Triumph Speed Triple: A Devastatingly Good, No-Frills Man Bike

By Team FHM · Jun 2014 · 3 min read

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Tom Cruise rode one, so did Pam Anderson and Angelina Jolie, it’s time FHM had a go.

There are two bike nuts in the FHM team (one now, the other one moved pastures last month) and several discussions over endless cigarettes and Parle Gs of late have involved Triumph. You see, we’re fan boys here at FHM which is why we are deeply concerned about the British bike manufacturer. First, they arrived late, second, the dealership network is still not in place (but they are working on it), and last but not the least, the buzz that they had created during the Auto Expo two years ago by launching of 10 drool-inducing models has somewhat died. So, the day we rode the Speed Triple, the task was simple – to explore whether this would be the bike that would do it for Triumph.

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Which is why we are happy to report that the Speed Triple is a devastatingly good, no frills man bike. No matter how old you are, how mundane your life is or how hassled you have been all week, when you ride a Speed Triple, the boy in you comes kicking out. And, there are several reasons for it. Needless, to say it has speed, its exceptional handling, build quality but what’s even more amazing is the pure ease of it all. Somehow it just makes sense. There is not one thing out of place. Generally sales representatives of manufacturers insist on giving you a pre-test ride spiel, when they explain in painful often excruciating detail about how you need to press the clutch, wait for that indicator near the speedometer to turn green or for that blue light to check for the ABS. With the Speed Triple, they give you just two instructions - first, it’s a very heavy bike so you need to be extra careful with the speed and handling. Second, keep safe distance with other commuters on the road because they tend to come too close in their hunt for a picture and toss you the key. In times when bikes are competing with sportscars for buttons and cup holders – Speed Triple is a phenomenally uncomplicated bike.

That said, FHM’s first five minutes on this bike were spent just getting used to the weight of it, which is 214 kgs (it’s still lighter than most of the sports bikes like a Suzuki V-Strom 1000), which means on U-turns, you pretty much end up reversing it like a car. Once you get somewhat used to the weight 70...80...100..120 kmph come up in quick time.

The downside in the ride was that, on our test drive commuters on the Delhi-Jaipur highway got too close for comfort while trying to take a picture. The Triple as we found out first hand is quite the amateur paparazzi favourite. Compared to the last three motorcycles we rode - Suzuki Inazuma, Indian Chief Classic and Harley Street 750 the brakes of Triple were the sanest. The bike is stable, and even if you ride it recklessly while cruising on the highway while your driver plays catch up in your Bimmer, it gives you a huge amount of confidence, and that’s why we liked it. The headlight of the Triple downplays its dimensions – which is a good thing or a terrible one, depending which side of the fence you are on. In all, Speed Triple, is a damn good weekend bike, a huge ego boost for manic Monday.