It’s a clean machine
TRIUMPH STREET TRIPLE RS 3766 MILES The Street RS’s quality still shines through after winter rides
“You’ve missed a bit!” Who doesn’t love hearing someone say this while you’re cleaning your bike (along with my personal ‘favourite’: “Fancy doing mine next?”)?
Unfortunately, though, when it comes to me taking bucket and sponge to the Street Triple RS, the comedic quip is usually based in fact. I’ll put my hand up and say I’m far from the best at cleaning a motorcycle; plenty of effort goes in, but not much in the way of results comes out. And, it seems, the Street Triple’s design only serves to magnify my ineptitude.
All those nooks and crannies, exposed engine, gaping intakes, and short mudguards mean that muck can – and does – get everywhere. Quite often, having spent an hour or more going through it all with my favourite set of Oxford Products brushes (the only way to tackle the Striple’s various crevices), I’ll stand back only to see a huge patch that I’ve completely missed. I honestly don’t know how I manage it!
It’s because the naked Triumph’s so awkward to clean that I was starting to feel rather guilty about carrying on riding it over winter, especially as I can well remember what happened to the last Triumph I used as a daily ride.
Back in 2006, I had a stunning grey Daytona 675 which I used every day, but the finish really suffered – I distinctly remember the footrest hangers shedding their lacquer and the metal bubbling up beneath. Likewise, so many bolts corroded and the brake disc carriers started to pit, and I’m pretty sure the exhaust valve seized, too.
Roll forward 18 years and fortunately Triumph’s build quality has come a long way, because the
Street Triple RS is still looking almost as good as new, in spite of my lack of ability with a sponge.
Today, while giving it its regular bath, I’m also giving it a hypercritical eye to look at how it has fared over these winter miles and could only find a couple of nitpicky areas where it was looking a bit furry: the radiator filler cap is slightly discoloured, and looking behind the radiator itself reveals that the water pump outer casting is manky, plus the downpipes are a bit discoloured (but by no means the worst I’ve ever seen). At the rear, the ABS sensor ring is also coated in a bit of white corrosion.
However, in terms of all the proper fasteners and components, the Street Triple RS is looking fresh – and, dare I say it, clean too. Maybe I’m not so bad at this cleaning lark, after all.
LIKES
Build quality is excellent
DISLIKES
Cleaning all the nooks £11,295otr Triumph Street Triple RS
‘Short mudguard means dirt gets everywhere’
PREVIOUS UPDATE JAN 24