Hi all, I been lurking but this is my first post. I’m 67 and have been riding for 53 years. Mostly shaft drive BMWs and a couple of Moto Guzzis. I’ve owned at least 10 different airheads and a couple of Hexheads. Late last summer I purchased a new Speed Twin 900. I love the bike but I only had it for 2 weeks before having to leave town for 9 months. During the summer I live in Seattle, USA but I live in Portugal the rest of the year. Here in Portugal I have a 2020 BMW R Nine T Pure.. lovely bike, no complaints. I live just off N379, a windy costal highway and gateway to Arabida, a nature preserve criss-crossed with fantastic twisty roads (albeit some with the occasional unexpected gravel patch ) The R Nine T is perfect for the roads here. I also have a Vespa 300 which is more useful than fun. In Seattle I live pretty much in the city center. Last summer I bought a Speed Twin 900 over the ST 1200 reasoning that it would be a better bike for urban use. I like the the way the 900 looks, the factory exhaust looks and sounds amazing and the easy clutch. I wasn’t disappointed on the road for the two weeks I was able to ride it. I especially like the low seat heigh (I’m 5’8’ with a 30’ inseam). All in all I absolutely love the bike… However, there is a large drop in power from my last 3 bikes, 2 Guzzis a V11 sport and a Griso and the R NIne T. Since it was still in it’s break-in period I never fully utilized the STs torquey motor. It seems like a bike where you need to use all of the throttle to get the best out of it. I need a month with it before I will really have a feel for it. The roads in Seattle suck so If I do keep it I’ll find new shocks and work on the forks. I would also get bar-end mirrors and a pair bags(maybe Unit Garage). Other than that I’d probably leave it stock. I think it will be a great urban “do it all” cycle. I’m anxious to get back to Seattle and really get to know the bike and see if it’s a. Keeper ... If not I’ll be biting the bullet and stepping up to the Speed Twin 1200… Cheers, Geof Btw: It’s not my first Triumph. In high school I had a 1970 Trophy 250. I put a lot of miles on it both on the street and in the dirt. It shifted on the wrong side but I really loved that bike…
Welcome aboard! As a fellow 900 rider who has done this already, you may well find upgrading the suspension and lowering the gearing by adding a tooth or two at the back will do the trick. With betrer handling and a much more lively pickup you'll be less likely to notice or be bothered by the lower power. Especially in an urban area where off the line nippiness is better than outright power. Pretty cheap mods too so worth a try before the more expensive change of bike option. Let us know what you end up doing.
Thanks, Sir Trev, Good to get some feedback from someone with firsthand experience. I have been looking though the shock options and despite the price I might just spring( pun intended) for the Fox. Although, I do want something with a quick and easy preload adjustment since I ride 2 up half the time. G .
I had a 2019 Street Twin, before it changed it's name to the Speed Twin 900. I'm a similar size to you, 5' 8" with a 32" inside leg, so the seat height suited me. Nice bike but I soon began to find it a bit tame, so I bought a Speed Twin 1200. Wow, what a difference, torque a-plenty and the handling was much better on the OE Pirelli Rosso III tyres than the Street Twin was with the OE Phantoms. I've since swapped to Michelin Road 6's front and rear and the handling has further improved, and better grip especially in the wet (we get lots of that here in Scotland). The increased seat height wasn't a problem and weight-wise the 1200 is no heavier than the 900, even though it has a bigger (14.5L compared to 12L) fuel tank. My 1200 is an early, 2019 Euro 4 bike so I could get it de-catted and fit aftermarket silencers, a K&N air filter and fuel booster plug to give it even more poke. I've not touched the suspension, I find it's fine as it came out the factory, and the brakes, once I fitted EBC sintered pads, are great. The later 1200's, 2022 onwards I think, have uprated suspension and brakes. Riding in town, surprisingly I find it's smoothest in Sport mode, in Road or even Rain mode it can be a bit snatchy on the throttle, especially at low speeds. Fitting a throttle spacer does help a little. Here in the Scottish Borders we have an almost blanket 20mph speed limit in towns and villages. On the open road it really comes into it's own, enough torque to feel like it's trying to rip your arms off in almost any gear if you really give it some. If you haven't already, get a test ride on a 1200, see if it ticks all your boxes. They seem to be pretty reliable so don't be afraid to buy second-hand. If you can get a decent earlier bike, the Euro 4 model, you can modify it much more easily than the later, Euro 5 model.
Jimbo, thanks, you really addressed my concerns about which bike will suit me for the long run. It’s good to hear you find the stock suspension adequate on the 1200. I’ve been putting a lot of miles on my R Nine T and it makes me realize how much I’ll miss the extra grunt and fantastic brakes. It’s going to come down to availability and how much of a financial hit I’m going to take trading in a new bike. Cheers G
Guess I will chime in here on the 1200; I have a 2023 Bonneville T120 street; my last was a HD Roadking (great bike); I have no complaints; when I need torque and speed, it wakes up into a beast; if you get to test ride one, 3rd gear at 30mph, hit it and hold on or kiss your butt goodbye; hard breaking with front wheel - hang on or kiss the gas tank filler cap. Happy Camper