2021 Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RS first look

The all-new Speed Triple 1200 RS is Triumph’s answer to those madlads and madladies, so let’s take a look at Hinckley’s latest.

First off, Triumph outright told us at the virtual press introduction that the Speed Triple 1200 RS is the only Speed Triple now, and there will not be a base model, R model, S model, or any other variants of this motorcycle to come in this generation.

“In talking to customers, it’s very clear that people are looking for all of the things that the RS is specifically,” explained Miles Perkins, Triumph’s head of brand management. I think Triumph also recognizes that the customer shopping this tier of motorcycle simply wants the best. So here it is.

At the launch, Triumph claimed that many of the Speed Triple’s competitors felt like "compromised sport bikes," while the Speed Triple always offered something different because it was designed for the street first. Chassis geometry, power delivery, rider ergos, and other major factors have all been purpose-built on the new 1200. Triumph’s head of engineering, Stuart Wood, said the jump in power does not destroy the Speed Triple’s balance, since they were able to build this bike from the ground up, rather than updating an existing design.

“It gives you all the sensation of the previous Speed Triples, just more. We’re looking at more than just performance,” said Wood.

An all-new engine

Triumph calls their 1,160 cc triple “new in every way,” more than 15 pounds lighter than the old model and producing 177 horsepower. Redline is 650 rpm higher and torque’s been bumped to 92 foot-pounds at 9,000 rpm. Revisions to the intake provide better flow and sound, while the exhaust has been moved from under the tail to a traditional right-side location. Triumph went on to beef up the pistons, con rods, and slip/assist clutch, despite a 12 percent reduction in rotating assembly weight. A balance shaft keeps the triple nice and smooth. Triumph touts it as “the fastest, torquiest, most powerful Speed Triple ever.”

It’s also the lightest, tipping the scales at a lithe 436.5 pounds… wet. That should be enough to satisfy Triumph’s target customer, and to be sure, they’ve packed the Speed Triple 1200 RS with plenty of tech and top-shelf parts to manage that power-to-weight ratio. 

Tech

The Speed Triple’s command center is an all-new five-inch TFT dash that features the My Triumph connectivity system they developed with Google and GoPro. There’s a quickshifter, an IMU, cornering ABS, cornering traction control (four levels plus off), front wheel lift control, and cruise control, plus five ride modes including track mode. The bike is fully keyless, including the gas cap, for that fully modern experience.

Chassis and frame

The new Speed Triple should feel more like a Street Triple in terms of weight and dimensions, and that’s by design. A narrower tank and longer seat profile contrast with a wider handlebar on this mega-hooligan, made somewhat accessible with a 32.7-inch seat height.

The suspension is fully adjustable with Öhlins’ 43 mm NIX30 inverted fork and TTX36 twin tube monoshock. Brembo’s Stylema radial monobloc calipers handle the 320 mm discs, while Metzeler RACETEC RR tires offer as much dry grip as Triumph could get from a road-legal tire.

“We want the bike to be very natural to ride,” said Triumph’s presenter. “You shouldn’t notice the linking of the brakes, but we do link them. This gives you more braking performance before the ABS has to step in. When riding at the limit, riders will not feel the ABS at all, even though it’s there.”

Styling

There’s no doubt that this motorcycle is a Triumph triple. It’s compact, purposeful, aggressive, and available in grey or black. Keeping with the monochromatic theme, the RS gets a carbon fender, color-matched belly pan, removable solo cowl, and 17-inch wheels in — you guessed it — black. DRLs are dimmed for the United States, but at least we get them. The overall design is as compact as can be, thanks to Triumph's mass-centralization efforts. 

Triumph has sold over 100,000 Speed Triples since the line started in 1994. At the time of writing, this is the apex of the Speed Triple world, a hair-raising streetfighter that makes hypernaked power but weighs as much as a Suzuki SV650. Its mission may be a bit murky (not a track bike, but shipped with track mode and the nearest thing to race slicks?), and its abilities may be so far from the original's that they hardly resemble each other, but there's no doubt that this beastie is the Speed Triple to have for outright performance.

Of course, the Speed Triple 1200 RS has a price tag to match at $18,300. The new bike will be available in Sapphire Black and Matte Silver Ice starting in late March of this year.

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