CHARLIE TRIUMPH STREET TRIPLE RS

THIS MONTH I HAVE MOSTLY BEEN… “Preparing for the Triumphant void...”

Inevitably the staff fleet must be disbanded at the end of a year and one of the first to be returned is the Triumph Street Triple RS. Despite this impending loss I am pleased that the 765 exits on an extreme high. It was deservedly last month’s cover star, having gained a 10/10 in the Naked Middleweights test against a field of very strong contenders indeed.

It was no surprise to me that it performed so well in the test having had the bike for the past nine months, though I have to admit to having my enthusiasm for the bike shared by a group of seven journo-racers and self proclaimed road warriors is a virtual slap on the back for me. I have struggled all year to find fault, though I admit the dipped beam ‘problem’ eluded me. If that’s how low you have to go to find fault you must be dealing with an impressive machine.

All in all I have had a great season on board the 765RS. By far the best time I had was on track allowing for a legal high of running in the higher rev ranges where this engine delivers best. Yes it’s lacking in the midrange but only to the point that its cheaper cousin, the R, has the upper hand, not to the point that you spit scorn at the RS being underpowered. In the end the R is a servant to non or infrequent track riders as demonstrated by the fact that the track map is missing from the impressive dash, there isn’t a quick-shifter and the braking is a step down from the Brembo M50 Calipers sported on the RS. Overkill? Well in a word ‘no’ – if you are supplied the braking from a superbike, surely you need to ride the RS like a superbike – hard, fast and eking out every bit of power from the top end. This is where the RS is most at home.

My opportunities to take the RS to these levels have been few and far between, thus leaving me to give the ‘living with’ judgment. If this was a racehorse it would be a thoroughbred, though equally content giving rides to kids down the beach at Weston -super-Mare with a floral hat on. It will munch the miles at speed and let you enjoy the winding roads and scenery of leisure riding, while merely hinting at the caged beast within – eagerly released via a map change and more throttle abuse. I would have liked to play with the 765 engine a little more over the course of the year; those Euro 4 hands have been securely around the throat of the power. My change of exhaust did nothing to help the bhp, in fact I dropped a couple of ponies according to the JHS dyno and showed little positive change to the power curve. For balance atmospheric changes did not help the run but the drop from 117 to 115bhp was gutting, especially when you are fitting a product of the unquestionable quality of Arrow. Euro-bloody-4….

So it just leaves me to thank all those involved with helping me in my Triumph experience this season. From the tracks that hosted me to the JHS guys who helped the running and of course Triumph for the loan. The 765RS has been in constant demand from us all here at Fast Bikes. It has been ridden by the most and least experienced riders in the place and no ride has ever disappointed. The new beating heart of Moto2 has excited us all and we are anticipating the next evolution of this engine with much excitement. But even if a new Daytona is not immediately on the cards, its sits very prettily in the Street Triple indeed. Round of applause Triumph, round of applause…