Triumph Speed Triple 1050

Hooligan looks, wheelie-tastic power – but seriously practical too

THERE HAS BEEN a Speed Triple in Triumph’s range since 1994, but it was 1997’s T509 that established the bug-eyed, brutalist styling that we know and love. Basically a Daytona sportsbike with the fairing ripped off, the T509 and its successor the 955i showcased the triple engine’s charms perfectly. If the Daytona had seemed low-revving and slow compared with Japanese sportbikes, it didn’t matter in a naked bike where low-down grunt is more important than top-end speed. For 2005, Triumph tweaked the styling, added upside-down forks and radial brakes, revised the swingarm and raised capacity to 1050cc, for extra midrange.

The result was an excellent all-rounder, with enough power and drive to keep anyone happy on a fast sweeping road, the nimble handling to make backroads a joy, and perfect low-speed balance for your daily commute. It was so good it lasted seven years with just one big update, and even when the next main change came along in 2011, with a new frame and fox-eye headlights, it was still based on the same mechanical package, recognisably an evolution of the same model. In 2016 an updated Speed Triple with ride-by-wire throttle and other modern touches arrived, but there are plenty of 2005-2015 bikes out there. They can make a very good used buy, but you need to know what to look for.