Bike Files: Triumph Speed Triple

Bruising Brit has a been a staple of the Triumph range for more than three decades…

Ah, the Triumph Speed Triple…

Yep, the Speed Triple is a real icon of the Triumph range. First introduced back in 1994, it was originally a mish-mash of parts, chucked together to create a kind of contemporary café racer.

The name was inspired by the legendary Speed Twin, one of the most sporting bikes in the post-war era, and came from the fact that it used Triumph’s much loved three-cylinder engine. That was probably the key to its success.

The long-stroke, 900cc triple was the pick of the Hinckley manufacturer’s early motors and even though the tech was a bit old hat, even then, it was a lovely thing which grabbed headlines through an unlikely one-make race series which offered serious price money and attracted some big name riders at high profile events, such as the 1994 British Grand Prix.

The Speedy underwent a transformation in the late 1990s as the more modern T500 platform replaced the original T300 series. It metamorphized from café racer to streetfighter, replacing the low clip on handlebars with higher one-piece units and introducing the twin bug eye headlamps which would become a signature of Triumph’s bike’s for over a decade.

When the Daytona superbike was dropped in the early 2000s, the 1050cc Speed Triple would become the company’s halo bike. The latest 1200 version came along in 2021 and is a serious competitor in a supernaked class that includes titans like the BMW S 1000 R, Ducati Streetfighter V4 and Yamaha MT-10. It can hold its head up alongside the best of them and continues to be one of Triumph’s flagship models.

That’s some pretty tasty competition. How does the Speed Triple compare to its rivals?

While lacking the outright power of the Streetfighter (and KTM’s 1390 Super Duke for that matter) the Speed Triple 1200 RS has more than enough real world performance. With a smidge over 180bhp on tap from the 1160cc triple it really is a phenomenal machine, but it is the way in which it is harnessed and presented to the rider that makes this such a usable supernaked.

The electronic suspension, from Ohlins of course, is sublime and highly customisable. The rider is able to enter their weight and riding conditions through the dashboard and this creates a brilliantly compliant ride on the road, which can be dialled up for the track if need be. There are three standard settings ‘Comfort’, ‘Normal’ and ‘Dynamic’ and these really do transform the ride characteristics at the touch of a button.

In terms of pecking order, it sits below the Ducati and KTM in price and performance, but above both the inline fours from BMW and Yamaha. The result is a very nicely balanced bike which arguably has the best road manners of them all. Triumph set out to make the Speed Triple 1200 RS the best ‘street’ bike in the class and we say that they may well have achieved exactly that.

Speed Triple 1200 RS… are there any other versions?

Triumph updated the Speed Triple 1200 range in 2025, dropping the retro styled (with fairing) Speed Triple 1200 RR at the same time.

The update wasn’t huge, using the need to accommodate the new Euro 5+ regulations as an opportunity to refine the package and, in some ways, to redefine it too. Power went up a few bhp, with over 180 rampaging ponies to be found at 10,750rpm, but the refinement went up a few notches too.

Triumph has worked really hard to position the Speed Triple 1200 RS as the most user friendly and street orientated option in the supernaked category and a number of seemingly small changes on paper, mainly the aforementioned suspension and more relaxed ergonomics, helped address negative feedback thrown at the 2021-2024 version’s lack of comfort and extreme nature.

That was all addressed, making the Speed Triple a surprisingly docile nutter. If you do want something a bit more extreme, Triumph have developed the ‘limited edition’ 1200 RX alongside the ‘regular’ 1200 RS. The main difference is that the RX has sportier ergonomics, thanks in large to lower clip on style handlebars and higher footpegs, as well as a fruitier sounding Akrapovič exhaust.

What does the latest Speed Triple 1200 ride like?

Short review: fast! It’s got 180bhp and anything with that kind of power won’t disappoint.

If outright power and a really sporty badge is your thing, it may miss out in terms of sheer bragging rights but it would be a real shame for you to overlook the latest Speed Triple.

Triumph have built their reputation on sweet handling chassis and soulful three-cylinder engines, and this puts both front and centre in the riding experience.

The electronics, while maybe not as sophisticated as those used by BMW, work seamlessly with the semi-active suspension and make for a bike that transforms its character at the touch of a button.

That three-cylinder engine delivers creamy low down flexibility and the brilliance of that Öhlins Smart EC-3 semi-active suspension, for all we’ve spoken about it already, is worth repeating. Tell it what you want it to do and it’ll do it. Stick it in Comfort and this a motorcycle as capable of lapping up distances as any unfaired machine, or choose ‘Dynamic’ and get your kicks in the fast group. It sounds good too, which shouldn’t be overlooked either.

It's a supernaked you can ride every day, without compromise. We could write more, but it’d just sound like we’re on the Triumph payroll (which we’re not, by the way).

It can’t be all good, can it?

Being a bit nitpicky, the dashboard interface isn’t quite as slick as some of the competition, but it’s certainly not bad. The styling isn’t quite as distinctive as some, which is a positive or negative depending on how you look at it, with the RS’ bulky silencer spoiling the lines somewhat in our view – we mean, why have a lovely single sided rear swingarm arrangement and then cover up the beautifully sculpted rear wheel with a dustbin of a silencer (yes, we know the answer is emissions, but let us rant…)?

The price will be off-putting for some too. £17,495 when launched in 2025 is a lot of money, although for a premium supernaked making 180bhp some might actually see it as a bargain…

Are the Speed Triple and Street Triple related?

The Triumph Street Triple is the company’s feisty middleweight. They share a lot of the same DNA, but the 765cc Street is cheaper, lighter and less powerful. It’s still a cracking bike though, and if you like the idea of a Speed Triple but want something a bit more accessible, then it might be right up your, erm, street,

Cool, finally, should I buy a Triumph Speed Triple 1200?

Wow, that’s a big question but if you are in the market for a supernaked and can afford it, the Triumph is definitely worth consideration… especially if you want a more versatile machine with some everyday usability.