TRIUMPH THRUXTON 1200 R (2016 - 2024) Review

Not too comfortable for long trips - however I have done that wtih the Triumph comfort seat and a thick sheepskin cover. That makes it bearable on 500+ mile days. OK for pillions around town, very good in fact, but not so for more than one tank of fuel at a time ~ 110miles on the motorway and both need a rest!Brakes are great - but have a variable reputation, from good to poor. The occasional bleed at the top, on the mastercylinder fixes the common complaint of mushy lever and double pull. They can be sorted. The suspension has great range of adjustments - I dont understand some critics complaints. Getting suspension set up right is a science. Read up, take measurements and notes, you can get this bike from OK to exceptional no matter the task, from touring to track days. Keep notes! The only criticism is lack of footpeg clearance - OEM touch down easily, you can get an adjustable peg that lifts the height by 50mm.

Strong torque!! This is the best feature for safe city commuting to stomping out of tight bends on trackdays and getting quite an advantage on superbikes. That really pisses those blokes off. Sounds glorious commuting to work in central London.

Mine has led a hard life in the rain at the work carpark, albeit covered in ACF50 - it still scrubs up well in spring. Now has 36,000 miles on the clock and hasnt missed a beat. Has the usual signs of wear/miles however it still looks stunning after a wash. No reliability issues, however did need to replace the spark plug caps at some point.

I service it myself - it lives on full synthetic oil that isnt cheap - however with a long oil change interval that is really just once per year, though I never go more than 7000miles per year. Plugs last forever. K&N oil filter is a good investment and can be cleaned and refitted. Checking and adjusting valve clearance is a breeze on this engine. Easily accessible and no 'dealer tools' necessary.

Everything is just right, the switches are discreet, the polished alloy, filler cap, decorative bolt heads etc. It all looks great in a stylistic way. I think the designers must have had a great time drawing this up at the factory. Pirelli Anget GT tyres are the best for touring & commuting. Impressive mileage from the rear, all round capability in wet and dry. You can push them pretty hard alos. Michelin Pilot Sport 5 has been the best feel for trackday fast riding. However the torque from this engine will soon eat the soft Michelin with daily commuting and start stop traffic light, or spirited leisure riding.

Stock the bike is only ok but only on the best roads you can find. Front was hard, great steering, but unbearable on rougher roads. Upgrading was essential to cope with WA country "roads". Upgraded with biturbo rear shocks and yec engineering progressive springs and pre load caps. This was on the Stock 1200 Thruxton.

Lacks top end, ie over 160 kmh. But smooth and reasonable torque....ie compared to my previous bike a zx14R . Benefited rideability by fotting a 37T rear sprocket. Reduced highway cruise revs by 1,000. Goes s bit fast on first but worth the change.

23 litres per 100 kms Tyres are not as expensive as a full soze sportsbike.

Have Dolphin fairing Custom seat as so called comfort seat was basically a plank Cowling, Upgraded suspension. Michelin Road 6 tyres better than stock Pirelli More grip More grip in rain Mire meat on rogh roads or gravel Bling, tank strip Different calipers and mirrors But stock was fine

Gutless like riding a 250 trail bike

Overheats. Has only done 3500kms

Brakes on non R are good, not the very best but consistent with a decent amount of feel. I never feel I need more powerful brakes. Standard Twin shock rear suspension is ok. Could do with improvement but they do look great. At least they do not shimmy when lane changing. Non adjustable front forks are OK but could do with some 3rd party replacement progressive springs setup for my weight. Solo seat on standard version is really comfy. In traffic the clip ons do feel a little wristy but feels great on Sunday country roads. Bike tends to understeer a little bit so you have to put in plenty of body & lean angle to corner but it’s more the fun for it. No wobble at all when coasting no handed.

Like a big diesel. All bottom end. All over by 5,500rpm. No top end but lovely to waft along on the torque. Gearbox is too short. 6th works from 55mph to 120mph, could do with a 37 tooth rear sprocket upgrade to make 6th a bit more overdrive and less revvy. Vibration through foot pegs at 120mph but that’s to be expected on a big twin.

Fit and finish is superb. No problems at all mechanically.

Main Triumph dealer in London charges £85 per hour plus VAT but will quote number of hours for a job and stick to that if it runs over.

Doesn’t come with heated grips. Favourite feature is the looks and attention it gets. The fairing looks great. The torque is great. A Danish Booster Plug released a lot of top end for me, from 105mph to 120mph. Easy fit upgrade. X pipe decat does not sound much louder. Standard pipes sound not bad but look good. Remove the air box snorkel increase to get a better induction sound (one screw)

I feel the bike is at its best in the lanes, Big brembos up front mean you can really brake hard, trail into the bend release and power on through the apex and the just always seems to be in the right gear. its easy to feel like you have got every corner pretty much right. on motorways or A roads an hour and a half is enough, you can push on to the second hour, but its not fun.( I am 50 though)

what I love is exactly what I hate. I feel I can get everything out of this bike. I wish it had I tiny bit more power. A 1098 will remind you who you are. the thruxton is just to easy, the power is always there and you can wind on from almost anywhere in the rev range. a 1098 is trying to go all the time and then when you do go it is a real hand full

I think I have been lucky, I haven't had any issues at all.

tyres, I eat them. but I choose to go with Pirelli diablo Rossos. I could go for a harder wearing or cheaper tyre.

I love the styling. tail tidy is a must. X pipe and that's it for me. heated grips may be my next buy, if snow in April is a thing now

Ride is sublime. Brakes not.

Sublime.

It has had perfect reliability and despite living outside under a cover has aged with elegance during the past 4 years.

I have started to service it myself and am unsure how much it cost last time but it didn't feel expensive and was both straight forward and enjoyable to do.

The standard bike has a high level of quality in the components supplied. I retro fitted the low handle bars and then the heated grips. In an ideal world I would have liked a speed limiter or cruise control for the motorways as it is so easy to creep up to 80/90 MPH if I'm not careful.

the bike is at it's best on twisty roads riding 50-80 mph, not comfortable at bumpy roads due to overdamped suspension (1200R), I need a break every hour

great engine with lot's of smooth torque the whole range, 97 bhp more than sufficient, 3 riding modes useful, a little nervous on the throttle on bumpy roads

well built, light corrosion after 28k miles, foggy dashboard replaced under garantee

moderate servicing costs

Brakes ace, suspension is hard on some broken British back roads.

Full of torque but on/off throttle is poor until you get used to it. And there is lots of vibes felt at the bars.

Reliability been fine but bare alloy finishes leave a lot to be desired.

More than enough for style of bike.

If it weren't for the front brake issues, I would rate it a 5. Not all of them have it, but it is annoying and potentially dangerous for an inexperienced rider. The brakes bite HARD and have not experienced any fade. One tank of fuel, (about 150 miles) and I need a break. The bike rides firmly, even with the suspension dialed down, and the riding position, while I prefer it over upright riding, is not for everyone.

Glorious. Smooth, tractable, and torque, torque, torque! The 270 degree crank makes the thing sound a bit un-Triumph like, but it is a highly refined unit. Downshifts are rarely needed. Just roll and go.

Broken shift rod and still dealing with oddly spongy front brake. No complaints otherwise. Build quality is chart topping.

I do my own work, had the dealer reset the service wrench for me. Changed oil at 500 and again at 3000. Have only had to tension the chain once. All torques in spec.

The polished upper triple is beautiful, if a bit of a pain to keep looking good. The clocks are great, and the displays for other things like clock, rider mode etc are easy to use and useful. The Rosso Corsa Diablo tyres are not long for this world but are perfectly suited. I have a set of Dunlops on it now, and they are every bit as good (I am not an an aggressive rider). Seems like they may go more than the Corsa's 4500 mile stint, cut short by a flat. I have added a phone holder, heated grips, case guards, sport pillion pegs and Triumph nylon panniers. I have also purchased the two-up comfort saddle (it's great) and the low-rider saddle, which seems no lower to me than standard, but has a nice cross embroidery. The throttle spacers for Ducati are also highly recommended.

The suspension on the non-R model like mine is basic but performs well on the road. It seems to strike a good balance between firm and absorbent.

Grunty and it sounds lovely with the standard exhaust system fitted. I've left it well alone and I reckon it's the bike's best aspect.

The servicing figure is New Zealand Dollars.

Modern electronics that are easy to understand and use. There's no more to say really.

The ride quality is, when compared to the stock 2004 model, as different as night and day. Other than my Tiger XC I've never ridden such a comfortable bike.

Ride by wire throttle controls can be less than smooth, especially at small throttle openings. This one is good: not perfect, but good. I have V&H US Specification cans. they sound glorious with the db killers in, with them out a bit on the noisy side.

The black plastic ring round the Ohlins body has, at 3200 miles, become scored and looks unsightly. Triumph replaced the rear shocks, without argument, supplying new 2017 model version that doesn't have this plastic collar.

Heated Grips: work, and elegantly integrated into the controls. Fly-screen: reduces wind load well between 50 and 80 mph. Essential.

Changed the suspension to the comfort settings which improved ride and handling on typical winding roads. Brakes are excellent and very reassuring.

Love the instant surge of the low revving high torque engine. Plenty of power for wheelies and flying out of corners.

Excellent materials and beautiful touches. So far survived the February salt and responds well to cleaning.

Still under warranty.

Heated grips are excellent. The dual comfort seat could be more comfortable for a passenger.

Great handling and brakes, drops into corners with ease and the Pirelli tyres do the rest. The motor needs about 3000 revs to start pulling strongly but at that point it really comes on tap. This feels perfectly matched to the handling of the bike, which when combined with those powerful Brembos, just inspires confidence in myself to use the full potential of the bike. That confidence has led to me beginning to explore the out reaches of tread on the sidewall of those super sticky corsa tyres.

Very smooth and enough power to win the traffic light drag race. The motor sounds great, just like an old fashioned British twin, with plenty of crackle and pop on overrun. The standard pipes are fine but would potentially sound even better with updated cans. I'm looking forward to riding the bike after it's first service when I can push the motor into the upper reaches of it's rev range. Early performance from the motor, up to about 4000rpm suggests to me that it has a lot more to offer; can't wait.

Only had the bike for two weeks, so early days yet.

No servicing costs or repair costs yet, only two weeks old. I'm getting well above 50mpg and with service intervals at 10,000 miles the bike will be cheap to run. Insurance was also good value at £224 for fully comp.

The switches are all in the right place and easy to use. Having three engine modes helps on occasion. Self cancelling indicators would be useful; being old I keep forgetting to cancel them. I added a small fly-screen to the front, a dual comfort seat, for my old butt, and of course rear pegs to go with the dual seat. (The dual seat looks good - honest). the "Info" button is easy to use and toggles through all the information about the bike that you'll ever need to know. I just keep an eye on the speedo to be honest. The clutch lever and brake lever have good adjustment, for different sized mitts. The Olins & Showas offer infinite adjustment to the suspension, combined with Brembos for only and extra £1300 over the standard Thruxton; great value!

I could ride this bike as a commuter, or for a sunny Sunday run. At a stretch you could tour no problem. Limiting factor is the low fuel light at around 120 miles.

Lovely engine, smooth with a nice burble on the standard exhausts. Even pops a little on the over run! Lovely.

The bike is only 2 weeks old, with 250 miles so far too early to tell. However the components look top spec, and well finished.

Good on fuel, shows 57 mpg during running in!

My bike is standard at the moment. The best texture is the ability to change mode on the fly.

Dual Brembos up front are spectacular. The bike does not come with a pillion seat. It is an option which I will not buy. I usually commute to work about an hour each way. I have never felt uncomfortable. The riding position is aggressive but not torture.

This engine pulls hard. It may not have the highest HP in its class, but it has tons of usable torque, which makes power usable in daily riding situations. Traction control, ABS, and three rider modes also make for exhilarating rides.

The quality and build is excellent. Well approaching other european bike manufacturers. The only issue I found was a tendency for the bike to stall during the break-in period.

The 500 mile service is free. The next scheduled maintenance is a at 10,000 miles which is about 3 years for my riding.

Awesomely smooth. Tons or torque. The bike pulls. It will wheelie. I am thinking about the Vance & Hines slip ons since the stock pipes are a little on the quiet side for my tastes. The grips are a little small for my hands but this is easily upgradable. The only thing I don't like about it is the seat. There is a stitching across the back of the saddle which makes it uncomfortable to slide back into a full tuck.