2011 Triumph Speed Triple

Triumph has a lot to thank the Speed Triple for, as it’s been a real flag bearer for the British company over the last 15 years, blending authoritative performance with a brawny appearance. It’s always had cachet and substance written all over it.

This year marks another milestone in the Speed Triple legend, with the first major update to the three-cylinder bike since 2005.

And we reckon the changes – part engine and mostly suspension and frame – have morphed the 1050cc Speed Triple from a high performance litre-class barebones brawler into a bona-fide naked sports bike – Triumph’s top of the ranger in that segment.

And we’ve come to that conclusion after spending a day on the new Speed Triple at the Broadford race circuit in Victoria – a relatively short and punchy piece of ribbon which showcased all that the updated bike has to offer.

And for good measure, Triumph also brought along the old model for a direct comparison, and the gulf between the two is massive, especially where handling and cornering are concerned. I certainly wasn’t expecting such a quantum leap, and probably the best description is Street Triple-like handling, but blended with the extra muscle of a litre-class engine.

The engine on the new Speed Triple still has that succulent, flat torque curve, albeit with a few extra herbs thrown into the mix (plus 5hp, plus 8Nm) delivered in a less abrupt manner, but the changes to the frame and geometry has what’s really done the trick for Triumph.

We’ll go through the exhaustive list of changes in next week’s full launch report (we’ve still got to spend some time on the road with it…), but some of the biggies are an engine which has now been tilted further forward; revised rake, trail and yoke offset; a lower and narrower seat; a longer wheelbase; and weight distribution now has a pronounced front end bias.

Most of the new Speed Triple’s 3kg weight loss has been achieved by lowering unsprung weight (1kg on each wheel), and the rear rim is now six inches wide, allowing the fitment of 190/55 Superbike rubber, as opposed to the 180/55 on the previous model.

The new bike retains the Brembo radial brakes, but now with a Brembo radial master cylinder to match.

Oh and the bug-eyed lights, so long the staple of the Speed Triple, have also changed shape and, in concert with the colour-coded accessory flyscreen, now don't stick out like the proverbials. Sure, there’s a little bit of the change for change’s sake in all that, but it will probably prove to be a positive move.

We’ll also delve into the Speed Triple accessories catalogue a lot more next week, too.

The updated Speed Triple is now on sale for $17,140 in white, red or black, with ABS adding another $1000 to the price. The bike’s direct competitors include the KTM Super Duke, Ducati Streetfighter, Kawasaki Z1000 and Yamaha FZ1.