triumph Speed Twin

My stEEd to goa thIs yEaR Was thE tRIumph spEEd tWIn, a machInE that I have been longing to spend some more time with ever since we reviewed it earlier this year. the instant torque from the 1,200-cc liquid-cooled twin perfectly complements my somewhat aggressive riding style and, on the open highway, this retro-styled motorcycle had no problem keeping up with the bigger and more powerful bikes at unmentionable speeds. of course, the lack of wind protection tested my neck and shoulder muscles to the limit, while the somewhat forward-canted riding position may not be ideal for long rides. however, once we were through belgaum and were let loose on that excellent ribbon of tarmac that traverses chorla ghat, the speed twin showed off its dynamic side and we were blasting through the never-ending set of corners at triple-digit speeds surrounded by the dense greenery of the region.

after a quick lunch stop, we were back on the road, albeit at a slower pace with full bellies and were faced with a few kilometres of bad roads before entering goa. the speed twin took the rough with the smooth and I was surprised at how easily it took potholes and bad patches of road in its stride without rearranging my spine. soon we were following the narrow goan roads to our hotel and, even here, the speed twin felt right at home, its extremely manoeuvrable nature making it easy to squeeze through gaps and get ahead of traffic. the only issue with riding this bike at low speeds is the heat coming off the engine, so I wouldn’t advise riding the speed twin to the market in shorts.

from the open highway to the twists and turns of the Western ghats and the narrow roads of goa, the speed twin brought me to IbW in speed and style. I think this motorcycle suits me better than anything else in triumph’s modern classic line-up, combining scorching performance with its classic design.