Street Racer
Triumph has done the impossible taking an already capable motorcycle and making it that much better, that too in the transition to stricter emission norms
In the world of track-bred middle-weight streetfighters, it doesn’t get much better than the Triumph Street Triple RS. Although if you are Triumph, how do you go back to the drawing board on a motorcycle that hasn’t just worked in the past, but thrived. Back in 2017 when the last Street Triple RS before the Euro 5/BS6 era hit, the only question worth asking with regards to the middleweight RS was as to whether it was maybe a little too track-bred for its own good. Now, this is a valid question, considering at best, most riders can spend two days at the track for every five days they spend on the road. Quite the conundrum for Triumph - take the track-pedigree off the Street RS, and it loses its competitive edge, lean in on the track-bred nature and risk making an unviable road bike.
2020 gave us the new and improved Triumph Street Triple with BS6 compliance. Naturally, there was an all-out RS badged sibling alongside. On first impressions, it’s still very much in line with the Street Triple image only a little sharper this time around. The signature twin headlamps are now slimmer LEDs with sharp DRLs to contour their form. It instantly sets the tone for a sharper motorcycle overall. Add the new belly pan, revised tail section and a more muscular radiator guard to mix, and the 2020 Street significantly raises the bar without really re-inventing the wheel. Equipment quality, like we have come to expect of Triumph over the past few years, is topnotch, all around.
In addition to that, there’s a strong list of features as well, including a Bluetooth connectivity suite that supports smartphone integration, media controls, call controls and additional compatibility for GoPro pairing. The TFT instruments look good too and work well even under harsh light. Honestly, as far as presence, quality and features are concerned the Street Triple may well be the strongest contender in the middleweight segment. On any account judging a track-bred middle-weight Streetfighter basis the quality of equipment and features list, is a bit like judging a fish on its ability to climb a tree.