Speed Triple Test Ride

I have ridden motorcycles since I was 17 and now aged 60, I'm still at it. . . . .
I was weaned on a diet of communist cast iron, in the form of a succession of CZs - both 175s and 250s, before graduating onto the East German equivalent, the MZ and my particular weapon of choice, the redoubtable MZ ES150. The MZ was of higher quality than the CZ but both marques were hideous examples of neanderthal man's early attempts at engineering and their only saving grace stemmed from knowing the considerable amount of metal which went into their construction, reduced the Soviets' capacity to manufacture T54 main battle tanks. After cutting my teeth on the above, in 1978 I moved on and purchased a brand new Suzuki GT380B which cost me the grand sum of £740. Thereafter followed a sabbatical from bikes, before financial hardship dictated the need to return to the communist fold and saw me offering asylum to yet another CZ250 twin, which I purchased on my return to university education. I confess to keeping that heap of ironmongery for about 15 years before finally swapping it for a VFR750M in 91, this was followed by an ST1100 Pan in 98, a 1050 Tiger in 2008 and an S1RR in 2015; the latter two bikes I still own.
The Tiger and S1K have 14000 and 4000 recorded miles respectively. This apparent lack of use stems from the fact that both bikes are competing with the car for my affections and annually from October through to April, the car wins hands down. It's true to say, the bikes have become a toy . . . . an old fart's indulgence and I make no apology for it . . .I have martyred my fingers, toes and todger to the Ice Gods far too frequently in the past to be even remotely offended by the mantra or accusation of being a "fair weather biker" - indeed, it's a badge I wear with pride! So there you have it . . . I'm an old codger, I have two great motorbikes, I ride limited miles for only 6 months of the year and so for what possible reason on earth could I feel the need to buy another?? It's a question I've been wrestling with and I'm struggling to come up with a sensible answer. Personally, I blame Youtube Vloggers and the lack of a nagging wife to help keep me on the straight and narrow but . . . . . I've convinced myself - I NEED a Speed Triple RS.

I've watched numerous reviews of the Speed Triple and have been anonymously loitering on the forums in order to better judge the ownership proposition but today, the weather finally held up and the test ride was on. I was particularly keen to draw comparison between the 1050 fitted to the RS and the earlier generation of yesteryear, as installed in my Tiger and I can say that I was genuinely shocked.
There were a number of problems with the Tiger 2007- . . . . most notable were
1. Projector headlights which produced very little light, whilst simultaneously radiating enough heat to fairly quickly delaminate the reflective coating from the dipped beam projector which in turn, resulted in even less than "very little light".
2. A gearbox which harboured a whole bunch of false neutrals and which came perilously close to ruining what was otherwise a fine motorcycle and
3.Fueling which suffered from snatching and lurching whilst rolling on and off the throttle at low revs.

The RS I was testing had been fitted with the optional quickshifter. I have read a number of very worrying reports about false neutrals resulting in terminal gearbox damage, as a consequence of using the quickshifter. Triumph subsequently fessed up and recalled the bikes in order to fit a modified shift arm. The modification comprises the standard part being placed on a milling machine and the removal of a small amount of material in order to reduce the risk of the quickshifter unit clashing with the shift arm and thereby restricting its movement. Whilst it would seem Triumph appear confident in their remedy, at least for some owners the gearbox debacle continues notwithstanding. I must admit that I felt there was another explanation and that whilst the mechanical interference of these two parts perhaps formed part of the cause on some machines, I suspected this wasn't the whole story. Part of my scepticism resulted from having ridden 14000 miles on my Tiger and having acquainted myself with its propensity for selecting false neutrals at every opportunity. If I attempt slick, snappy changes on the Tiger, I will enjoy the results 95% of the time but there's always the remaining 5% of changes which will punish me - each false neutral is inevitably accompanied by a cacophony of knocks, bangs and clunks before eventually the dogs engage and drive ensues once more. . . . I've learned the lesson - it isn't worth it; slow, deliberate and methodical gear changes every time is the only way on a 2008 Tiger.
I suspected the problem with the RS quickshifter stemmed from mating the unit to a gearbox which was limited by a fundamentally agricultural design - I couldn't have been more wrong!! I was aware that over the years, Triumph have made numerous improvements to the 1050 box but the difference was night and day. The RS box feels crisp and precise and notwithstanding the Tiger's fuelling issues tending to exacerbate the feeling of backlash, I received no such impression when rolling on and off the throttle of the RS. Every change was sharp and precise, both up and down the box. I even attempted some "sloppy" changes for which my Tiger would have spanked me mercilessly but the behaviour of the RS was impeccable, on each and every change. I used both the quickshifter and clutch in equal measure but went up and down through the box gratuitously in order to test it to oblivion - not one false neutral. The quickshifter is not dissimilar to that fitted to my S1k, in that changes are smoother at higher revs and with reduced engine loading . . in other words and not that I in any way attempted this, the worst case scenario would see an upchange from perhaps 2nd to 3rd gear at 2500rpm and full throttle. It you take the opposite extreme, say changing from 4th to 5th at 5000 rpm with a lightly loaded or feathered throttle, the swap was almost seamless. I didn't attempt any full throttle upchanges as this is not how I ride, although I am aware that at least one member with ongoing issues does profess to ride this way and of course, the bike should be designed to handle his style of riding. Downchanges using the quickshifter were crisp, precise and with an accurate blip which was dare I say, somewhat better than the downshift on my S1K.
On reflection, I remain uncomfortable - If I order a bike with a quickshifter, I am almost bound to use it and after today's experience, I would like to think I would be confident to do so but . . . . I remain conscious that I don't think we've been furnished with the full explanation over this issue. After having ridden the RS today, I am convinced the box is upper echelon . . . there's simply nothing wrong with the way it works - near faultless. In hindsight, I'm feeling more inclined to believe the issue perhaps lies with faulty quickshifters rather than the gearbox itself . . . who knows. All said and done, I've thought it through and in every case, I was able to make smoother changes using the clutch and doing so was both rewarding and fun - I see no basic reason for the quickshifter and if there is any additional risk associated with its use, I have decided to forego its fitment. Triumph are currently offering a free quickshifter for UK bikes purchased before the end of March but it remains "dealer fit". I asked my dealer if I could have TPMS instead and they quickly agreed. I will fit these myself on first tyre change, if not before and then return to the dealer to have the system activated. On my return home, I was greeted by a message from the dealer suggesting they would offer the bike for £13600, with TPMS but also give me the boxed quickshifter which I could fit or sell on as I so choose. Dammit, now it's looking even harder to turn down a deal. . . . . .

 

Anyway, the rather surprising punchline to this part of the story is that on my return to the dealers, I examined the gear shift lever on the demo and noticed it hadn't been modified. . . . I enquired of the salesman only to be told the recall affects certain bikes and VINs and the demo was new and they're "all like that now out of the crate". My facial expression must have conveyed a certain level of doubt because he suddenly felt unsure how much to believe his own story and the need to go and ask one of the service technicians. He reappeared 2-3 minutes later with a modified shift lever in his hand and the explanation that their demo had received a recall a few months back but as yet, they hadn't found the time to fit the new part!!!! Hmm . . . . more fuel to the argument that this is not really the problem and particularly, given the dealer hasn't yet fitted it to their own demo!! Like most of us, I'm becoming immune to most of the BS these guys spout when attempting to sell a new bike . . . . I asked how long the batteries last in the TPMS sensors - at £250 per set, it's not something I would want to be replacing every five minutes. "Oh . . the life of the bike - perhaps 20 years" was the almost instant response. A look of cynical disbelief catalysed another impromptu visit to the workshop for confirmation of this industry-leading claim - unlike on the first occasion, the tech didn't know either and so the question was posed to Triumph who. . . . . . . . also didn't know but rather helpfully conceded that they were guaranteed for two years. So there you have it peeps, if you want to know how long anything lasts on your Triumph, the answer is 2 years!!!!

Fuelling . . . . ye gods. Again, the difference between the RS and 1050 Tiger was night and day. Now before I get too carried away singing the praises of the RS in a subliminal attempt to convince myself to buy . . . it was no better than the otherwise superb S1K - smooth, progressive and faultless. On the other hand, the Tiger lurches and snatches when rolled on and off the throttle. Owners have invariably attempted TOR pipes, non-branded pipes, SAI removal, and various engine tunes using TuneECU - I've got all the t-shirts on this subject and so believe me . . . . once under load or on the over-run, the Tiger is a pussy at all revs but when switching from one to the other, particularly a roll on - just be ready for it or sooner or later it will catch you out.

Finally, I took more than a cursory look at the clutch lever . . . . . there have been reports of engines lacking drive and which turned out to be clutch slip due to the lever failing to properly release further to filings etc building up within the clutch lever "bearing". I remain baffled by this and the various descriptions of metal filings in the clutch lever - the design looked essentially similar to that fitted to my tried and trusted Tiger and I could see no reason why this should need additional lubrication or indeed, why it should be prone to self-destruction and so the mystery remains - the jury is still out on this one but speaking personally, I see it as a non-issue.

The finish of the RS is outstanding and to my eyes at least, the bike just looks right and was very comfortable for my 6ft 3" frame. I departed the dealer intending to visit a local friend and was immediately surprised at how comfortable a naked bike is and indeed, how little the wind was affecting me as I blasted along at between 70-75mph . . . . . yup, it's true - fairings are for pussies or for those with atrophied, marsh-mallow gonads and totally unnecessary . . . not something I'm going to miss - that is, until the return journey and the realisation that I was now battling a 15mph headwind; 65 mph was now becoming a little tiresome and in my mind at least, my gonads just that little bit softer. There was no turbulence which is often associated with screened bikes but this is not the bike for sustained high-speed motorway miles, it just isn't but then, I've got the Tiger and S1K for that. For backroad blasts and speeds up to 70mph, it will suit me just fine.

Oh goddammit . . . I've dug another hole for myself. I really must stop watching Youtube. I need an excuse not to do it. Maybe when I ring Bennetts in the morning they will tell me it's going to cost £5K to add another set of wheels to my multibike policy - hopefully they will but then . . . . . hopefully not - I WANT ONE. Thank Gawd I don't have to run it past the wife!!!


Incidentally, the dealer had a matt black version to which they had applied a clear coat and it had morphed the machine into the most shiny gloss black you have ever seen . . . . absolutely magnificent and so much so that I kept questioning whether or not they had repainted it but no . . . . just added a clearcoat - NOW I REALLY WANT ONE (and in gloss black please!)

 

Thanks for that comment . . . I've checked insurance quotes today and it looks like it's a go - I just need to stew on it for a few more days. Your explanation surprises me somewhat. The inference from your explanation is that if the "hinge/pivot" bolt is overtightened, it squashes down the casting either side of the lever and thus has the potential to jam it or at least make it stiff to move. On the Tiger the same "bolt" is a cylindrical tube of say maybe 8mm in diameter and with a much shorter threaded section at the bottom of say 6mm dia. This is passed through the top of the casting, through the hole in the lever but then stops as it butts up against the 6mm dia hole in the bottom of the casting and through which only the threaded portion passes. Thus, you can tighten the thing as much as you like and short of stripping the threads, there is no compression onto the lever itself, which continues to move freely - the clearance in the casting remains unaffected. I will take a look if I get the bike but that does sound a most peculiar design

 

I've bitten the bullet and blown the cobwebs off my wallet . . . . .
My local dealer offered me a new S3 in black, quickshifter boxed and with TPMS for £13600 on the road - and I've been sweating it out trying to justify it in my mind and then started looking at S3s and accessories on ebay and noticed there are quite a few for sale which are new pre-registered bikes. Further investigation revealed the dealers appear to be awash with the things. It seems that Triumph have been pre-registering a number of bikes and releasing them to the dealers so they can be sold as "second hand", when in fact, they are basically new and with delivery miles only.
I managed to strike a deal on a bike first registered on 31st July 2019 in black and with PDI/Delivery miles only (5 miles). It comes without a quickshifter, no TPMS and no roadtax but given the dealer is 150 miles away, delivered to my door for an additional £50 - all in price . . . . . £12049.
This is a great result for me because the V5 shows Triumph UK as the first registered owner and me as the second but given it is supplied SORNED, I can fit a tail tidy, rad guards and pimp it at my leisure before it first takes to the road and I can insure it and tax it when it suits.
I've had a quote for a fully comprehensive policy to include the S1000rr, Triumph Tiger 1050 and the new S3 of £354 which I thought was pretty reasonable and so we're all go - porno pictures in due course. . . . .
Incidentally, anyone think it's strange that Triumph are doing this - it occurred to me that either it's a way of trying to shift more bikes over the winter by essentially discounting them by selling them off as second hand or . . . . . maybe they're shifting their stock and getting rid of the 1050s to make way for the new 1160 that everyone is hinting at. Time will tell but either way - I would still be buying a 1050.
Will be fitting the Evotech tail tidy but not sure about the rad guards - either R&G or Evotech - most likely R&G but as Evotech are only up the road from me, I might nip across and take a look at the guards before I finally decide.

 

I've bitten the bullet and blown the cobwebs off my wallet . . . . .
My local dealer offered me a new S3 in black, quickshifter boxed and with TPMS for £13600 on the road - and I've been sweating it out trying to justify it in my mind and then started looking at S3s and accessories on ebay and noticed there are quite a few for sale which are new pre-registered bikes. Further investigation revealed the dealers appear to be awash with the things. It seems that Triumph have been pre-registering a number of bikes and releasing them to the dealers so they can be sold as "second hand", when in fact, they are basically new and with delivery miles only.
I managed to strike a deal on a bike first registered on 31st July 2019 in black and with PDI/Delivery miles only (5 miles). It comes without a quickshifter, no TPMS and no roadtax but given the dealer is 150 miles away, delivered to my door for an additional £50 - all in price . . . . . £12049.
This is a great result for me because the V5 shows Triumph UK as the first registered owner and me as the second but given it is supplied SORNED, I can fit a tail tidy, rad guards and pimp it at my leisure before it first takes to the road and I can insure it and tax it when it suits.
I've had a quote for a fully comprehensive policy to include the S1000rr, Triumph Tiger 1050 and the new S3 of £354 which I thought was pretty reasonable and so we're all go - porno pictures in due course. . . . .
Incidentally, anyone think it's strange that Triumph are doing this - it occurred to me that either it's a way of trying to shift more bikes over the winter by essentially discounting them by selling them off as second hand or . . . . . maybe they're shifting their stock and getting rid of the 1050s to make way for the new 1160 that everyone is hinting at. Time will tell but either way - I would still be buying a 1050.
Will be fitting the Evotech tail tidy but not sure about the rad guards - either R&G or Evotech - most likely R&G but as Evotech are only up the road from me, I might nip across and take a look at the guards before I finally decide.

 

Hi All . . . I had a drive out today. I went to the dealer to see two bikes in the flesh. Both were "brand new" pre-registered machines - one white and one black; I guess you already know what's coming . . . . . .
My gut feeling is that I like the Matt finish; I even rather like the green fluoro decals but I'm concerned about the practicality of the black finish and also, having seen one at another dealer which had been polyester clearcoated, I had rather decided in advance that this would be the route I would go down

1. The white is clearcoated from the factory, It's a practical finish with no real downsides and requires no special treatment but for me at least and purely from an aesthetic standpoint, it doesn't look as good

2. The matt finish is almost impossible to touch up any stone chips/scratches etc and invariably looks better if the mark is just left as is. Also, I was warned today never to polish it as this interferes with the matt finish and results in swirl marks and the formation of a satin "sheen". Supposedly, the best way to clean is with warm water, detergent and then if there are any greasy finger marks etc, an alcohol wet wipe is the best thing to use. Finally, I was told to remove dead flies and insects at the end of a ride and not to let them dry into the paintwork as again, the more rubbing involved when cleaning, the greater the tendency to produce areas with a satin sheen.
OK . . OK, I had heard enough - it was a toss up between the white or the black, followed by a trip to Joe Black or Dream Machine to get the paintwork lacquered and changed to gloss black with a poly clearcoat.
I coughed up 12200 spondoolies for the bike with TPMS but came away still undecided and . . I'm still undecided but I have to firm up with them tomorrow. Let's face it, the first time I ride the thing I'm going to forget all about the colour and so part of me thinks, save £500 on having the paintwork lacquered and just go for white from the get go and spend the dosh on doing other stuff to the bike but . . . . . the gloss black looked so very good and of course, there wouldn't be many 2019 RSs out there in gloss - hmm . . decisions, decisions.
As a counter to this . . the demo I rode had 2800 miles and the black was unblemished - dammit, why can't they make the bike in just one colour and save me the heartache??!!
Have ordered an R&G Paddock stand and looking at a Bursig plate for my centrelift stand for when I want to remove the front wheel, meanwhile, it's back to work on the 1050 tiger. . . . .

 

Hi all, hopefully anyone else facing the same decision can glean some info from my dilemma . . . executive decision has been made!!
I spoke to Dream Machine this morning about the practicalities of a gloss clearcoat and they are only up the road from Triumph Hinckley and also do quite a bit of work for them. He told me that the matt finish on the Triumphs is of a very high standard but the ownership proposition of any matt paintwork is, to quote them . . a nightmare.
Of more interest to me, he confirmed that the bikes are painted in Triumph's standard solid black paint, lacquered with gloss, prior to application of the decals and then finally finished with a matt sealant and it is this coat which imparts the matt finish and not the paint itself.
I've been quoted £350 +VAT for the job, if I drop the parts off and so given the saving on the bike, I'm going to run with it - pictures to follow.
He said the high price was to cover him - whilst most of the time, it's a simple lacquer job and a replacement of the Triumph tank badges, occasionally contaminants cause the job to go tits up and they have to cut right back and do a full paint job and this is normally caused by silicone or polish having been applied to the paint at some point and which makes the job much more involved. So - at just over £400 . . . job's a goodun. He reckoned the final gloss black finish will be highly durable and far more practical, whilst maintaining the basic colour scheme which I like.
I contacted the dealer today and they're arranging delivery, thereafter, I will pull it all apart!!!

 

The bike is being delivered this coming Tuesday . . . unless Coronavirus forces the dealer into bankruptcy beforehand!! . . I shouldn't joke.
I ordered an evotech radiator and oil cooler guard this evening, along with an Evotech tailtidy.
Hopefully, I will get the tank and plastic removed and take it over to Nottingham in short order and then that will give me a couple of weeks to faff with the guards and any other stuff I want to do with it.
My rider policy expires on 28th April and so I won't insure the bike until then as it's going to cost a whole load of dosh to add the bike for just one month rather than wait and take out a new policy for all three - meanwhile, I have the Tigga to plod around on.
Watch this space!!

 

My new Matt Black RS was due for delivery yesterday. I watched Johnson's announcement on Monday night and feared the worst but decided to take a look at the .gov website to drill down into the rather confusing statement he made. . . .
There seemed to be something of a contradiction in the need for everyone to stay at home and lock themselves away, only leaving the house for one bout of exercise etc and yet, it appeared those who can't work from home are still allowed to travel directly to and from work . . . crazy!!! It's as though co-workers can't infect each other - hey ho!!
Anyway, having looked into it, it would seem that courier and delivery drivers are exempt and so I thought there was a good chance the bike might still turn up . . . I rang the dealer.
The driver was en route but had been contacted, turned around and gone back to the showroom. We now have a new delivery date of 14th April . . and pigs might fly!!! I think we will be stuck with these restrictions for the next 3-6 months minimum and thereafter, kiss goodbye to package tours, cruises etc and all unnecessary foreign travel. This time, the human race got away with it . . .next time we may not.


Anyway, I digress. I already paid for the bike in full but the V5 hasn't been signed or sent off the DVLA by the dealer and so I have now asked them to get this done because if they become insolvent, at least the bike won't be listed amongst their assets with me as a creditor - more a case of "my" bike in "their" showroom.
Meanwhile - I have a whole pack of strap-on goodies to install, no bike . . only an owners manual which I have read from cover to cover - twice!!!
Two things surprise/disappoint me
1. The Ohlins rear shock is adjustable for rebound and compression but not spring preload. Whilst I would rarely fiddle with it anyway and almost never take a pillion, it does seem odd. Surely without extra preload dialled in, the bike may well squat excessively at the rear, particularly if the passenger is gravitationally challenged and loaded with lard??
2. This is the more irritating thing . . .the LED daytime running lights are sealed into the headlight unit. When these burn out or fail . . which they 100% will, you either accept your DRLs are kaput or you buy a complete new headlight shell, which will be several hundred pounds - not good Triumph!!!!

Other than 2 above, all seems good - all I need now is the wretched bike . . . grrrhhh!!!