2025 Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RS first look

That’s what I said when Triumph unveiled the 2025 Speed Triple 1200 RS. 

After all, Hinckley just overhauled the Speed Triple for the 2022 model year. The brand advertised that refresh as a “Performance Revolution” — and for good reason. From horsepower to handling, the Speed Triple reached new performance heights. 

It’s difficult to characterize the model’s latest update in the same manner. It may not be a “Performance Revolution” but the Speed Triple still picks up key additions in 2025. Revisions that stand to make it more formidable on the road and track. 

Picking up the pieces

Mere months after the Speed Triple RS’s debut, Triumph introduced the Speed Triple RR, a neo-retro rendition of the super naked. In addition to its bubble fairing and clip-on bars, the double-R boasted Öhlins Smart EC 2.0 electronic suspension and Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP V3 tires. Unfortunately, the RR’s run was short-lived. It won’t return to Triumph’s lineup in 2025. Instead, the RS will pick up some of its leftover pieces. 

The Pirelli rubber comes over unchanged. The same can’t be said for the Öhlins suspension, which graduates to the Smart EC 3.0 system. Triumph claims the semi-active suspenders perform faster adjustments thanks to new spool-valve technology. The system’s Objective Based Tuning Interface (OBTi) continuously monitors and adjusts damping characteristics according to the rider's preferences. That's because OBTi allows users to dial front and rear firmness, braking support, acceleration support, cornering support, and cruising support.

That’s not the only new tech the Speed Triple gains. The wheel lift control system now offers four levels of adjustability thanks to IMU inputs. Of course, the model still boasts a full suite of rider aids, including engine braking control, brake slide assist, cornering ABS, and lean-dependent traction control.

Minor adjustments

Incremental changes also define the new Speed Triple's engine. The 1,160 cc triple now produces a claimed 180 horsepower (at 10,750 rpm) and 94.4 foot-pounds of torque (at 8,750 rpm). Triumph attributes that three-horsepower and 2.4-foot-pound gain to a “new, free-flowing exhaust system,” which helps to “streamline gas flow.” It also states that those updates are a direct result of its Moto2 engine development.

Triumph also made minor tweaks the rider triangle, with a wider handlebar mounted slightly higher than on the outgoing model. However, the seat and footpeg height remain the same, so legroom goes unchanged. 

The 2025 Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RS starts at $19,995. It's scheduled to arrive in U.S. dealerships in March 2025. Around that time, Zack will take the updated model for a spin on the road and around the track. If there’s anything you’d like Z to cover, let him know in the comments.