Page 26 - Australian Motorcycle News (January 2020)

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Triumph Speed Twin
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Is a cc machine really the type of bike you want to be
jumping on after months away from bikes?
I’LL BE HONEST, working for AMCN and not having
ridden a motorcycle for 12 months is pretty poor
form. The usual trappings of a busy modern life are
not good enough reasons, so I’ll put the violin away.
So when Sam said he had a Triumph Street Twin for
me to spend some much-needed recreation on over
the Christmas and New Years period, I was excited.
The Triumph Speed Twin, part of Triumph’s
Bonneville-based modern-retro range, is like the
mild-mannered cousin between the extreme of the
Thruxton R and leisurely laid-back Bonneville T120.
I have been a huge fan of the whole retro classic
revival but most of the rides are usually quite mild,
with the onus more on its show than its go. But this
is no slow show. As its peak torque output of 112Nm
reminds me rather early – at 4950rpm – that it’s
powered by the same 1200cc high-output parallel-
twin found in the Thruxton.
The Speed Twin is quite deceiving. It’s not a
physically big bike, it won’t stand tall among other
bikes and it’s quite easy to swing your leg over it,
but its big in its sheer presence. You can tell this is
a quality Triumph build, with its stunning Korosi
It’s predictable on the throttle, the clutch
is light, the gearbox is smooth
26 amcn.com.au
Distance Economy Servicing Options
Fuel
added
covered
10,000km
5L/100km
None
445kms
intervals
14.5L tank
red and classic pinstriped paintwork, to its brushed
aluminium front and rear guards and retro bench-
style seat. It has a mild sophistication to its otherwise
retro styling which appeals to me.
I haven’t ridden for over a year, and I’m not
ashamed to admit I was a bit nervous getting back
on. Picking up the bike from Sydney’s CBD, my
re-initiation into motorcycling was battling Sydney
traffic before a two-hour ride down the south coast
RIDER PROFILE to home. The perfect mix of roads and rage to help get
Name my muscle memory back up to scratch.
Paul Andrews First off the bat, it felt effortless. Phew. It’s
predictable on the throttle, the clutch is light, the
Height/Weight gearbox is smooth and the brakes have great power
182 cm/89kg without that snatchy initial bite which can be off-
Musing putting for a returning rider. I like the ergonomics
Why do perfect hill starts afforded by the wide handlebars, too. It all makes for
only happen in the privacy intuitive manoeuvring through city traffic and that’s
of your own driveway? exactly what my confidence needs.
Once I made it out of the city, I really could explore
that abundant torque – there’s heaps right in that low
to mid-range where a getting-used-to-it-again rider
like me spends most of the time, and I frequently