Triumph Street Triple RS
Already the defining sporty middleweight, the range-topping RS is sharpened and upgraded for 2020. It bristles with tech and go-faster goodies… but maybe you can have too much of a good thing
Gracious, this thing’s good. Slicing up smooth, gushing A-roads the Street Triple RS inspires massive confidence. Its chassis feels plugged in to the road, turning readily and with just-so accuracy yet with total composure and huge sense of connection. With the high-quality action of the Öhlins rear, impressive lean and eye-opening corner speed come easily. The 765cc triple surges on a wave of torque, its long-legged delivery allowing gears to be held between turns before instantly shedding speed with immense brakes.
Footpegs feel higher than on the Yamaha or KTM. It’s probably down to the loftier seats on the others, but either way you’re more canted forward on the RS, and with the front-end chassis bias it’s forever willing you to try harder, lean further. Of these bikes it’s the Triumph that gives the greatest sense of being a sportsbike with flat handlebars – and this should be no surprise, because the Street Triple originated as a stripped back Daytona.
Thing is, we reckon Triumph’s middleweight has lost its way. It’s as glorious as I’ve tried to impart on the right road and in the right frame of mind – but all too often the Street Triple RS is simply too serious.
In summer 2007 Triumph invited Bike to a sneaky ride on the final prototype of a new 675cc naked. I had an hour following their test rider on riotous Midlands roads and came away smitten with the yet-tobe-launched Street Triple. It was just so much fun. Hard acceleration made the front end playfully light. The upright riding position and low weight made it super-easy to ride and delivered instant grin-inducing handling, and the basic-but-capable chassis scurried down any road with cheery deportment. It was all about simple riding enjoyment.
Yamaha’s perky MT-09 delivers some of this fun that made the original Street Trip’ so appealing, and despite its performance bias there’s playfulness in the KTM 890 Duke R. But, it’s lacking from the Street Triple RS. Over the years the model has become ever sportier, with a nose-down set-up and most significantly ever-harder suspension. Yes, this is the flagship and the sportiest Street in the line-up. But on anything less than bowling green-standard tarmac the RS ride is fidgety, hard and bloody uncomfortable. On many roads it makes the bike slower, as it can’t soak up imperfections as well as the KTM. The Yamaha is an armchair in comparison. Steering is also heavy in town, the turning circle is huge, and the soaring engine hasn’t got the immediate punch of the KTM or Yam. It’s all too much.
‘I bet the Triumph is great on a trackday, when you can really see what it can do,’ says Andy. ‘It’s too hard on the road, though. Why can’t it be controlled yet still plush, like my Aprilia RSV-R?’
I put my hands up as a bit of a technophobe, but Triumph have gone too far with electronic whatnots as well. Yes, have a large colour dash.
‘ If you’re a slider-abusing trackday junkie, you’ll love it’
Yes, give trip options, phone connectivity and other modern extras. Don’t cram so much data and so many showy effects into the layout, though – our tired eyes struggle. Just give us a clear, easy-to-read layout rather than four increasingly faffy options and colour choices. Again, it’s all a bit much.
All subjective, of course. So while we’re being subjective let’s moan about the shape of the new mirror arms. And the finish. ‘Nice that you don’t get ugly bolts holding the stand on, like on older Triumphs, but I’m not sure about the textured frame,’ says Andy. ‘And does it come in any other colours? This grey is disgusting…’
This all sounds very negative. It’s not. The RS is a high quality, high tech, well-made motorcycle, the performance and capabilities of which are not in question. If you want the raciest midsize naked or are a slider-abusing trackday junkie, you’ll love it. However, for most road riders it’s wasted. When the original Street Triple was released the name suited its friendly, accessible, road-going nature. But in current RS guise the ‘Street’ tag is misleading; it should be called the Track Triple RS instead. ‘I still fancy getting myself an earlier Street Triple,’ concludes Andy. ‘But I wouldn’t want this RS.’