Thruxton Thinking of Buying a Thruxton R

Rich Bryce · Feb 20, 2017

I'm planning to offload three spare bikes and the new Street Twin and put the proceeds in to either a Black T120 or a Thruxton R to go with my Tiger 800 XRx. I haven't ridden either yet, but having sat on them I was pleasantly surprised by the relaxed riding position on the Thruxton. Test rides this week so long as the roads stay dry. I just know that once I start riding the Street Twin, which let's face it was bought on a whim cuz it was going so cheap, I'm going to be envious of those chaps with the 1200 engine. Def Black T120, but it'll be a question of colour if I do go for the Thruxton. I'm beginning to warm to the red. Just saying.

Bonzo · Feb 20, 2017

Mornin Rich,

The only input I can provide is that when the new modern classics were announced toward the end of '15, I immediately put an order in for a T120 Black.

The demo bikes became available before my bike was here and so I went down for a ride. As I turned up, someone was just off on the T120 Black, so I had a spin on the Thruxton R first (which Id wanted to do for comparison). I didn't want to go the Thruxton route as I had it in my head that the upright chilled out riding position of the T120 was where I wanted to be, but the Thruxton R just honestly blew me away. Really comfortable from the off - and that engine! Wow.

An hour later and I was on the T120. As much as I didn't want to admit it, I found the T120 totally underwhelming. The engine seemed too slow to rev and when it did the riding position mage me feel like a human wind sock.

It took another week of internal unrest wondering which way I should go, before taking them both out again back to back for a good long ride on open roads, in town, in traffic, fast & slow (real world stuff) and that made my mind up. Importantly, the Thruxton was obviously great to ride fast, but also provided that smooth, chilled out slow ride that I sometimes feel like I need. I spoke to my dealer about changing my order to the Thruxton R (my T120 Black was a few weeks off delivery yet) and he said no problem, and he had one available in stock - in the best colour (hard to believe given the demand - this was May 2016).

Not suggesting the T120 aint the bike for you, its just that after a demo ride on both, back to back, it was the Thruxton that 'spoke' to me. Never looked back.

Pottsy · Feb 20, 2017

Yes dido to the above, I took the T 120 out then the R, then took the misses out on the T 120, but she said she could not go on the T120 due to the popping on the pea shooter exhaust, because of her position behind me I could not hear it but it went right through her. So she said get the Thruxton and make it as comfortable as you can for me. Result love my R all be it with the dual seat, which I have had remodelled to get it as comfy as possible. The red looks better in natural light, but when it was on show at the NEC it looked like a tarts lipstick. Sorry to any tarts.