Triumph Speed Triple 1200RR
The Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RR may not be the full-fledged supersport that fans of the brand secretly hope for, but the performance of the new RR is very good.
This is exactly the impression the new 2022 product from Triumph leaves after a run on the track. Of course, you can’t keep up with a liter supersport on it, but you can get real pleasure with wheelies coming out of slow corners and all the other attributes of good track driving. And on the road, it's one of the most enjoyable sportbikes money can buy.
Launched earlier this year, the Triumph Speed Triple RS was more than just a neat update to the model. It was a major leap in power and technology: the 177bhp RS certainly couldn't match the head-scratching power of the 205bhp Ducati Streetfighter V4, and the KTM Super Duke was clearly more torquey, but the smooth, controlled Triumph inline-three made it a much more comfortable bike to ride. ride than most of my classmates. Its wide, even response allows you to ride comfortably, without constant gearbox jerking, but all the newfound power and speed of the Speed Triple RS soon leaves you wanting more, to ride more spiritedly and quickly, in a sportier riding position for dynamic steering and better wind protection. This is how the 1200 RR was born.
Details and differences Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RR
The new Speed Triple 1200 RR represents the RS base on which Triumph has built what they call the ultimate road sportbike: neat modern fairing, clip-ons, sporty footpeg position, electronically adjustable semi-active Ohlins suspension. It's all very reminiscent of the very first Speed Triple from 1994, with clip-ons, an aggressive stance and a single round headlight. The fairing gives the bike a fresh look with café racer notes and a subtle '70s vibe that looks chic in the metal, especially when the deep candy red plays in the bright lights. As far as wind protection goes, the low windshield and fairing won't turn this thing into a full-on tourer, but it will generally keep out the crisp morning wind better than a naked RS. On the track, the fairing, although small, creates a quite noticeable “bubble” of calm air, into which you can duck and not let the helmet press into your nose when speeds reach triple digits.
The most noticeable difference in the fit is due to the clip-ons, which are 13 centimeters lower and 5 centimeters further than the handlebars on the naked version of the RS. In combination with the footpegs, which moved higher by one and a half centimeters and back by almost three, the landing turned out to be much more sporty - not as much as on a real sports bike, of course, but somewhere between a regular Speed Triple and a Daytona 675. On the road, this landing seems Surprisingly natural after a little acclimatization - it’s easier to hang in turns, it’s easier to hold onto the pegs when opening the gas. And during short periods of quiet riding, the seating position is surprisingly balanced, allowing weight to be distributed between the legs, arms and rear without putting too much strain on the wrists. The bend in the knees is such that you can ride for hours - however, taller guys or lovers of leather gear will not be as comfortable as in jeans. But still, the landing turned out to be very successful, an excellent balance between the compact position on a sportbike and the upright position on a naked bike.
Triumph Speed Triple 1200RR
TRIUMPH SPEED FOUR 600 03′-06′
DNA Service Kit
Instructions for using your vehicle with a DNA filter
TO SERVICE DNA FILTERS, USE ONLY DNA AIR FILTER SERVICE KIT
Attention!
!!! Do not use any other chemicals to clean DNA filters; this may damage the filter element and cause it to lose its ability to filter air at the proper level!!! !!! Cleaning the filter with compressed air is prohibited, as this can damage the filter fabric!!!
How to protect your vehicle:
- use a DNA filter lubricated with special DNA oil, do not use without DNA oil.
- The factory DNA filter comes pre-impregnated. No additional impregnation is required.
- Clean the DNA air filter every 10,000 - 25,000 km. depending on environmental pollution.
How to protect your DNA filter:
- Always use the special DNA maintenance kit.
- Do not use gasoline, diesel, solvents, compressed air or high pressure water.
- Do not use dry hot air.
- Use away from heating elements.
FOR ROAD racing, always use the factory pre-oiled filter for maximum performance.
FOR OFF-ROAD riding, use a filter with a thicker coating of lubricant on the surface of the filter and check the filter at least 2-3 days before the competition.
- The filter is impregnated with the “Service Kit” 2-3 days before the race.
- For racing in extreme conditions: on sandy roads or off-road, it is preferable to additionally lubricate the filter. This will be enough for 1-2 hours.
Step 1
You will need pliers to remove the bottle's cap and rubber gloves to avoid getting any liquid on your hands. Unscrew the bottle cap and remove the special sealing gasket for reuse after servicing the filter.
Step 2
After you unscrew the bottle cap, you need to take pliers and grab the sealed neck of the bottle. Please take the cap and a small amount of the top of the bottle head. Pull the pliers hard enough to remove the seal cap without damaging it.
Step 3 After carrying out the lubrication procedure, please insert the seal and screw the cap to seal. Service kit fluid can be reused in the future
Cleaning the filter with DNA cleaner.
- Remove the filter from the air chamber, using a brush or vacuum cleaner, remove a large layer of dirt from its most contaminated side.
- Cut off the tip of the cap of the bottle with cleaning liquid, first place the filter in the container, soak it generously with liquid until the composition is completely absorbed into the filter. Then after 10 minutes, use a brush and room temperature water to thoroughly clean the filter.
- Rinse well with low pressure of clean water at room temperature. Then let the filter dry completely at room temperature.
ATTENTION! Do not use forced drying methods such as compressed air, hair dryer, etc. This may damage the filter.
Repeat the process if your filter doesn't clean very well.
ATTENTION! Do not use gasoline or other solvents, compressed air or high water pressure to clean your filter. Doing so may damage the filter and void your warranty. We also recommend wearing rubber gloves while cleaning.
Oiling the filter with DNA oil.
Cut the tip of the cap of the bottle of oil, and slowly apply the oil evenly along each fold of the filter from beginning to end from the outside.
There is no need to use all the oil; one bottle can be enough for several times.
Let the oil soak in well for at least one hour, then check to see if it has spread evenly throughout the filter. This will be visible; after oiling, your filter should acquire a single bright red color over its entire area. In places where the oil has not spread, repeat local lubrication. If you overdo it with oil, it’s not a big deal; after the first 10-20 kilometers, the air flow will remove the excess oil.
Wipe off any oil that gets on the frame or gasket (flange) and your filter is ready for installation and use.
ATTENTION! Do not use motor oil or other oils that are not made specifically for DNA air filters. Doing so may damage the filter and void your warranty.
Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RR On track and road
On the track, the riding position is very good: you can concentrate on exploring the thrust of the powerful 1160 cc engine without hanging on the grips. When pushing the bike into the apex, it's easy to shift your weight, leaning into the corner without getting in the way of the clip-ons. At track speed, the boots begin to touch the surface pretty soon, not so much as to spoil the fun, but just to the point of “the sliders will have to be changed.”
Apart from the obvious differences from the RS in appearance and ergonomics, the main feature of the Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RR is the electronically adjustable Ohlins Smart EC 2.0 semi-active suspension. The system changes the compression and rebound smoothing characteristics of the fork and rear shock absorber based on the specified parameters and feedback from the surface under the wheels. Several preset modes affect the algorithms for changing the characteristics of the suspensions, providing a more comfortable ride or, conversely, a more dynamic nature of the suspensions for greater controllability at high speed. In addition, the system offers some level of customization, allowing you to change the behavior of the suspension at certain points in the ride, for example, when entering a corner, braking, exiting a corner, and so on. Switching between driving modes significantly changes the nature of the suspension, both in terms of comfort and in terms of how much the front suspension bites when braking or the rear sag when accelerating.
On ordinary quality asphalt and a freshly paved track, we were unable to find the limits of the suspension capabilities, and this probably characterizes them best. The “ideal road sportbike” actually shows itself very well: almost all the components of the Speed Triple are perfectly balanced, the chassis is nimble enough to easily negotiate difficult turns without feeling twitchy or overly aggressive. The engine has excellent available thrust, allowing you to easily navigate corners in third gear that would require you to shift up and down in other models. There is always enough power for good acceleration, but never with an undue excess that overloads the chassis or the rider's brain.
The riding position is sporty without being uncomfortable, and the electronics offer comfortable support without being too intrusive. Except that every time you park, the motorcycle goes out of Track mode - there’s even something funny about such concern. Another reason to complain about the technology is the information content of the front brake: it develops excellent braking force, and stopping the RR was never a problem, but the lever is too soft and at the same time tight - even after adjustment.
Admittedly, the Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RR is somewhat addictive. More precisely, after a long ride on it, self-control disappears somewhere, and silly cheerfulness and lightness appear.
Such a good, pleasant, relaxed feeling that the motorcycle listens to you in everything and does not try to scare you even when you are naughty in a turn, entering it with a slide and leaning too late. And you realize that you simply don’t need a more powerful, or more precise, or more aggressive motorcycle - despite the fact that in the face of a full-fledged superbike, the Triumph may be slower to handle, a little less willing to fire from the apex, and overall not as sharp and accurate. But RR is more than enough to have a lot of fun and put a big smile on your face.
Triumph Speed Triple 1200RR
As you understand, in previous reviews I was going to look at Triumphs, or more precisely, at their city streets. I started with the oldest, in the top configuration, Triumph Speed Triple RS . This is a liter bike with a three-cylinder inline engine, 2022, and seems to be updated. There is an S package, it is a little simpler, mainly suspensions and brakes, the engine is the same.
As usual with my tests, I'm just sharing my impressions of a fairly short test, do not take this as a full-fledged review.
Other reviews: BMW R1250GS Ducati Monster 1200 BMW S1000XR
Appearance and design
For a European top-end bike, the looks are a bit plain, but that's typical for a Triumph.
Everything is in its place, no visual frills (except for the headlights), more reminiscent of a Japanese motorcycle than a European one. In general, there is nothing special to say about the design, because there is no design as such in this motorcycle, well, except in places. Very functional, neat and quite nice, but nothing new, and nothing that can catch the eye. By the way, God bless him with the design. The motorcycle is not visually annoying, and that’s okay. Structurally, everything is typical for Speed Triple. The aluminum frame has a birdcage design and is somewhat similar to the frames of the old SVs. The frame is welded by robots. Three-cylinder in-line engine, cantilever rear suspension, conventional, non-adaptive Yolins front suspension. Everything else is also quite ordinary. Well, except that the built-in factory sliders look rather unusual, but as far as I understand, this is also typical for triples. The sliders protrude quite far, with only the turn signals beyond them. And the mufflers are well covered by very solid brackets for the passenger footrests. This means that the motorcycle will most likely survive a fall and slip quite easily.
The motorcycle is very light, with a stated curb weight of 189 kg. Not bad for a liter straight.
Convenience and ergonomics
From the seating position, you can immediately feel that the motorcycle is serious - the seating position is quite tilted forward, very tight and not particularly comfortable.
The saddle allows you to feel the motorcycle well, but whether your butt will feel good in it after a long ride is a big question. The tank is easy to grasp with your feet, the handlebars and footpegs are all in place for a slightly forward-leaning riding position. For a long trip, such a landing will not be very comfortable, but for the city it simply provokes active driving. The steering wheel is narrow, urban, the remote controls are comfortable and quite high quality, even backlit, the grips are good. The ergonomics of the remote controls are average, for example, you always confuse the turn signal switch and the menu joystick, they are almost the same, and are located one above the other. But of course, you can get used to it. Instead of steering weights, there are the most ridiculous mirrors; not only can you really see nothing in them, but after 15 minutes of racing around the city, they completely lost their position, stretched out in strange positions. To be honest, I haven’t seen such stupid mirrors in a long time. But to hell with them, with mirrors, I still don’t need them in the city.
The instrumentation is quite modern, with a tablet, but it is clearly noticeable that this is not a Ducati or a BMW. A simpler and cheaper screen, a low refresh rate, and a not very well designed interface. But there are nice pictograms instead of many inscriptions and pretty good animation. In general, the instrumentation is not very informative; sometimes you have to wonder where on it, what, and why. Again, you can get used to it. Triumph is progressing well in HMI, so they will soon catch up with the leaders, I think.
Keyless access.
There is no wind protection, except for the oddly shaped headlights. However, this headlight did not prove itself in any way as a wind barrier.
The passenger will probably have a hard time, this is hinted at by two hefty Arrow mufflers located just on both sides of the passenger seat. The mufflers have flirty carbon trims, but they look more like elements needed to avoid getting the mufflers dirty with burnt pieces of the passenger (carbon will be easier to scrape off). But these are assumptions; I haven’t tested them myself.
Engine and gearbox
The engine is a liter three-cylinder in-line engine, which is typical for a Triumph, but in general this type of engine is rare, with only Yamaha engines being notable examples.
Triples are typically a cross between inline fours and twins, and judging by the MT-09, this type of engine performs very well in vigorous city driving. The engine has quite a few modes, indicated by pictograms, set the highway picture (this is the road mode, it is assumed that it is standard), and off we go.
From the very beginning, even when driving in a parking lot at low speeds, the engine tunes into a serious mood, and instantly makes it clear that it is ready to frolic. Interesting. There is no excessive sharpness, the motorcycle simply follows the throttle, without any delay at all. What if it's a little stronger? Oops, he wants to raise the rear, but TC won’t let him.
Things get even more interesting on the road.
The engine drags a light motorcycle with some unreal ease, literally from the very bottom and beyond, accompanied by a pleasant growl. And all this without noticeable dips or snags, just sharply, quickly and accurately, a very thoroughbred and well-designed engine. A wonderful combination of the advantages of a twin and an inline four. In urban modes, that is, during jerky driving with constant acceleration and deceleration, the sensations are much more than just pleasant.
Well, okay, everything is just fine, but what happens if you select the mode with the racer's head, apparently sports? What will happen is that the engine turns from great to amazing. The feeling is that they took a good liter inline engine, such as the S1000R engine, and made it work in the most favorable range always, from the bottom to the top. The response to the throttle becomes even sharper, but does not lose accuracy. The motorcycle becomes completely demonic and begins to simply provoke wildly. From low to mid and above, the engine behaves almost like an electric one, consistently delivering more than enough torque.
But unfortunately, it is still not electric; there is no particular desire to spin it much above the middle - vibrations begin, and they intensify as the speed increases. What can you do, the inline three is basically an unbalanced engine, and apparently Triumph couldn’t do anything here either. The vibrations are not the most unpleasant, but strong, they come mainly to the footrests and hands, but in general, the whole motorcycle shakes. But God bless them with vibrations and highs, who is interested in this at all with such a magical middle.
The clutch, although mechanical, is very light, very clear and informative. Probably the best mechanical one I've ever come across. Bravo, with all my desire I can’t say anything bad. For a city motorcycle this is especially important and pleasant.
The box is simply amazing. Despite the fact that there was no quickshifter, this motorcycle, in general, does not need one; gears are switched literally with the power of thought, always very clearly and accurately, with minimal effort. The neutral is also caught as if by itself. The best box I've ever seen. The passes are short, very short.
In short, this is an absolutely amazing city engine. But taking into account vibrations and short gears, it certainly cannot be called universal, and in all other cases, except for the city, the engine most likely will not be the most successful.
Brakes
These are normal Brembos, perfectly tuned to the city.
Sharp, but not as sharp as BMW likes. If the BMW has the feeling that it has crashed into an obstacle, then it feels like you are moving your forehead against a wall. Excellent brakes, but they are just a little bit lacking in informativeness and evenness - there is a microscopic feeling of uneven braking. Of course, there is a bite, but not very much, because the suspension is stiff and the motorcycle is quite light.
ABS on its own works great, but in combination with suspensions it’s not so simple. However, we'll talk about this a little later.
The rear brake is very simple, not informative at all, and instantly pushes until it stalls (short wheelbase). This is clearly indicated by the kicking pedal. However, this brake does everything that is needed, but no one expects any feats from it.
Pendants
The RS version of the motorcycle has good tree suspension, very rigid and adjustable.
The rear swingarm has progression arms, but that's typical. There are no electronics in the suspension. In the city, the suspension behaves exactly as the suspension of a top-end streetfighter should behave, mainly focused on handling. Everything is accurate, but at the same time, oddly enough, it is not particularly trivial; I expected a more active reaction to a trifle.
But in extreme modes the suspension starts to feel a little lacking. During emergency braking, the front one can happily jump along the road, with loud squeals. In another case, during an emergency, the front one gave way a little and he started to spin. In turns, if they are energetic, not everything is rosy either; there is a slight instability. For the city it's even fun, but the suspension makes the bike very strict and it requires a steady hand.
It’s possible that the suspension just needed to be adjusted; I didn’t do anything to it, everything was as it was installed in the salon. But in the form in which it was, it is inferior to the Monster's suspension, although this is only noticeable during very energetic maneuvers.
I liked the suspension, and its minor flaws even made the bike more fun and a little more unpredictable, there is something to compete with. But this is the very case when electronics would clearly not be in the way; an adaptive suspension comes into play here.
Controllability
Motorcycle handling with a short wheelbase, low weight and sharp front suspension geometry.
Everything is as it should be - it steers great, very easily, and very accurately. All city maneuvers are performed with great enthusiasm, few other city motorcycles can boast of this. For the city, handling can be considered standard. As speed increases, disadvantages begin to appear, which are essentially the flip side of the advantages. Already from 150-160 a slight instability appears, which only grows with speed. Similarly with turns, the motorcycle handles slow tight turns perfectly, but high-speed ones - not so well. But this is a city bike, isn’t it?
City
The bike is great in the city, there’s no other way to say it. So far this is the best city bike I have ever come across. The main disadvantage in the city is that the motorcycle not only provokes, it does it with absolutely diabolical professionalism, so to speak. It is simply impossible to drive this Triumph calmly, I honestly tried, each time I lasted no more than 10 seconds.
In traffic jams and tight traffic, the motorcycle feels like a fish in water. Narrow steering wheel, excellent grip, and an absolutely fantastic engine for this type of driving, which doesn’t seem to care what gear you’re in. At any moment, a slight movement of the throttle and woohoo. It feels like there is an extra dimension to the ride, even on the best streets I never had that feeling. I started to catch myself jumping forward where on any other motorcycle I would jump back.
And at the same time it is very easy to maneuver in tight spaces; the only thing this can be compared with is a good supermotard. This is about the same thing, only angrier, more powerful and more accurate. The motorcycle provokes Motard maneuvers, for example, changing lanes in a traffic jam with a skid.
The mirrors do not interfere, because although they are at the ends of the steering wheel, they are small and almost do not protrude beyond the overall dimensions. However, they are of no use either. I completely forgot about them, and when I remembered, each time I was surprised at their absurdity.
Well, in freer traffic a kind of bacchanalia begins, a feeling that there are no restrictions at all. I don't remember another motorcycle that was so provocative. At first you admire how well this thing accelerates, and then you are surprised to discover that it was in sixth gear.
The motorcycle requires a very steady hand, and it doesn't seem to forgive mistakes at all.
In short, in the city this is not a tool like the big Monster, and not even a scalpel like the S1000R. This is a Jedi sword. Killing yourself on this is as easy as shelling pears. And it’s not because of any unusual dynamics, but precisely because the motorcycle is extremely provocative. However, if he doesn’t provoke you, then most likely you don’t need him.
Route
But this is not his.
The motorcycle does not like speed, and it does not like it both as a whole and with all its parts separately. Already at a speed of 160-170 it begins to blow seriously, the strange headlight just can’t cope with the air flow. The monster is simply much better in this regard, although in appearance it has even less wind protection. 180 is generally the limit for more or less meaningful driving. Handling also suffers significantly as speed increases, and there is a hint of front wheel instability. No, it’s not wobbling, but it feels like wobbling is just around the corner. I don't want to accelerate any further. But the main thing is the triple. And triple is an unbalanced creature in principle. Therefore, as the speed increases, vibrations begin, which become stronger the further you go. You can climb to the very top of the tachometer, but it’s really unpleasant, and you want to climb back down to the delightful middle. The gears are so short that there is no need to talk about any high speeds at all.
In short, the motorcycle doesn't just hint at getting back to the city, it desperately wants it. This is not a Monster that can do it if necessary. This one doesn't even pretend that he can.
Long-Range
I don't even want to think about it.
Bad roads and soil
Similar to the Monster, even worse. Not at all.
Summary
Awesome city bike.
I not only liked it, but created a very strong desire to buy it immediately, I can hardly restrain myself. I even enjoyed the short test drive tremendously. And at the same time, the motorcycle is relatively inexpensive, three million. And at the same time, there is a version with simpler components and the same engine, it is a little more than a million.
The motorcycle has two main disadvantages:
1. It is purely urban. Because of the geometry, fit, box, wind protection, and most importantly - vibrations. 2. He is terribly provocative.
Beginners should not even look in the direction of this Triumph. You need specific, and not small, experience in aggressive city driving. If you don't have one, this motorcycle is not for you. It's nothing exciting when driven quietly, and there are plenty of better options. Take the Monster, he can do a lot, but he will not try to kill you. And you yourself will not try to do it. But if you're looking for a pure city bike for mayhem, this one is a fantastic choice.
Motards, other liter street bikes, most sportbikes are quietly crying in the corner. Even the S1000R sadly says this: “well, at least I can do a little on the highway...”. In the city, Triumph will tear them to pieces in the blink of an eye, and rush off with a joyful cackle.
You should watch Tuono.
Other reviews: BMW R1250GS Ducati Monster 1200 BMW S1000XR
Great road sportbike
In some ways it's a very comfortable and versatile bike, with a great balance between performance and comfort, impressive capabilities and ease of use. And in achieving this balance, of course, some compromises had to be made. Hardcore sport bikers will probably find it not sporty enough, while long-road riders will say the riding position isn't relaxed enough. But there are always guys who don’t mind doing 300 or even 400 kilometers in one sitting on a 600 cc sportbike from the 90s, and they don’t divide the world into black and white.
If you go by the Speed Triple RS, the RR makes more sense on the track, and its stance is best suited for dynamic driving - be it a series of turns on a famous track or on a mountain serpentine. Electronic suspensions improve ride quality, and the RR's design makes you look for parking spaces so that you can always see it. RS is more relaxed and comfortable, but is designed for less active driving.
As a result, I want to compare the Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RR not only with the contemporary RS, but also with the original Speed Triple of 1994. In its era, it was a tough, aggressive motorcycle, designed for true road hooligans. But the motorcycle world has changed, Triumph has become a different company since then, and the new Speed Triple RR reflects that change. It has an excellent quality finish, looks bright and catchy, and at the same time makes everything smooth, pleasant and easy. But this raises the question: isn’t he too intelligent and graceful? What if it lacks the rocket power of the Ducati Streetfighter V4 or the wheelie thirst of the KTM 1290 Super Duke R, next to which the Triumph seems absolutely calm and docile?
This is a personal matter for everyone. The good news is that there are versions of the Speed Triple for different people and different temperaments, and you can choose a motorcycle that will suit the owner perfectly 90% of the time. The RR represents everything that's good about the RS, wrapped in a more stylish design and with a riding position that requires more turns and fewer straights.
