof andas accommodatingasthatofaver ygood sports-tourer. Tenride to thetrack,change themode, andittransformsthe triple into a track-ready streetfghter.It’slikehavingthree bikesinone.
Te suspensionissogooditsomewhat overshadowsthe otheradvancements, includingthe excellentfront wheellif control, whichisperfect forthose whohave notperfected wheelies. Neat toucheslike backlitswitchgear, cruise controlasstandard, keylessignition, andTriumph’s usualhigh standard offnish only addtoits appeal while seriouslystrongBremboStylemastoppersadd edge to an alreadysharp package. Te handful of addedhorsepowerisn’t overlynoticeable, butthe engine still has bags of characterand sounds fantastic.
Te dash is afractiondated andalittleslow to process anddisplay information,and will anyone apartfromPortimão regulars care if
youcan’t deactivate thewheelie controland TC at thesametime? Te pricehas edgedup to £17,495 from just below£16,000 butit’s still thecheapestbikeonthe market with EC3 Öhlinssuspension.
Hugely impressive on both theroadand a damp track, thenew SpeedTripleRSisfar more accessible,versatile andeasier to ride than before,whichisprogressindeedgiven thequality of itspredecessor.But thetruetest will come in better weatheragainst its high-class competition.
SPECIFICATION
TRIUMPH SPEED TRIPLE 1200RS
Price: £17,495
Engine: 1160cc inline triple, water-cooled,4 valves per cylinder,DOHC, 90mm x60.8mm bore/stroke
Power: 180,4bhp (134.6kw) @10,750rpm (claimed)
Torque: 94.4lb-ft (128Nm) @8,750 rpm (claimed)
Frame: Aluminium twin spar frame, bold on aluminium rear subframe
Wheelbase: 1445mm
Rider aids: Riding modes (Rain, Road, Sport, Track plus tworider modes). Cornering ABS, 4x throttle maps, 5xTC, 4xengine brakecontrol, 4 xfront wheel lift control
Brakes: ((F) 2x320mm discs, radiallymounted Brembo Stylema calipers, (R) 220mm disc, Brembo twin-piston caliper
Transmission: 6speed, chain final drive
Suspension: (F) öhlins Smart EC343mm inverted fork, 120mm travel, fullyadjustable, (R) öhlins Smart EC3, 120mm travel, fullyadjustable.
Wheels/tyres: (F) 120/70x17 Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP V3, (R) 190/55-17 Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP V3
Seat height: 830mm
Fuel capacity: 15.5 litres
Fuel consumption: 51.4mpg
Weight: 199kg (wet)
Warranty: 2years
Service: 10,000mi les/16,000km or 12 month
Contact: www.triumphmotorcycles.com
R1300GSTouratech toolbox
£124.44(mounting kit£49.73) ww w.touratech.com/en
Perfec tfor of f-roadand shor tt rips or when travel lingw it hs of tlug gage,t he prac tica l Tourate ch to olboxc an nowa ls ob e mounte ddirec tlyont he framet ai loft he BMW R1300 GS (ort he lef t-handside of theR1200 GS, theR1250 GS andt he correspondingAdventure mo dels)withoutt he ne ed fora pannier rack Slim yetspacious,positioned closetothe vehicle andperfectly accessible: this is the Touratech toolboxfor theBMW R1300 GS. With avolumeof4.2 litres,itofers enough spaceevenfor aset of tools, importantspare partsfor long journeys, frst-aid kitoreven just your sandwiches.Tanks to itswellthought-out designand clever mixofstainless steeland plasticmaterials,the Touratech tool boxisalsoextremely robust
Oxford Probikecovers
If youdon’t have agarage, shed or underground lair in whichtostash your bike,thenhavingadecentcover has several benefts. Notonlydoesacover keep your P&J dryand safe from theelements,but it also hidesitawayfrompryingeyestoo Even if youhavealockedgarage, keeping your bike coveredisawiseidea.
Oxford Products have developedtheir bike covers over theyears andnow have twoversionsatver ydiferentprice points.
Te AquatexPro is your basic weatherproof bike cover, intended for security andtodeliver theprotectionand durability of aheavy-dutycover with the portabilityofa lightweight throw-over. Made from aUV-resistantwaterproof 210D polyester, itsseams aredoublestitched andinternallybondedtoprovide protectionfrom theelementsand is impervious up to 8,000mm HH.Tereare lock holesfrontand rear,and bellystraps to prevent thecover from billowingupin windyconditions.
Te StormexPro is adual-layered cover, with atough,waterproof600D polyester outer, whichisdouble-stitchedand internally bonded to provide durable protectionfrom theelements andis impervious up to 10,000mm HH. Te tethered inner is madefrom asof,Protex Stretch material whichslides easily over the bike to provide asnug, dust-freeft whilst
Te extra-largeopeningispractical andallows easy loadingand unloadingand,ifrequired,the lid canalsoberemoved completely. Asafety catch ensuresthatitdoesnot getlost.Telock, whichisofcourseavailable with thesamekey as otherTouratech products, is protected against dust andsplashwater by acap,ensuringthatit remainssmooth-runningevenwithfrequent of-roaduse
Previously only availablefor useonthe stainless-steel carrier of theTouratech ZEGA Evoaluminium panniersystems,the Touratech tool boxisnow also availablefor mounting directlyonthe rear of theframe viathe new mounting kit, thus notneedingthe full luggage rack.Tis makesthe boxevenmore versatile, whichshouldpleaseusers of sofluggage systems or sporty adventureriders
protecting againstpotential knocks andscratches Like theAquatex,it’sUV-resistant, imperviousto 8000mm HH, andhas lock holesatthe frontand rear foradded security.Additionally,the Stormtext Prohas four vents, to provideoptimal airfow,preventingcondensationand ensuring your bike remainsdry useaferuse
Both have reflec tive det ai ls,and frontand re ar bellystrapstoholdt he covers ec urelyin place, andare avai lableinfoursizes, S, M, L andXL
XCPspraysand lubricants
Whilethe productswere originally developedfor usein theprintingindustr y, XCP (eXtraCorrosionProtection) have nowmoved into the automotive world,alongside oferingtheir productstotheme park maintenanceand the harshworld of ofshore industry.
Developed and manufactured in Scotland –and cliches aboutthe levelof inherent moisture and precipitationare perfectly
justifed–there is afulland expansive rangeofcleaners, rust protection fuids, chain lube,maintenance sprayand more.Fromthe pump-action cleanerand degreaser, aerosol UniversalParts Cleanerand ‘One’multipurposespray (to clean, loosen, lubricateand protect), to chainlubricant andRustBlocker to keep ever ythingworking fneand protectedfromthe elements, therange of productsare expansive andavailable.
MitasTouring Force-SP tyre
Mitashas launched thenewestmemberof itsroadtyre family with theintroductionof theTouring Force-SP tyre line, with thenamesomewhatexplaining it’s focus as it’s asportier versionofthe company’sTouring Force tyre and, as such,designedfor lighter sporttouring motorcycles, with an aimofprovidinga sportier riding experience with improvedcornering grip
Te TouringForce-SPtyres featureMulti Compound TreadTechnolog y(MCTT), providing excellentmileage andcornering grip,witha high silicacontent to ensure superior grip onwet roads. Additionally,the lightweight construction allows for quickand precise responses, enhancingthe overall ridingexperiencewithout sacrifcingtyredurability
Te initial frst four sizes-120/70ZR17, 160/60ZR17,180/55ZR17, and190/55ZR17-willbe availablenow,withmore to follow with afnaltotal of eight sizes.
High Plains shifter ift
Indian Chieftain112
WORDS: DAVE MANNING PHOTOGRAPHY: Indian Motorcycle
It
’s easy to assume
phrase
that the
“Win on Sunday,sell on Monday ”never really appliedtoany thingother than spor ts bikesinthe motorcycle world. So it ’s not really conducivetocruisers such as we seehere. Or is it?
While circuit racinghas been very distant from theworld of laid-backAmericanstylecruiser motorcycles, therehas been somethingofatidalchangeoflate, thanks to theKingOfTeBaggers race series in theUS. Te fully-dressed, biginchvee twins from Harleyand Indianbattleitout in aver yexciting fashiononthe race tracks of NorthAmerica.
Giventhe expandingpopularityofthe King Of Te Baggersraceseries, thesuccessofthe Indian‘wrecking crew’, whichfor 2025isnow athree-rider team,including ex-MotoGP andWSB racer LorisBaz,has undoubtedly shed more light on their rangeofcruisers, specifcally thosewithhardluggage that refect thebaggers on the race track.
Te ‘wreckingcrew’ team name comes from theworld of fattrack in whichthe hugely successfulIndian FTR750racebikenolongercompetes(afer the introduction of rule changesthatwerepresumablyaimed at expandingthe feld),but it couldbearguedthe King Of Te Baggersserieshas more in common with thesort of folk whospend their hard-earnedonthe productthat is availableatyourlocal motorcycle dealer.TeFTR750 wasnever aroadbike, norcould it be bought at your nearestbikeshop, whereasbikes such as theIndian Chiefainand Challengerare availablefor youtobuy and ride away tomorrow.And besides, thephrase“Winon Sunday,sellonMonday” wascoinedatatimewhenrace machiner ywas very diferenttothatwhich rolled of the productionline, andwas more of areferraltothe badge that appeared on thetank(or bonnet) rather than the precise bike (orcar)usedincompetition
