TRIPLE TREAT

Speed Triple-based retro sportsbike on the way from Triumph

It’s been 15 years since Triumph sold a full-bore sportsbike – the Daytona 955i. It was a bit on the beefy side and down on power compared with the ‘proper’ 1,000cc fours, but it could hustle on the road and had a cult appeal. Sadly, Triumph hasn’t seemed bothered by the proper sportsbike market since –though the 675 Daytona ruled in the supersport class for several years and is still a belter of a bike. There were plenty of rumours of unlimitedclass superbikes in the 2000s – from a 1,000cc triple replacement for the 955i to a Hayabusa-slaying 1,200cc inline-four hyperbike. But the Hinckley firm has concentrated on the retro, naked and adventure sectors since, and with plenty of success, it has to be said.

But here’s a hint of something new. Launched on various social media channels, Triumph has been showing sneak peeks of a new Speed Triple 1200-based machine with a fairing and an RR suffix.

Are we finally getting a new Triumph superbike with the 1200 Triple motor in a full-on race-rep chassis? At the moment, it seems not – rather, the firm is trailing a retro-styled faired sports bike more like the MV Agusta Superveloce than a modern Daytona superbike.

To be fair, the retro sportsbike market is looking strong, and plenty of folk are keen on something that’s on the sporty side but less hard-edged than a ‘proper’ superbike.

A Speed Triple with a full or half-fairing, some high-end chassis kit, a more committed riding position, and sweet, sweet 1980s styling could be a proper laugh. More on the new Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RR next month…