The Triumph Speed Triple, the Bug-Eyed Bike
The Triumph Speed Triple hasn't seen much revision since 2005 when it was released, but there's good reason for that. The Triumph Speed Triple has won countless nakedbike shootouts across the world in the last five years and now its little brother the Triumph Street Triple is doing the same in the smaller nakedbike sector.The Triumph Speed Triple because it does everything a good road-motorcycle should. It has an ultra smooth engine that produces bucket loads of torque, in sharp contrast to some other 1 liter nakedbikes – but then the Triumph Speed Triple is a completely different animal.
The three-cylinder engine makes decent power almost as soon as you open the throttle – there's no lagging and fueling is exceptional. It has a sharp rev limiter but if you use the torque and short-shift through the slick gearbox in same way as a twin-cylinder you won't notice it.
Comfort is a huge factor in why the Triumph Speed Triple continues to rate so highly. It has one of the widest set of handlebars on the road, the pegs are a nice distance from the ground without being too rearward or front biased, and the seat angle keeps the rider's back nice and straight.
The tubular chassis is a beautiful example of British craftsmanship both in looks and the way it gobbles up fast and slow corners alike. Steering is not the fastest, but the predictability at which it does it is comforting, with the standard suspension settings a match for almost ever rider.
The twin headlights give the Triumph Speed Triple a bug-eyed look and possibly the best road vision at night, and the digital/analogue dash is easy to use and read with a good layout.
