Triumph Speed Twin 1200/RS test: Introduction, positioning and rivals of the Triumph Speed Twin 1200/RS
The Triumph Speed Twin 1200 is, since its first generation, one of the most beautiful motorcycles on the market. It brings together all the concepts of a roadster; Without a fairing, its design evokes traditional motorcycles, in which the personality is defined by a round headlight, a muscular fuel tank and a straight and simple seat. The engine and exhaust shapes contribute to that strong and efficient appearance, which seduces at first sight.
In this third generation and after almost 20,000 units sold since 2019, it may seem that the aesthetics hardly change, but if you look closely, that is not the case. In addition, it is divided into two versions, which share an engine and chassis; These differ in ergonomics and equipment, allowing potential clients to find their better half, without giving up their needs or tastes.
Thus, the access version of the Speed Twin 1200 (103.5 HP, €15,295) has a more relaxed position, with the handlebars closer and the footpegs further forward, while the Speed Twin 1200 RS (103.5 HP, €17,595) loads a little more on the front wheel and enjoys select suspension and brake components, as well as more elaborate electronics and quickshifter. series.
Large displacement roadsters are motorcycles where design counts, as does perceived quality. Power and sensations matter, but they do not enter into the war of numbers and performance, because that is what there are other motorcycles for.
The performance of a motorcycle around one liter of displacement guarantees minimums; The electronics and technology (well hidden) allow behavior like that of the best modern motorcycle, in a timeless package that resists the passage of years very well. Anyone who buys a high-displacement roadster usually keeps it for many years.
The competition is tough and the Speed Twin fights in a league of very suggestive models of the same displacement, such as the BMW R Nine T (109 HP, €14,480), and the Indian FTR (123 HP, €14,490), or slightly lower displacement, such as the Yamaha XSR900 (119 HP, €11,999) or the Kawasaki Z900RS (111 HP, €14,499).
Each one of them has its own particular style, because there are no dogmas among the roadsters, as there may be among the café racers or the scramblers. The Triumph Speed Twin 1200/RS makes its case against its competitors and if you continue reading, you will see that it does it very well.
Triumph Speed Twin 1200/RS test: Technical characteristics of the Triumph Speed Twin 1200/RS
The architecture of the Speed Twin does not change much compared to its predecessor. The engine is still the water-cooled SOHC 8-valve parallel twin with a 270º firing order that comes from the Bonneville T120, but conveniently adapted, with a low-inertia crankshaft, to be able to rev up faster.
Now it produces 5 HP more, delivering 105 HP at 7,750 rpm and a torque of 112 Nm at 4,250 rpm. The power and torque curves do not contain any bumps at any rev range, resulting in a linear and elastic engine, a real pleasure. The transmission is 6 speeds, manual on the Speed Twin 1200 and assisted by quickshifter “Triumph Shift Assist” on the Speed Twin RS, thanks to the rearmost location of the footpegs, which allows the system to be accommodated in an engine that, in its day, was not designed to receive a shift assistant.
Both versions now enjoy a 6-axis IMU, which governs cornering ABS and traction (rather, torque) control. The Speed Twin has two maps, Road and Rain, while the Speed Twin RS adds Sport mode. Each mode has an associated traction control setting, which, although not adjustable, can be disconnected.
The chassis is a double cradle in steel, with an aluminum swingarm. Its dimensions are peculiar, having a launch of only 22.4º in the basic version and 22.6º in the Speed Twin RS. Together with a wheelbase of 1,413 mm and 1,414 mm respectively and a weight of 216 kilos for both versions, a truly agile motorcycle is achieved, but at the same time enjoys poise on straight lines and in fast corners.
The tuning of the cycle continues with the suspensions and brakes. Both have inverted forks, shock absorbers with separate gas bottle and 320 mm brake discs bitten by 4-piston radial calipers. The difference is in the components and the regulation possibilities.
The Speed Twin 1200 is equipped with Marzocchi inverted forks with a 43 mm diameter and 120 mm travel without the possibility of adjustment, two shock absorbers from the same brand with preload adjustment and 116 mm travel, Triumph radial calipers (the supplier of the braking system is J.Juan) and has Metzeler M9RR tires in sizes 120/70-17 and 160/60-17.
The Speed Twin 1200 RS features an inverted Marzocchi fork with a 43 mm diameter and 120 mm travel, but with compression, extension and preload adjustment. The two rear shock absorbers are Öhlins, with 123 mm of travel and the same adjustment possibilities as the fork.
Its radial calipers are Brembo Stylema, that is, black leg and the tires, Metzeler Racetec RR K3, that is, “barely legal” for use on the road. The RS’s fenders are also made of brushed aluminum. Both share the 220 mm rear disc, bitten by a 2-piston Nissin caliper, as well as the new 7 double-spoke cast aluminum wheels.
Apparently there are not many changes in terms of design, but if you sharpen your eye, the list is quite extensive. To begin with, the headlight (LED and with daytime running light DRL) and its mount are new. In line with the previous version, the elements that do not match the classic image of the motorcycle are hidden very well, such as the catalytic converter, invisible unless you put the motorcycle on a lift.
The engine covers have a different profile, as do the silencers and the one-piece seat (narrower at its junction with the tank), with suede leather finish in the case of the RS.
The side covers that hide the air filter also change and the injection body is more contemporary; The tank maintains its capacity (not very high, 14.5 liters), but changes shapes. The brushed aluminum filler cap is also different, with an ingenious double hinge system.
Finally, the instrumentation is reduced to a single clock with LCD and TFT screens. Very complete in terms of information, it maintains the retro look and it is easy to navigate its menus using the pinecones, which remain discreet, despite having 7 buttons on its left unit, not to mention the heated grips.
Of course and as in other Triumphs, mobile connectivity and arrow navigation are possible in combination with the Triumph My Assist app; There is also no lack of a USB-C connection. More than 70% of Speed Twin owners have added genuine Triumph accessories to their bike.
There is a range of 50 plus specific accessories, including some beautiful half-handlebars (not as uncomfortable as they seem), a bullet seat and a tail cover for those looking for the café racer look previously boasted by the Triumph Thruxton.
Triumph Speed Twin 1200/RS test: How the Triumph Speed Twin 1200/RS performs
The international presentation of the Triumph Speed Twin 1200/RS took place on the island of Mallorca and we were able to enjoy a wonderful route through the Tramuntana mountain range, in which there was no shortage of curves of all kinds. Being two versions of the same model, in my case I rode in the morning with the Triumph Speed Twin 1200 RS and in the afternoon with the Triumph Speed Twin 1200.
Before starting the day, I was able to get on both to see the differences in terms of ergonomics. At the controls of the Triumph Speed Twin 1200 the posture is very natural. In the hypothetical case that I had to explain to someone (who has never seen a motorcycle in their life) what a natural posture is, it would be enough to put them on a Speed Twin 1200.
With the back upright, it is very comfortable and everything is in its place. Things vary on the RS, as the handlebars are lower (and further away), the footpegs further back (and raised), with the addition that the rear is higher, due to the greater travel of the two Öhlins shock absorbers.
Said like this, it seems that we are talking about a torture rack; Nothing could be further from the truth: the differences are enough to feel more support on the front wheel, but it is not uncomfortable at the distances for which both are intended. Neither is better than the other; It is, rather, your conception of what a classic roadster should be. I can tell you that, among the numerous testers, there was a division of opinion.
I was lucky to start with the Triumph Speed Twin 1200 RS. In the first stages, I was surprised by how smooth the connection between the throttle grip and the rear wheel was. The motorcycle welcomes you with exquisite manners and I immediately realized that I was faced with a full engine at all speeds, as well as elastic.
Riding through urban sections is as easy as with a modern 125 cc, although the low turning angle penalizes when stopped and between cars; Not so its lightness, which combined with the limited steering effort, facilitates any maneuver at low speed.
As the curves come, things get even better. Direction changes are instantaneous and the bike has magnificent stability. Dimensions and suspension work wonders, along with outstanding brakes. Using the clutch, the shift works very well, but things change if we want to use the quickshifter.
The operation is very good in 4th, 5th and 6th, but it suffers in the low gears to digest the amount of torque available, resulting in changes that are not exactly smooth. In the 1st, 2nd and 3rd gears you end up using the clutch, which is better able to adjust your engine braking needs and the exact moment at which you want to change gears.
Paradoxically, the shift assistant is very good for riding at a walking pace, in high gears. To roll with the knife between your teeth, you’re better off with the clutch lever, like in the old days.
In the afternoon I got on the Triumph Speed Twin 1200, more spartan in the visual sense, but not necessarily in motion. The engine is the same as the RS and gives you the same experiences. It is true that the RS has Sport mode, but the difference is in the power delivery mode, something more reactive, not in the amount delivered.
On the Triumph Speed Twin 1200 you also have 105 HP and 112 Nm of torque and it lets you know it right away. Of course there are differences, the first of which is the driving position. Curiously, although the distances of the ergonomic seat-grips-footrests triangle are small, the difference between footrests caught my attention more than those between handlebars or the height of the seats, feeling the feet further forward than the handlebars were further away.
In practice, it is a more comfortable motorcycle and one in which the passage of kilometers is less noticeable, but when it comes to tightening the grip, it is just as effective. It is true that, going light, I prefer the suspension and brakes of the RS, which in combination provide more information about what is happening under the front wheel. But the J.Juan calipers do not brake less than the Brembo Stylema.
In fact, they are more immediate in the first section of braking, without being abrupt. In both you can brake with a single finger, but it is true that the feel and progressiveness are better in the RS. What is not going to provide a plus in sporty driving is the shift assistant, because in both you will use the clutch, if you want to get the sportier essence of either of the two.
This shows that, at the end of the day, it’s more about how you understand what a roadster should be. And that is good news, because with the two versions, Triumph manages to bring to more people a truly magnificent motorcycle, the kind that steals your heart.
