FIRSTRIDE:TRIUMPHTHRUXTONRS
A spiffy new, top of the range version of Triumph’s ace cafe racer.
Take the excellent Thruxton R, stuff in some more horses and scrape off several kilos. That’d have to make Triumph’s sportiest retro even better, right? And it does. This is the new Triumph Thruxton RS. It keeps all the good bits of the R that it’s based on, meaning quick-steering sportsbike geometry, fully adjustable Öhlins shocks and Showa big-piston forks, brickwall brakes, and thoroughly engaging dynamics. But RS guise means the Brembos and shocks are upgraded, and the Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa tyres of the R are swapped for Metzeler Racetec RRS. There’s a lightweight new battery, too.
Updates for the 1200cc parallel-twin engine as well. To keep the eager motor Euro5-fresh and boost performance there’s a raft of engine mods, including racier pistons, high-lift camshafts, a lighter crank and balancer, a gas-flowed cylinder head and new clutch. Power is up 7bhp to a claimed 103bhp, and the 20% reduction in inertia allows an extra 500rpm to play with. Yet it’s also more flexible – peak torque stays at 83 lb.ft but is now delivered 700rpm earlier in the revs. A lighter generator, magnesium cam cover and thinner engine covers shed kilos; with the weight also shaved from the chassis, the RS is 6kg lighter than the R. That’s almost a stone. Revised mapping has banished on/off throttle glitches and the new torque-assist clutch gives the lever a pleasingly light action. Gears still snick home nicely, not that you often need to trouble the ’box with so much torque available. And you no longer bang into the rev limiter so easily when enjoying yourself thanks to the extra top-end revs. Triumph claim 58mpg for a theoretical 185-mile range from the 14.5-litre tank. Service intervals are 10,000 miles. Rider modes (Rain, Road, Sport) now have their own dedicated traction control settings, so there’s less intrusion when you don’t want it and more when you do. In reality there’s so much grip you’re hard pushed to ring the TC’S bell anyway. No quickshifter or autoblipper, but hey – it’s a retro.
Though still long and low compared to a full-on sportsbike or fiery supernaked (and still a little on the heavy side despite the weight saving), the RS is balanced and steers with accuracy. It needs just the right amount of rider input to make you feel like you’ve earned your speed, without being hard work. Fast, flowing corners are really its thing, rather than hairpins and flip-flop direction changes, though it gets through everything with poise and grip to spare. The RS doesn’t squish wrists or knees, and the seat is comfy enough for extended saddle time (around three or four hours) before you need to shu¢e. Ride quality isn’t the last word in plushness, though, unlike the fully Öhlins-clad Speed Triple RS. You can get the suspension to give a wobble if you push very hard too. This doesn’t stop you riding the RS with all the fervour of a sportsbike, though. And when you’ve finished being a loon you can saunter serenely into the next town for a coffee, looking cool (on your own, though – it’s a single seat only). And if the stock spec isn’t cool enough for you, there’s a plethora of accessories from Arrow pipes to tank bags. There’s a ‘Track Racer’ kit as well, including a top fairing, lower-placed clip-ons, a tail tidy and LED indicators which can also be bought separately if you please.
Triumph have shifted over 16,000 Thruxtons since introducing this sportiest member of the Bonneville family in 2016. And the RS shows why sportsbike riders want to peel themselves off race replicas. At £13,000 it’s pricey, and you can have as big a giggle on something with half the power and price. However, when you look at the equipment and performance – not to mention the build quality, sound, tastefully-hidden tech and convincing image – the Triumph is worth every penny. The new RS is the last word in off-the-peg café racers.
‘Waft along and enjoy the motor’s dark rumblings, or scratch your speed itch’