Triumph Speed Triple SPECIFICATIONS, PRICE & IMAGES
s shaft drive: the Honda uses a chain).
The blocky, liquid-cooled motor may be familiar if you’ve ever seen inside a
CBR1000’s plastic covers. The basic engine is the same, albeit with one less
gear, but is modified with carburetion, compression and ignition changes to give
more low down torque compared to the sportster, and it feels like it too. Power
output is woolly, feels almost entirely peakless. It feels so soft that the dyno
figures were a surprise:We didn’t think the bike made as much power as the dyno
showed.
Il Mostro it was originally called: The Monster bike. A beautiful grotesque from
the country that makes, undoubtedly, the most stylish motorcycles in the world.
And it wasn’t even red. It was the smallest, lightest, least powerful machine in
the test, but the one that took top muscle bike honors, at least in the absence
of the Buell S1 (see sidebar, below).
The gearchange is slightly notchy: the hydraulic clutch has never been famous
for its smoothness (or its longevity). But once on the move, gearchanges were
sure, and the movement of the lever is short and positive. Front suspension is
not optimum for handling, lacking much in the way of rebound damping, having
compression damping that is a tad too harsh over expansion joints, and not being
adjustable at all. Handling is not quite predictable:throw the bike hard into a
corner and it feels like it wants to bounce back. But it will see off any of the
other three, quite handily. As you’d expect, fuel consumption was the best of
any of the bikes on test, coming in at well over the 40mpg range, and the
rider’s butt and shoulder muscles will be sore well before the range of the 5
gallon tank is exhausted. But muscle bikes aren’t about long range touring:their about see and be seen, blasting away from the lights hooliganism. And for
all this, the Ducati is number one.
Riding Impressions:
Bike Features
Make Model:
Triumph Speed Triple 955i
Year:
2000
Engine:
Four stroke, transverse three cylinder,
DOHC, 4 valve per cylinder.
Capacity:
955 cc / 58.3 cu in
Bore x Stroke:
79 x 65
mm
Compression Ratio:
12.0:1
Cooling System:
Liquid cooled
Induction:
Multipoint sequential
electronic fuel injection
Lubrication:
Wet sump
Engine Oil:
Synthetic, 15W/40
Ignition :
Digital inductive
via electronic engine management
Spark Plug:
NGK, DPR8EA-9
Electric:
Electric
Max Power :
80.2 kW /
110 hp / @ 9200 rpm
Max Torque:
97 Nm / 9.89 kgf/m / 71.5 ft.lbs @ 5800 rpm
Clutch:
Wet, multiple discs, cable operated
Transmission :
6 Speed
Final Drive:
Chain
Frame:
Aluminium, trellis frame
Front Suspension:
45 mm Forks with dual
rate springs and adjustable preload, compression and rebound damping
Front Wheel Travel:
120 mm / 4.7 in
Rear Suspension:
Monoshock with
adjustable preload, compression and rebound damping
Rear Wheel Travel:
140 mm / 5.5 in
Front Brakes:
2 x 320 mm Discs, 4 piston calipers
Rear Brakes:
Single 220 mm disc, 2 piston caliper
Front Tyre:
120/70 ZR17
Rear Tyre:
190/50 ZR17
Dimensions:
Length 2115 mm / 83.3 in
Width 790 mm / 31.1 in
Height 1250 mm / 49.2 in
Wheelbase:
1440 mm / 56.7 in
Seat Height:
800 mm / 31.5 in
Dry Weight :
196 kg / 432 lbs
Wet Weight:
223 kg / 491.6 lbs
Fuel Capacity :
18 Litres / 4.76 US gal / 3.96 Imp gal