[Devil]

Ok, Had the day off yesterday and it was perfect bike testing weather so I thought I'd pop down to Holeshot to take the new Street Triple for a blast, since it had finally been run in.

I had approached this test with some sceptisism regarding the non-adjustable suspension (rear preload only) and 2 piston front brake calipers. Other than those two things, it looked like a potential successor to my much-loved Speed Four which has just come up on 55,000km over the last two years (and is running beautifully I might add).

With an initial walk around the gleaming black beauty you can see that it's a tiny bike. I love the look though, it's totally me. Climb aboard and the tiny theme continues. Very skinny, very light. All controls fall to hand nicely, and have a tidy, quality feel to them as we've come to expect from late model Triumphs.
The dash is a neat, compact unit with all the features of the recent models, Digital speedo, analogue tacho combo. Trip computer, trip time, average speed, top speed, lap timer (ooo!), average fuel consumption, current fuel consumption and clock of course!

On firing up the bike, it's unmistakably triple. They sound just gorgeous and this particular unit has some great quick-revving character to it.
Trundling out onto the road, easing out the light, smooth clutch you notice that it provides very tractable power delivery right from the bottom of the tacho. Already feeling like a great commuter and traffic carver, the gearbox is positive and smooth. All controls are light, the bars positioned well with comfortable pegs. The bike feels unbelieveably small and light beneath you. It really is tiny. I was reading that she weighs in at a miniscule 190kg fully wet (full tank!), for reference thats approximately the dry weight of the SPEED Triple.

My trip for today was Kaukapakapa and back, on SH16 via the riverhead-coatesville highway so off I pootled in that direction already with a grin on my face. Not sure what had come over me, maybe it was the bike, but every traffic light I reached seemed to include a personal invitation to wheelie. This bike hoists the front wheel with minimal effort, infact it seems to encourage you to do so. The easiest bike I've wheelied, ever. Pop her up under throttle in first, then shift to second and then into third, it's so easy and so controllable! This thing will have newbies turning into stunters in a day!

Out into the twisties around riverhead-coatesville and this thing comes into it's own. I'd found out already it was a great street bike, but out here, it's an absolute riot. A hooligan in fact! It turns so easy, with an enormous amount of mid corner stability, yet still with the ability to change lines at whim. The torquey powerplant and short gearing just firing you out of the corners, occasionally with the front wheel on the ground should you so desire
The non-adjustable suspension seems to be well sprung with all surfaces in mind. I could feel that it does better on the smoother roads as the front end appears a little under damped, which leads me onto the next topic, stoppies...

[Devil]

I had seen some of the Street Triples release footage with stunter Kevin Carmichael pulling 12 o'clock wheelies and huge stoppies. I had a been a little sceptical as stated previously regarding the 2 pot front calipers, so decided to give them a solid squeeze with two fingers at about 100km/h. Next thing I know, the back wheel is in the air at about 80km/h and i've puckered. I hope those testicle marks will buff out of the tank before I have to return the bike. Seriously, the brakes are well matched to the bike, with sexy braided lines. They have no trouble pulling the bike up in a hurry. Sorting the front suspension will fix the dive, which was resulting in the rolling stoppies, something I'd want to cure before visiting a track day!

My Speed Four was often touted as a bit of a hooligans machine. I'm very pleased to say the Street Triple has continued the tradition beautifully. It sings, it dances, plays music and loves a bloody good scratch. This bike is an absolute hoot. It is completely at home in town and on a tight back road, intoxicating you with it's lovely induction growl, wicked wheelies and almost non-existant weight. I'm in love.

The only gripe at the end of the day for me, would be the simple suspension. This will cover a great range of riders, but these days as i've gathered experience and speed, it's not quite enough for me. I'll be hunting down potential after market solutions (it appears Ohlins dont do it, surprise surprise, they never did it for me speed four either, but will enquire as to whether the Daytona 675's may fit the bill...). The mirrors are stylish and vibration free, the seat is good, but only good. It'd be on my list to change, an accessory gel seat is an option from Triumph. Although I didn't scrape any pegs on my ride I dont think it'd be long before they were ground to smithereens. Maybe a set of nice rear-set foot pegs would be the go, and ditch those dodgy OEM Dunlop Qualifiers while I was at it.

All summed up, this bike is the only machine that has made me consider getting off my Speed Four, and I've been a total bike whore over the last two years, this is the first one that has really pushed my buttons. It's an absolute scream to ride. Book your demo today!

Thanks go to Holeshot for letting me disappear with it for a couple of hours. Go see Carl there and get him to show you round that sexy black bike.

RRP $14,995.

Update 1: Ohlins will be providing suspension for this bike, beginning in 2008. No more specific info available
Update 2: They're sold out of Street Triple's till end Dec/Jan
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Latest update: The Ohlins suspension is now available, but availability of the bike is sporadic! They just keep selling out!