Triumph Speedmaster 1200 (2018-on) Review

No worries so far.

Solid as a rock. No issues, responsive, chilled, nice. What more could you ask…….

No complaints, a little rust makes on wheels after 1st year winter storage, but easy to clean off ( thanks to a Shed and Buried tip. Other than that, excellent.

Plus £400 for 2 year extended warranty.

All good

Comfort seat is good and even after a 5 hrs no pain in the back. The pillion is comfy enough for a 2 hrs ride.On the quilted seat I feel the urge to stop after 1.5 to 2 hrs. Can't say anything about the quilted pillion seat. On Irish roads and with a bit of weight I started with level "1" for the rear suspension. After some jumps out of the seat I changed to level "4" which wasn't too bad. At the moment I am on level "7" which is perfectly fine.

Torque straight out of the cellar. Lovely grumbling sound like an adult lion. Comfortable on longer distances up to 110 kph, short sprint to 160 kph is no problem. Once used to the beach bars, you won't believe ever having had different handle bars on a bike. Traction control and ABS are an asset and do a good job.Only the ground clearance with easy scratching foot pegs is a little minus, but as this is a cruiser I won't deduct a star :)

Lovingly designed details and every time you look, more catches the eye. The classically designed headlight is reminiscent of the bikes of the 1960s. The chain guard is made of metal not of plastic - just one of the little details that make Triumph an outstanding manufacturer. However, the chrome on the rims tends to catch corrosion very quickly, the layers could be a bit thicker. I had issues with the comfort seat as the lumbar-support cushion was soaking water like a sponge.

When cruising my Bonneville Speedmaster she runs 63 mpg which gives a theoretical riding distance of 267 km.Since February I rode 4700 kms (1 June), first inspection in March was 200€.

Lots of accessories, Triumph-made and third party to customise an already perfect looking bike. I am happy having the heated grips, they are easy to handle and give good warmth to cold fingers. A main stand would make maintenance easier but a paddock will do the job as well.Don't forget the boffins.

needs better shocks are seat it will hurt your back if you hit a pot hole

Its riding range is terrible my empty light comes on at bout 100 miles you have maybe 30 miles to find a gas stating out west in the usa this bike would be usless it would be a perfict bike if you could get at 160 to 170 miles out of it

Beautiful to ride but bloody uncomfortable after an hour in the seat. Handles twisty back roads and highways with spirit.I would have said a larger fuel tank would be useful - good for around 25o km however you are just happy to get off the bike and rest your back.

Smooth and reliable power

Ride quality is sensitive to adjustment. The only adjustment you can easily make is rear spring pre-load. Getting the right pre-load for your weight makes a big difference. See earlier comment about the poor quality adjuster tool. I now use a much stronger forged steel replacement tool to do adjustments. Handling can be sensitive to tire wear and incorrect tire pressures. Replace the tires when you're supposed to. Don't try to eke out every last mile from worn tread. Check and adjust tire pressures frequently.

Lovely relaxed power deliver, tractable at low revs, and a great sound.

This bike just oozes quality. Magazine reviewers mention the paint but the quality goes deeper than that. The wiring loom under the fuel tank is neatly contained and covered rather than just being zip tied in place. There's a stainless steel plate, not just black plastic, where the drive chain lower run goes past the swing-arm pivot. Front and rear fenders are steel, not plastic. The only quality disappointment is that the pre-load adjust tool seems to be made of cheese and easily bent.

My costs are in New Zealand dollars, so not really relevant or relatable to most people. Suffice to say that my long-time local motorcycle mechanic continues to do a good job on this bike just as he always has with previous bikes. The 10,000 + 30,000 mile service intervals are a good thing too. For me, fuel and insurance are cheap and consumables such as oil, filters, tires etc are all reasonably priced.

Best standard feature is cruise control. The optional Triumph barn door style windshield looks horrible, is the wrong height, and causes buffeting, so I fitted an opaque black MRA Roadshield Classic that matches the style of the bike and provides enough shelter. The optional Triumph waxed cotton and leather panniers are very stylish but stupidly small, so I've ordered Craven Meteor fibreglass panniers to replace them. My occasional pillion appreciates the optional backrest for the additional sense of security.

Great all-around bike. Great around town, nice on the highway with no absolutely no vibes up to 75 in 6th gear. The digital rev counter and gear position indicators help stay in the power range. Good handling in the curves, although the beach bars took a little getting used to.

Feels bulletproof.... just pulls and pulls. The engine is quiet so the put all the sound into the pipes, which just sounds great.

Build quality looks excellent. I've had two previous Triumphss and over 25 years had no repairs other than a thermostat and a switch replacement. I expect this will be just as reliable.

I got 56 mpg on the first two fill ups, which will probably increase (so they told me) after my first service.

I like the rain and road modes on the fly. I might recommend a better pillion seat and I just bought a dual Corbin seat with a back rest. This will make it better for my wife on the pillion, and for me when taking longer rides.

upgraded to comfort seat for rides over 2 hours. raised bars 70mm/2.5" for 1.8m/5'11"" height to straighten my back. Also upgraded rear brake to Brembo 310mm for extensive trail braking use. Twin front discs are impressive.

Snatchy at low speed maneuvers which rain mode improves, otherwise a very torquey engine with good gearing the winds forever.

I had the left indicator replaced on warranty, caused by rubbing behind teh light cowl. Replacement cabling was much thicker.

occasional oil top up

Avon Cobras are great, replaced with Cobra Chrome. Added the auxiliary plug for USB charging and better horn. Recommend a Dart fly screen for buffering some wind at high speed.

Two Brembo 310 caliper brakes to the front are really good at bringing you to a stop when you need to, the ABS kicks in at the right time also. 4 out of 5 because i think there should have at least been a single 310 Brembo at the back and not a Nisin, it feels like there's not even a brake there. I love the ride position but I had tail bone ache after 1.5 hours so went for the comfort seat and that's much better

It would be quicker to tell you what i dont like about this engine.......... NOTHING! I honestly feel that this engine is just about as good as it could be. If i was to be really picky, maybe a bit of foot vibration when going over 70 mph

1st proper service not had yet (only 500 mile service so far)

Great options for this, however like i said i dont like the Nisin pot on the back or the standard seat. Apart from that i love everything about this bike although i think a small none tinted "dart" type screen should have been an option aswell along with 100% leather panniers and not leather / fabric combo but thats a personal choice