2022 Triumph Speed Triple RS first ride review

It’s a bold statement but the laundry list of redesigns and updates are compelling evidence to back that claim. We covered most of it in our first look piece a few months back but the highlights are: a refreshed motor that is 15 pounds lighter and bumped up to 1,160 cc, a new lightweight aluminum frame, and an all new exhaust system, gear box, slip and assist clutch and quickshifter. For a model "designed for the street first" (Triumph’s own words), it is absolutely bristling with track performance ammunition. Triumph wasn’t messing about, either, as they brought us out to Chuckwalla Valley Raceway to put the all new Speed Triple 1200 RS to the test on the rigors of the racetrack.

So how does a "street first" roadster fare at the track? Time to get suited and booted to find out.

On versatility and adjustability

The keys to success at a track day? A good bike setup that makes you excited to ride and confident in exploring your riding limits. The Speed Triple RS comes stock with some high-end componentry to help every rider find that bespoke setting.

Climbing on board the Speed Triple, I immediately dialed in my levers. The Brembo MCS brake lever not only inches closer to the bar but also offers some modulation in free play. From a more progressive feel to an aggressive on-off bite, it’s up to the rider to choose the braking application that is best. The standard wide handlebar and neutral footpeg position are unchangeable, so this meant I had to make some body positioning adaptations when trying to go fast on the racetrack. In a few tighter corners I had some accidental footpeg drags that raised my eyebrow, but the general riding position fared decently for most of the track. As for that new compact chassis, I do have to say that compared to my collective memory of riding a great variety of 600 cc and 1,000 cc machines at Chuckwalla, the Speed Triple surprised me with its nimbleness and flickability.

The most crucial settings of all reside in suspension setup and the Öhlins 43 mm NIX30 upside down fork, along with Öhlins TTX36 twin-tube monoshock in the rear are some of the best on the market and are fully adjustable for preload, rebound, and compression damping. Not a total surprise, but the stock suspension setup was a bit too soft for the track, most notably creating a wallowing effect under hard acceleration out of the corner. I opted to go two clicks stiffer on the front fork and two clicks in both the rebound and compression of the rear shock for a noticeable improvement in performance.

The electric slide

Then, of course, there are riding modes, another tunable feature that literally puts the power in the hands of the rider. While Track mode is the obvious choice, I wanted to make sure I got a taste of each flavor to report on. Yes, this even includes popping into Rain mode for exactly one lap. These are the sacrifices your reporter makes to bring you the full details. The detuned motor was simply depressing on the race track but I am sure it performs as needed for those wet conditions it is intended for.

Worth noting is that modes cannot be changed on the fly, so every time I toggled to a new map I had to pull into pit lane for a complete stop in order to switch modes. I cycled on to Road mode next and was rewarded with much more power and throttle delivery was smooth and predictable, but the ABS did activate too much for track riding, so I continued onward in my mode sampling.

Sport mode offered way more punch from the motor and less intrusion from the ABS system. Of course I saved the best for last: Track mode. It turns out Track and Sport mode share the same parameters for throttle delivery but they have other key differences in settings that the track day enthusiast will appreciate.

Where the newly designed Track mode really differentiates itself is in the Optimized Cornering ABS and traction control settings. Track mode disables Optimized Cornering ABS but still has a track-specific ABS setting in place that is designed to increase front and rear wheel slip thresholds with minimal perceived interference for the rider. 

The traction control and enhanced front wheel lift control systems in concert were impressive to experience firsthand. Despite some of my ham-fisted attempts at power wheelies, the Speed Triple instead lunged forward with power-to-the-ground acceleration that nearly took my breath away. Do not fret, though, for those who want to put some sky beneath that front tire the traction control can be independently adjusted or turned off as the rider sees fit.

Speed Triple engine character

There is just something to be said about the personality of a Triumph three-cylinder motor, and this punched-out 1,160 cc Speed Triple is no different. At 177 horsepower and 92 foot-pounds of torque, the Speed Triple RS satisfies even the most power hungry rider out there. The slip and assist clutch and the quickshifter only enhance the motor’s capabilities, making gear shifts seamless, even during intense downshifts. Like most liter bikes, the Speed Triple is geared a bit tall, and at a track like Chuckwalla with short straights, the Speedy would lumber about in second and third gear a lot. Luckily, the powerband of the Speed Triple was wide enough to keep usable power at hand even at relatively low rpm.

Triumph is making quite a bit of noise about the new exhaust system, stating that the new Speed Triple RS is the “best sounding Speed Triple ever produced, with a visceral intake roar and characteristic triple exhaust howl.” Now I am not a certified Triumph audiophile and while I found the motor’s music pleasant enough, I am not sure I could describe it as a “howl.” I think with the addition of an aftermarket pipe that argument can be made but in stock format the Speed Triple was just a few decibels over mild-mannered.

The Speed Triple, reinvented

When the new company revived the Triumph name in 1994, the Speed Triple was one of its first models and as Andy noted in his first look article, they've sold more than 100,000 of them since. It helped start the streetfighter category and personified the new Triumph, in some ways. But in recent years, other models overshadowed it, and as the Street Triple grew more competent and got bigger in displacement, the once iconic Speed Triple seemed to be squeezed out. Meanwhile, competitors brought out naked bikes with all the electronics and nearly 200 horsepower.

The 2022 Speed Triple RS is intended to put the Speedy back in the game and position it differently in the market. Gone are the lower spec versions. It's the RS only, now, with all the tech and quality components.

It seems a little unusual that Triumph is describing the Speed Triple as "street first" but chose to introduce it to the media at a track-only event. With its extensive adjustability, I imagine the Speed Triple can be dialed in to make it a good road companion, but the full picture will have to wait until we can test it in a street environment. (Sounds like a great candidate for one of Zack's Daily Rider episodes.)

There is no debate, however, that the 2022 Speed Triple 1200 RS is fully kitted to deliver a more-than-competent track day bike for your lapping pleasure. With top-of-the-line componentry that can adjust to every rider preference, riding modes with nearly infinite tunability, and a motor that adds a bit more color than your run-of-the-mill inline four, the Speed Triple is ready to pull double duty for the hard-core track day enthusiast.

The biggest sticking point will probably be the MSRP of $18,300. That puts it in direct competition with some serious motorcycles, like the Aprilia Tuono V4 1100 Factory ($18,999), the Ducati Streetfighter V4 ($19,995) and the KTM 1290 Super Duke R ($18,699), to name a few.

Does the long list of premium components, features, and power justify the expense? I suppose that will be for the market to decide.

Image Gallery

+5