Hi guys Greetings from the French central Pyrenees! If you're going from Toulouse to Andorra (to get cheap fuel, booze and fags) you pass through my town of Foix. Or "phooowwwaaah" if your a Viz kind of person. Anyhow, I just bought a 2019 Speed Twin 1200. It's my first Triumph and a bit of a change in direction. After 3 GS's , a Super Tenere 1200 and Africa Twin 1000 I decided that big adventure bikes tick some boxes but not all. What was missing from my motorbiking was passion, the moto stiffy, the stand back admire experience. Always being "economic" with my cash, I decided to buy an early one to allow me the budget to upgrade. The second gen / Euro 5 were about 2-3000€ more (second hand) so I considered that was good money invested in upgrades. First thing was new tyres. The bike had 7500kms so the Pirelli Rosso 3 were squared, the handling was awful. However, I have just returned from running in a new set of Michelin Road 6. All I can say is "hell yeah!" What awesome tyres!! Really great handling and grip, transforming the bike. What a relief! I now started to have faith that the Speed Twin really has potential in the handling department, not just the trouser department. I fitted a Givi rear rack. Seems good. I've always used top boxes but I don't really want to spoil the looks of the Speed Twin! My Oxford waterproof bag attaches perfect and is enough to carry my hipflask, baguette and cheese for a day out. I've got some Ohlins STX 36 rear shocks and a Andreani Evo front cartridge set on order. I fitted a Nitron rear shock to my Africa Twin 1000 and it was a revelation. I'm going to write another thread on suspension... The previous owner included a brand new x-pipe / decat and K&N air filter. I was rubbing my hands together - it was clearly prime time for me to get in the garage and open the tool box again. The x-pipe was a bugger, to be frank. Took 5 hours. But all the time I was telling myself that it was all about "getting to know the bike" (that's another discussion, epecially if you've read Zen and the Art...) So first ride with the x-pipe and scrubbing in the new tyres was a honeymoon experience X-pipe added a nice rumble, not too much but just enough and what the Speed Twin deserves. I can't say that I noticed any better performance but it was worth it for the sound. Loveeeerrrleeee And I seem to be getting 64-67 mpg (UK) That's 4.5 - 4.3 l/100kms. Amazing economy. But that engine is an absolute peach, the way it loves to be thrashed but also bimble around, just making you feel good every minute of your ride at whatever speed. Such a pleasure after my dull and comparatively lumpy Africa Twin 1000!!! Looking forward to great ownership experience. I've got other bikes in the garage but the Speed Twin has muscled it's way in to a dominant position. Considering where I went today I should have done a better photo shoot but here you go:
hello! welcome and congrats on your new bike It is interesting to hear you went from adventure bikes to the speed twin I have a tiger 900 and have been eying the used speed twins Cheers!
Greetings to you Switters. Great intro. I'm down your way, Pyrenees in October with some biking mates. It will probably be my last foreign tour. I too see a speedwin in my future. Currently riding a tracer 9gt. Safe riding, jj
Congrats on buying a great bike! I bought a similar 2019 Speed Twin a couple of years ago and I've never stopped enjoying it. Give it the beans in just about any gear and it tries to rip your arms off, the torque is amazing. I swapped a Kawa Z900RS for the Speed Twin and I've never regretted it. Mine's been de-catted too (plus K&N filter and fuel booster plug) but I must admit I had it done professionally, I'd heard it was a bugger of a job as you've found out. I've also fitted Tec slip-ons, lovely sound. It previously had Thruxton 1200 end cans which sounded good, but the Tec ones are even better. Enjoy the bike and smile all the way!!
Hi and welcome. Stayed in Foix a few years ago touring back from Spain. Nice town and great roads around there
Thanks for the warm welcome My Ohlins shocks arrived this week so they went straight on. Had to get the angle grinder out to get suitable clearance with the Givi rack but all OK. I went for a quick test ride, up the mountain road that goes from my village. I know it well and it's slightly choppy in places but the ride quality from the new shocks was awesome. I've ridden this same road on many previous bikes but the Speed Twin felt really very good. The rough corners I was expecting were smoothed out. It was more like I didn't notice the bumps and I was focusing on the riding, not getting distracted by the road quality. Having only had the bike a few weeks and ridden mostly on worn out tyres, my confidence definitely increased. The poise of the bike and turn in was amazing. So that's X-pipe, Michelin Road 6 and now Ohlins rear shocks... I'm off to tour the Spanish Pyrenees tomorrow for a week so we'll see how she performs against the ADV behemoths i've been used to!! Cheers y'all