Half-faired café-racer version of the Striple gets saucy Öhlins ‘leccy suspension, 178bhp motor and 199kg wet weight – but it’s not the 1200 Daytona we NEED!!!
Just dropped from the good guys at Hinckley Triumph is this – the heavily-trailed Speed Triple 1200 RR. It’s basically the naked Striple 1200 RS launched at the start of this year, but with a neat retro-ish half-fairing, top-drawer Öhlins EC2.0 semi-active electronic suspension, clip-ons and rearsets. It’s a much sportier machine than the firm’s super-naked 1200 RS, but is more like an MV Agusta Super Veloce or a Ducati Panigale V2 than a proper superbike. Triumph says it’s very much track-capable, but its main focus is the street. We can see this: even a 178bhp 1,160cc triple is a level away from the mighty 210bhp+ four-cylinder litre bikes, and Triumph would need to do an awful lot of work to turn the existing Speed Triple base into a Daytona 1200 worthy of the moniker.
So that’s what it isn’t, as it were – let’s look at what you get for your £17,950 (+£250 for the red paint version). As noted, the engine, frame and swingarm are the same as the 1200 RS Speed Triple, which is no bad thing. A super-grunty 1200 triple is A Good Thing these days, and as a dynamic package, it’s a great foundation. The brakes stay the same too – Brembo Stylema radial four-piston calipers – and stuff like the illuminated switchgear, 5” LCD dash, up/down quickshifter, IMU electronics and rider aids are all broadly the same as the RS. It’s only a kilo heavier than the RS too, at 199kg claimed wet, which is good work.
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What’s different is the riding position, the fairing, and the suspension package. The upright bars of the RS are swapped out for lower clip-on bars, and the footpegs are also a bit higher, for a sportier riding position. The fairing is, of course, the most obvious change, and is sleek and classy, while not looking too old-fashioned (though the single round LED headlight won’t please everyone). The best bit is probably the Öhlins electronic suspension upgrade: integrated with the LCD dash and rider modes, it gives top-end semi-active performance that’s great on the road and track, and brings the RR up to the levels of the Yamaha R1M, Ducati Panigale V4 and Honda Fireblade SP in terms of chassis kit. You also get proper Pirelli Supercorsa SP V3 tyres fitted – and the firm has also listed special Supercorsa SC2 track rubber as an officially approved fitment for track use.
It’s fairly luxurious in terms of equipment too: colour dash, cruise control, keyless ignition and Bluetooth integration with phone for media, sat nav and calling functions. Add the factory hot grips & luggage, plus a double-bubble screen, and you’ll have a saucy supersporty tourer – though the 15.5 litre fuel tank will mean regular fuel stops.
2022 Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RR SPECS
Engine: DOHC 12v, inline-triple, water-cooled, 1,160cc
Bore x stroke: 90×60.8mm
Compression ratio: 13.2:1
Carburation: ride-by-wire fuel injection
Max power (claimed) 178hp@10,750rpm
Max torque (claimed) 92ft lb@9,000rpm
Transmission: six-speed gearbox, wet slipper clutch
Frame: aluminium twin spar
Front suspension: 43mm Öhlins EC2.0 forks, 120mm travel, semi-active control
Rear suspension: cast aluminium single-sided swingarm, Öhlins EC2.0 monoshock semi-active damping control
Brakes: twin 320mm discs, four-piston Brembo Stylema radial calipers (front), 220mm disc, twin-piston caliper (rear), cornering ABS.
Wheels/tyres: cast aluminium/Pirelli Supercorsa SP V3, 120/70 17 front, 190/55 17 rear
Rake/trail: 23.9°/104.7mm
