Triumph Speed Twin (1200)

[Bob_Defly]

Anyone on here have one, I'm possibly considering one and looking for owner opinions.

Also can't choose between the gloss black or matte paint. I find matte paint a bit more troublesome to keep perfect.

[Neal H]

I picked this up yesterday, so it’s a bit early for me comment beyond the fact that it’s a very lovely thing.

I did borrow their demo bike for an afternoon while my previous bike was in for a service and needless to say (as I bought one) I was impressed.

[bobbylondonuk]

I have one. Comfortable, 100 - 120mile range on a tank. Feels proper powerful twin. Nice and torquey. Brakes are very good. Comes with sticky tyres so you can hustle them on the roads. Sounds brilliant on standard cans.

[Fullook]

Totally uninformed opinion - apologies...

I think they're lovely things.

For a different usage to mine (I want huge tank range and do-it-all comfort) but if I wanted a bike for shorter trips, I've have one of these in a heartbeat.

[MrBridger]

I have a 2020 and really like it, it's a bike you can just bimble about on or have some proper fun should you wish..

[KTMsm]

I was chatting to a Triumph owner with the matt paint - I thought it looked great

He swore he'd never have one again as it was a complete PITA showing fingerprints etc

[LFB531]

My Explorer has the matt finish, I've got used to wiping it down fast before it marks up, otherwise just get it wet again and then do it. Not too bad. No need for a photo but what the hell!



Mine has just been in for service and they'd got a display Speed Twin in there, fine looking bike OP. They sent me home on a matt finished Bandit, somehwat different to the Exp!

[M1C]

Lovely bike.

[ghibbett]

KTMsm said:

I was chatting to a Triumph owner with the matt paint - I thought it looked great

He swore he'd never have one again as it was a complete PITA showing fingerprints etc

My Triumph has a matt paint finish.

Yes it does show fingerprints, but all you need is a clean microfibre and a matt-specific cleaner (I use Muc Off Matt Finisher Detailer) and it's a simple case of spray on, wipe off. Really easy.

[Onelastattempt]

I have posted before about whether to get the 900 or 1200 and I could not decide which one to try and that I had a short test ride on a friends 900 and I still could not make my mind up. So on Monday I met up with him again and we swapped bikes, so me on his 900 and him on my MT09, a bike he had never ridden before so he wanted to see what it was like.
Plan was to go from Leeds to Settle then onto Hawes. I was OK for the first 20 miles but then started feeling uncomfortable with lower backache. By the time we got to Settle, about 40 miles, my lower back was killing me. As soon as I got off the 900 my back felt better. The bike is totally standard, but I just could not get on with the seating position. He finds it comfortable with no aches at all and we are same height and build.
So looks like no Street Twin for me and I will have to find something else as a third bike, it's a pity because I really like the look and sound of them.

[Neal H]

My previous Speed Triple was matte silver and my Tiger 900 is matte sand. I find keeping it clean isn’t really a problem, but I am paranoid about scuffing or scratching it as you can’t polish out any minor marks. The only matte colour on the Speed Twin is the orange - a colour I really like on the Speed Triple, but didn’t think it suited the Speed Twin.

I’ve been adding more miles to the Speed Twin. The more I ride it the more impressed I am with it. It’s a very torquey engine and even sticking to the running-in limits it feels suitably quick, but it’s not the kind of bike that encourages you to ride everywhere at a million miles per hour. It handles fine as well - you can really hustle it along on a twisty road and the ride quality is fairly compliant - unlike my previous Speed Triple!

[fred bloggs]

Tell you what, the thruxton 1200 is bloody fast.

[Bob_Defly]

I think I agree Neal, keeping the matte finish clean is easy, but I'm paranoid about marking it. I quite like the matte orange, as it matches my Dad's old Speed Triple which I'm restoring.

The more I look at the Speed Twin the more I like it. It seems to take the best bits of the Bonnie 120 and Thruxton, and ends up being lighter than both! And seeing as the CRF450RL has taken over some of my off-road duty, something more 'bimbley' might be just the ticket.

Hmmm...

[trickywoo]

fred bloggs said:

Tell you what, the thruxton 1200 is bloody fast.

In car terms no doubt but 96 horse isn't much on a bike these days.

Torque is nice but its not going to melt your brain.

Standing 1/4 in near enough 12s isn't bloody fast anymore.

I feel obliged to say this because I've been on the end of 'its not fast' with a 150 bhp bike but I'd agree there aren't that many people wringing the neck of a 100bhp bike all the time on the road and not finding it fast.

[Neal H]

The Speed Twin isn’t trying to be a sports bike. I’ve switched from a 180hp Speed Triple to a 99hp Speed Twin. I don’t miss those extra 81 horses on the road. For me at least, the Speed Twin is every bit as quick from A to B as the Triple. When can you ever unleash 180hp on the road?