TRY SOME OF THIS OOMPH!

Look beyond the old-school appearance of the Triumph Speed Twin

Let’s be honest. When it comes to picking your rose in a garden full of blossoming plants, looks play an important role. Your eyes are your most trusted sense. The same principle applies to many other things in life, including purchasing your motorcycle. When I first laid eyes on the Triumph Speed Twin it didn’t scream out my name like other bikes have. It looks like it was designed by a group of pensioners reminiscing about the old days when they laid the blueprint for this Triumph. To be fair, the classic look is a part of Triumph’s identity, so it was to be expected that the Speed Twin would look like something out of a different era. Albeit with modern finishes and equipment. It doesn’t appeal to everyone but those who know, know. And you’ll find a fair amount who will drool over that retro look. Unfortunately, I fell into the other half of the crowd, and found myself indifferent to the Speed Twin’s attempts at seducing visually.

What I didn’t know then was that its showreel highlight didn’t lie in its appearance, but in that perfect specimen of an engine — all 1,200cc of it. It is, for me, arguably one of the healthiest, most refined motors I’ve encountered on a motorcycle. My initial interaction with it was through the Thruxton 1200, and it’s exceptional in both derivatives. The 71kW and 112Nm of torque is offered up generously, regardless of where the needle is hovering on the rev counter.

I often found myself giggling uncontrollably whenever I gave the throttle a flick and a stud of thoroughbred horses came rushing through the rear wheel in a majestic show of power and strength. That’s accompanied by sonorous acoustics.

The Speed Twin has an unthreatening stature; lean in frame and with good proximity to the ground, It’s also 12kg lighter than the Thruxton. This makes for a thrilling ride. It slices through corners like a dragonfly in summer, changing direction at a moment’s notice, with precise calculation.

The narrow frame plays a role in this prowess of agility because it gives you, the rider, a feeling of oneness with the machine.

An upright riding position was a much appreciated setup on this Triumph — intuitive and comfortable are the best words I would use to describe it, around town.

But put the bike on the highway, ring up that engine, and suddenly the seating arrangement becomes your biggest enemy. It quickly becomes a classic case of “The heart is willing, but the body is weak” — because of its naked look all the wind is channelled directly at you. You’ll have to crouch and fold yourself into a ball to cheat this force of nature.

There are three riding modes, the default (Road) delivers on all the thrills without having to dial in Sport mode. However, when you decide to spruce things up with Sport, the bike’s aggression levels spike and so does the sound from the twin exhausts, combined with louder pops and crackles in the thick of it all.

Undoubtedly, it is the substance beneath the retro appearance that makes the Triumph a hit.

Expect to pay upwards of R179,000.

IT DOESN’T APPEAL TO ALL BUT THOSE WHO KNOW, KNOW