TRIUMPH SPEED TRIPLE 1050 (2011 - on) Review

Year: 2011

Annual servicing cost: £50

Built quality - torque - solid ride feel - simplicity

Buying experience: Bought from a dealer - ex press bike so fresh from spain.

Version: ABS

Year: 2015

Annual servicing cost: £300

Best feature on the 1050 in my opinion is its road manners. Riding through low speed zones the engine is still smooth and happy to pootle along it doesn’t seem to struggle to maintain that low speed and the throttle never seems snatchy. The worst feature is a tricky one as it ticks a lot of boxes however I don’t find it overly comfortable even with the optional comfort gel seat.

Buying experience: I bought privately needed new tyres when I picked it up but it had just 3.5k miles on the clock and had seen three previous owners.

Year: 2011

Great bike. Plenty of power. Looks good. Turns well. A little heavy compared to a 600 class, especially when moving around in garage. The weight vanishes once on the move. Feels locked in on corners, doesn’t get upset by bumps. Very predictable.

Buying experience: Bought private.

Year: 2011

Lovely bike, would recommend

Buying experience: Bought from Bill Smith Chester, nice easy transaction for a cash sale

Version: Ltd edition Matt green

Year: 2011

Annual servicing cost: £150

Great build and quality finish

Year: 2011

Annual servicing cost: £20

Wow just wow. I’m probably not the most experienced biker to review this bike to be honest. Previous bikes consist of a Yamaha FS1M for 3 years and a 1974 Z1a for 21 years which I still have. Bought this speed triple a few weeks ago and Have only done 300 miles or so on it. In the previous owners own words “you’ve got yourself a well sorted speed triple” The previous owners had spent a lot of money on this bike. Arrow low boy, MCT sorted suspension, triumph gel seat, K&N air filter, Michelin power RS tyres ect, ect. The bike is like brand new. Anyway back to the review. The power is addictive and pulls strongly in any gear, no need to change down for overtaking. If you do want to behave like a hooligan and give it the full beans it loves that too, the pops and bangs on over runs are addictive. The handling is on another level compared to my Zed, bumps and uneven roads do not unsettle it in the slightest. The bike makes you feel like Randy Mamola oops am I showing my age. The riding position is very comfortable and brakes are first class. In conclusion I’m sure I would not be any faster on any other bike, the bike is a lot more capable than I am and probably more capable than 90*/. Of bikers out there.

Buying experience: Bought privately from eBay. 2011 speed triple in white, £1600 in extras when new. Condition 10/10 not a mark on it. 14000 miles advertised at £4600 paid full price with lots of pats including full new exhaust system new seat and paddock stands.

Year: 2013

Annual servicing cost: £170

Yes I would recommend it, it's a bucket list must own for all spirited bikers, just the right balance of rider input required for an exciting ride without being hard work, I love the torque you can put it in 4th gear and have a brisk ride from 20mph - 120 mph without changing gear!! And that exhaust note between 7,000 and 10,000rpm with open pipes is to die for, if that doesn't get you excited then there's no hope for you.

Buying experience: Purchased from Dave Death motorcycles, good experience - helpful but not pushy with good follow up customer experience

Year: 2014

Annual servicing cost: £150

Owned my Speedy since 6250miles now done 22,000 miles - I can't fault it. It's such a lovely and fun bike to ride, it's got loads of character and it's my pride and joy still, still love just looking it in, in the Garage!

Version: Speed Triple 1050 ABS (non-R)

Year: 2015

Annual servicing cost: £100

I've owned a wide variety of sportbikes and cruisers (I'll list them at the end), and the Speed Triple bests them all in virtually every category. HANDLING I've never owned a bike that inspired so much confidence right off the bat without even having to familiarize myself with the bike. Right from my first test-drive, I felt immensely comfortable on the Triple and was able to start pushing it without any concern I'd get myself in trouble. Now that I've ridden it significantly more, there's virtually nothing this bike can't do - it simply handles that well! As professional reviewers have noted, it's slightly heavier weight (476 lbs. wet) means you have to pick your line early and take extreme care if you need to modify your line mid-corner, however the bike remains incredibly flickable and capable. ERGONOMICS For me, Streetfighters strike the perfect blend of performance and touring. The standard handlebars put me in an extremely comfortable riding position while the footpegs allow me to tuck in when I want to. My shortest rides are in excess of 100 miles so it's important for me to be comfortable on my bike, and I never tire on the Triple. All controls are within easy reach and the stock seat provides the right amount of comfort and support. MY PREVIOUS BIKES (for comparison purposes) 1. 2001 Suzuki SV650S 2. 2005 Honda CBR600F4i 3. 2003 Honda Shadow Sabre 1100 4. 2002 Honda VFR800 Interceptor 5. 2005 Yamaha Roadstar Warrior 1700 6. 2007 Suzuki SV650S

Buying experience: I bought used from an individual whose son started riding dual-purpose bikes so he bought a Tiger and couldn't justify two $15,000 Triumphs in his garage. I got a spectacular deal, however it's worth noting that depreciation is lethal on this bike. If you can find a used Speed Triple that hasn't been abused (a challenge, let me tell you), you can get a great deal. My 2015 bike had 411 miles with a number of quality aftermarket mods that would have taken its entire cost up to about $15,000 MSRP. With still seven months of the factory two-year warranty, I picked up my Speed Triple for just $8500 in 2017 (just two years after its in initial model year). A nearly 50% price cut means depreciation on brand-new models will hurt.

Year: 2011

Annual servicing cost: £200

Having owned my 2011 bike since new the only criticism is the harsh ride and the heavy clutch.

Buying experience: Bought new from a dealer and being a new model at the time there were no discounts or offers to be had.

Version: Speed 94

Year: 2015

Love the bike did a 2900 tour to southern Spain last summer comfortable toured really well, also great to get out with the lads on sports bikes. Only thing stopping 5 star is the clocks, hate them, fiddly make no sense to use and feel cheap

Buying experience: Excellent dealership

Version: ABS-Standard

Year: 2011

Best balanced bike within the naked sector. Friendly but potent motor and perfect dynamic properties. It's the Queen of curves!

Year: 2014

Bought Speed Triple new last Sept as a replacement for my Daytona 955i. Entirely depends on what you want from your bike of course but for me the Speed Triple was an easy decision. Everytime I open the garage door I love it and everytime I ride it it makes me grin like an idiot; I'm sure it takes at least 10 years off me when I go out. By turns it is hugely impractical and at the same time perfect for the shortish blasts (up to 100 miles normally) that I use it for. It has little wind protection and so much over 100 mph is for short bursts only but in the real world the fun really isn't about going fast in a straight line that really doesn't matter and on twisty, inconsistent UK roads its awesome. Had a Tiger as a courtesy bike while the Speed Triple was in for a service and you could honestly fall asleep from the tedium. If you want to carry luggage and be protected from the wind then take the car. Bikes aren't meant to be practical, they are meant to be a bit wild and crazy and daft and that is exactly why the Speed Triple is perfect.

Buying experience: Bought from Triumph main dealer and took a bit longer than expected to actually arrive. Generally the dealer experience has been 3/5. it's been ok but nothing really impressive.

Current ride is gsxr750 k3. Test rode the speed triple but was very disappointed. Engine is mega but gearbox is a bit clunky. Ergonomics are great and very easy to ride but the suspension gives an extremely hard ride, transmitting every bump or ripple in the road straight to the rider. Even on the smoothest of roads there was a constant jarring. Salesman said I ws too light (11st). Suzuki is armchair in comparison. Triumph brakes are excellent only 1 finger needed but to me they seem too sharp no where near the feel of my Suzuki brakes although much more instant and powerful. Triumph trotted action ws also poor well off the stop before there was any response, my Suzuki on the other hand immediate. Biggest turn off though was the harsh suspension. Can't understand why this bike is getting such great reviews when my 9 year old bike does everything better. Triumph will definately not be getting my money.

Fantastic bike, very different from my previous bike the Bandit 1250 which although very good was a bit bland. The Speed Triple is much lighter and sharper handling, more like a sports bike, top spec brakes, supspension and handling. I don't think you could ever get bored winding her up with those blue shift lights. Standar tyres are made of butter the rear is now shot at 1300 miles ;-).

Just put one of these on order after a two-hour test ride during which time the kitchen sink was well and truly thrown at this bike. There are no obvious weaknesses to it other than an oddly splay-legged riding position and a slight lack of legroom, both of which matter not a damn when you're gunning it. There's no doubt about it, you can take absolutely horrendous liberties with these things. They simply will not misbehave in the slightest. Not only do they turn and hold a line on stock settings, but they combine that with supreme stability and front end feedback. Brake trailing? No problem. Ham fisted throttling? Not a concern, the fine control and traction available is astonishing. I tried everything I could do to upset it, and it was having none of it. This bike isn't for top-trumps worshipping spec-sheet anoraks, isn't loaded with bragging-right earning gizmos and isn't premium "exotica" (ie overpriced and underperforming). It's simply a damned fine piece of ingenious mechanical engineering that takes the piss out of anything I have ever ridden on a British road. It makes my existing KTM Superduke's handling look shit, which defies belief.

My current 2012 ABS is a great upgrade from my previous 2007 model. Its got personality like no other modern bike. I get a happy smile evertime I ride it!

Having now test driven the new Speed Triple from Triumph I can say that it is quite an amazing bit of kit. The engine and handling are just sublime and it has a decent comfort level as well - compared to the concrete seat and cramped conditions on the new Aprillia Tuono V4 R APRC (hyper loony bike) which I test drove three weeks ago. The engine, gearbox, brakes, handling, riding position, torque, suspension and general road manners all worked perfectly for me and honestly having tried all the rest I really want to buy this bike. But I am afraid Mr Bloor that I cannot and WILL NOT part with the fat end of £9,000 for a bike that has a bug eyed unfinished looking front end as ugly as this!!! PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE give us single light option that is as well designed and attractive as the Ducati 1100 EVO Monster. If you do that for me I will buy one without hesitation. In short this bike ticks every box for me except one and I will not buy it until there is a decent well finished good looking headlight on it that points where the front wheel is pointing. I wonder how many other people our there feel the same as me but are to scared of the slagging they might get for voicing their opinions?

A New Beginning With over 30,000 miles on the Street Triple, it was time to find a replacement. I could easily have had another, it’s certainly unbelievably good but where’s the fun in that? Having done the Sprint St and the Street Triple, the Speed Triple was the obvious choice. In fact, I was dead set on a Speed two years ago but one test ride on a Street forced a change of plan. I will try to put together some kind of comparison of the Three Triples – Street, Sprint ST, Speed Three – It’s the Magic Number I still feel a delight in riding a three-cylinder machine. I’m not the only one to have discovered this little secret. I know why most still choose the four cylinder creatures. They look at the spec sheets and allow top end, quarter mile and bhp to play an uneven part in the selection process. Perhaps the old fashioned ‘comes with a free oil leak,’ reputation of Triumph still lingers but those days are gone….well almost…… I do remember that the Sprint ST liked a bit of oil between services, not the Street but now I have the same engine again …note to self: ‘ fortnightly oil check’ I’m not including the track tarts in my dismissal of performance stats; if that’s your buzz, then fractions of a second really do matter and you need to know your R’s from your RR’s and your RRR’s, although they could be a little more creative with the bike names. I would need to change my football season ticket from Premier league to the Osteopaths league though; it’s noticeable how I emit a little grunt with each set of aerobic challenges, like moving for example I mean no harm to my track loving brothers, in fact I must give it a go before it's too late. The performance figures do not tell you how quickly you get to a 94 mph (beyond that point is a court appearance – been there, done that; once was enough and it worked – never again; I kept my license though) or where the powerband is; they do sometimes give you roll on acceleration figures but these figures are often so blunt that they achieve little more that putting machines into some kind of order. Don’t get me wrong, I love Top Trumps but by the time you hit the powerband on a meaty four pot japarama, you have either run out of road or are looking at a three figure number on your speedo. I really, really try to avoid three figure numbers now. I need my license and having spent five days going to work on the bus and train recently, I never want that to become any kind of prolonged reality. I am haunted by the painful memory of waiting at a bus stop for the 05.31 bus. Talking about mad speeds: there is good reason for insurance companies making quick bikes unaffordable for the young and beautiful; with youth and beauty comes rash use of the throttle and a refusal to consider mortality. If anyone gave me GSXR for my 18th, I’m sad to report I would be dead. The three-cylinder machine is perfect for British roads; acceleration on tap from standstill and bags of oomph in every gear. I think 151mph is fast enough, certainly fast enough to put your liberty into serious doubt. Incidentally, the top whack on the Street was 141 mph and I never felt oppressed by my inability to hit 170. The 1050 lump is a road bike engine and they have put it into a road frame; seems like common sense to me. As a footnote, the street red lined at 13,500 revs. Fantastic buzz but difficult to find the time and space on our congested UK roads. Of course, if you want the ultimate only a GSXR type can do that – and the 750 is the toast of the town – I think it looks great too! A thou Japanese racer is fine for a weekend warrior but I really wouldn’t want to live with one day in day out. I would love one in the garage though. The Speed Triple was a bike that I knew everything and nothing about. I had ridden over 40,000 miles with the identical 1050 lump in the Sprint and over 30,000 miles with the riding position of the Street. I had test ridden a 2009 Speed before buying the Street and felt that it was lumpy and top heavy compared to the light and razor sharp little Street. I had also spent so much time with the 1050 the engine that I fancied a change. I felt that I was stepping onto an un-faired Sprint – which basically it is. I actually felt that the 2009 Speed was muscle bound, a victim of its own gym sessions. I was really keen to experience the new Speed, as it has lost a few pounds and gained a riding position more akin to the Street, according to the marketing boys in Triumph. I’m guessing that the massive success of the Street forced Triumph into making the Speed more ‘Streety.’ I found the Street much more comfy to ride than the Sprint, although the saddle was clearly budget. The Speed is like any machine, partly blissful and partly a compromise. The only way to avoid this is either to have a garage bulging with bikes or an Inspector Gadget motorbike, able to morph between, streetfighter, tourer, bumble abouter and racer at will. Given that neither of those are terribly likely, the Speed will do nicely for the next year or two. I simply adored the Street but I did feel vulnerable in the wind and less at home on the motorway than on a city Street (see how Triumph were clever to incorporate this into the title). If I only rode in London or in any city, I would say that the Street is a better weapon but the vibration through the bars on the motorway, the high revs – 85000rpm when cruising and the seemingly endless changing of gear because of the close ratio gearbox, all stand as disadvantages to the little diamond. I do think that the Street feels faster. …although it isn’t it’s a second slower over a quarter mile but to ride the two back to back, you really wouldn’t know. Spec sheets only tell you so much and let’s face it, they are both more than fast enough to please most. Forum Life The only time I ever go near forums is when I have found myself looking for a new bike. Do these guys ever ride? Or are they just virtual fantasists? Indeed can you be a virtual fantasist or is that a paradox? Move on…. Let’s get down to looks. Triumph forums are awash with enthusiasts declaring their polarised views of the new headlights. Oh, if you’re really bored go onto one of the two Forums with a question like: ‘ I’ve been told that the Street is a much better bike than the Speed, I guess you guys are experts so why exactly would I buy one?’ 2 millions posts later and the ratchet jaws still couldn’t let it go! They are both great and the Sprint – Get Over It. I’m guessing it means that the new 2011 Speed is probably better, if the only negative are the bug eyes. Dame Edna Everage is a good description of the new bug eyes and I have gone from disliking…. to neutral and possibly edging towards liking them more than the old round ones. The gearbox is reasonably smooth but in my experience, that will get better over time. I’m happy to have more info on the clocks, the street was a bit Spartan in that department. To quote a forum poster: ‘The Street is built to a budget, the Speed to a specification.’ I think that there is some truth in that but the mirrors, lack of fly screen and cheap brake fluid reservoirs lead you to think that the bike was manufactured with the accessories catalogue in mind. I do miss the gear indicator from the Street; maybe it’s my inadequacy but: I will insist on trying to find seventh gear and quite often one attempt does not convince me. I don’t miss it enough to want to do anything about it but it was handy. I’m also going to have a go at trying to do something more useful with the rev / gear change light. I basically ignored it on the Street and when I finally got round to trying to tweak it, I had no success. Turns out the wiring loom was cooked but it was all fixed under warranty; cue memories of 05.31 bus, me and the station cleaners. Is it worth two grand more than the Street ? The Street is so good that this is a really tough one! The engines are different but both outstanding in their own ways, so you cannot really quantify that. The extra power and torque are noticeable, allied to the longer gearing. It sounds better and it is more comfortable overall. For two up work, usually bigger is better but I took a 6’2’’ friend on the Street and he really found it comfortable and easy to get along with. The street is more flickable and better handling; in town the street is a better bike. Elsewhere the Speed probably wins out. It could be my imagination but I do seem to feel less weary after my daily 120 mile commute on the Speed. I should mention that the Speed has a low centre of gravity and does not feel too heavy in town, especially given that I am only just long enough to ride it. I find the fuelling marginally better on the Speed. The Street could occasionally be a little snatchy and catch you out but not worse than anything else I have ridden. I’m still 300 miles short of running in the Speed, so any comments on performance would be worthless at this stage. It’s a bigger bike and it takes more stopping. The brakes are excellent and I lock up the rear brake as regularly as on every other bike I have ridden, well…apart from the BMW R65, they were really poor. So that’s poor riding, rather than anything else, some twelve year old habits from bicycles tend to stick. At least I don’t lock up the front. Fuel economy is somewhere between the Street and the Sprint but the larger fuel tank is something I really missed on the smaller bike. I used to have to stop for fuel every day, that was a real bind and added time to my journey, even though the credit card into petrol pump system is something I have really grown to love. I reckon you’re good for about 150 miles plus out of a tank and I do love the way the clock will count down how many miles you have left before pushing. The Street has no such luxury and I did run out of petrol for the first time ever on that machine. Clearly it was my own stupid fault but on the plus side, it was really easy to push. Final thoughts Am I happy I changed to a Speed? Yes and No but for my journey, the Speed is a more complete machine. I can tell that already. It is a better mile muncher and overall is more comfy, if only because it’s working so much within itself rather than being thrashed. I’ve got a feeling that I might be happy to raise the bars ever so slightly but we’ll see. Once I have stuck a couple of thousand miles on her, I’ll get some more words down but the best thing about this story, is that: If you’re stuck between the three, you’re going to end up with one hell of a bike.

The streetfighter marketplace has become a confusing place to spend your cash, exotic italian, V twin or Jap four, whats the best bang for your bucks? Up until now it was a personal choice with several favourites pushing to the front. However Thursday 18th November 2010, changed all that forever with the advent of the new Speed Triple. Stratstones of Leicester gave me the keys to their demonstraitor after first trusting me with their uterly brilliant Street Triple R. The brutal power of the big triple tried to wrench the bars from my grip as i grabbed a handful of throttle as i had done with the smaller bike earlier in the afternoon. The handeling is absolutly sublime, it was cold, wet and the roads were trecherous, but the Speed Triple's tyres gripped the tarmac like glue. The miles became more and more fun as i ajusted my ham fisted riding, gradually smoothing every input i was making out, which in turn allowed this wonderful bike to show me what it was capable of. However there is no way an average rider such as myself could ever reach the full potential of this bike. This is the toughest, most brutal, yet the smoothest bike available. I hate riding in the rain, i've got a car for that, but it was fun, awsome and scary, but an amazing adrenoline rush. Rain or shine buy one of these and you'll find yourself looking for excuses to get out there and blow away the cobwebs. This bike is without doubt the new King of thr Ring, it is the best naked streetfighter ever, there is'nt even a close second.