2016 Triumph Thruxton R launch review

Big Piston Showa front forks, Ohlins rear suspension and Brembo monobloc calipers are three items rarely uttered in the same sentence as 'cafe racer', but in the case of the Triumph Thruxton R I’m glad they are.

The Thruxton's heritage dates back to the 1960s when Triumph built special limited-edition production racers to compete in a number of events, including the blue-chip Thruxton 500-mile race where the machine claimed the trifecta in 1969.

The modern Thruxton then arrived in 2004, as an offshoot of Triumph's iconic Bonneville. Although the Thruxton has sold well since then and gained a cult following, there's no doubt the modern incarnation has moved away from its racing and sporting roots.

The two new Thruxtons introduced in 2016, in particular the souped-up R model on test here, have arrested that movement and the outcome is, well, pretty damn fun.

Compared to the Thruxton, the Thruxton R has the aforementioned Brembo monobloc calipers, Showa big piston forks, and Öhlins rear suspension, as well as Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa tyres, an additional painted seat cowl, polished top yoke, aluminium tank strap and clear anodised aluminium swingarm.

2016 THRUXTONS IN BIKE SHOWROOM

With its new stunning lines and its more aggressive stance, the 2016 models are a lot sharper and racier-looking than the old Thruxton, particularly the R incarnation. Even when it’s just sitting on the sidestand the R attracts a lot of attention.

A big thing for me though is the effort Triumph has put into adhering to the bike's retro lineage. Details like the replica Amal carburetor being incorporated into the throttle bodies and a 'points' cover create the old-school look which goes a long way to making this steed way cool.

Another example of brilliance is the fuel cap. Initially the cap looks like an unlockable Monza filler cap but as soon as you flip it you then get to see the lock system. The stylish, scalloped tank is much slimmer than the previous machine's, which gives the bike a real single-cylinder feel – but it does come at the expense of capacity which now sits at 14 litres. However, fuel consumption is now a claimed 11 per cent healthier, so no damage done really.

The Thruxton's High Output 1200cc engine not only represents a capacity increase of 335cc over the old model, but torque is up 62 per cent which really makes it come alive.

The power delivery is super impressive, too, with a perfectly metered EFI system making the Thruxton R very easy to ride and providing a lot of feel to the rear tyre.

There are three different throttle maps on the ride-by-wire system: effectively a very long throttle for wet conditions, a standard action for road and a quick-action one for sports riding.

Although I spent most of the time in sport I did try the rain map in the dry at the Murray Valley Training Centre circuit just south of Wodonga (Vic). Sounds crazy but in reality the rain map or long throttle let me 'feel' the rear tyre even more on the edge when it was a little hot.

The Thruxton R comes standard with switchable traction control and anti-lock braking, which both work extremely well. I turned the traction off for the track component but left the anti-lock braking on all the time. There was only one reason to turn the traction off though: for wheelies! Like all modern bikes front wheel speed and rear wheel speed are compared as part of the traction control program, which kills wheelies. Glad it was simple to turn off.

Our road component began in Albury and headed to Beechworth (we took in some of the same roads at the Speed Triple launch earlier this year) and back through to the Hume Weir on various surfaces and changing road conditions. The ride made me realise the Thruxton R has the performance to complement the dashing looks.

It's predictable and the chassis – particularly the suspension and frame – will cope with whatever you can throw at it. It will even do wheelies pretty easily, which makes it a lot of fun to be on.

To be honest it exceeded my expectations as a scratcher, as I had a lot of fun without having to worry about any handling complexities that some bikes do have. There was one section near Kiewa where we came around a tight corner at speed and the remnants of bark and dirt from a fallen tree covered the road. Eight journalists all with varying skill levels hit it and we all made it through. Other corners had streams of water running over them and once again we all made it through.

Part of the secret is the magnificent tyre choice for the R, as I have nothing but praise for the 17-inch Diablo Corsas fitted. They are excellent and, when they wore out, I would just buy another set. The 120/70 front and 160/60 rear combo makes the handling extremely light, and it’s also quite stable through fast sweepers.

It wasn’t all scratching through the hills at warp speed though, and in traffic the light clutch works well and makes manoeuvring the Thruxton a cinch. It feels light to push around and park, and even with my shorter legs touching the ground wasn’t an issue.

When we hit the Murray Valley Training Centre on day two, I'll admit my anticipation wasn't at fever pitch because it's a naked and its design parameters – even though Triumph wanted to ratchet up its sporting prowess – weren’t about teaching race tracks a lesson. After half-a-lap my perceptions were turned upside-down. I didn’t want to come in.

It sticks like glue, has very neutral handling, and it can change lines mid-corner – pretty much everything a track bike needs. Even the power is adequate, and the masses of torque had me punching from one corner to the next. We had three 20-minute sessions and I reckon I only sat out about two minutes of that time.

The Thruxton's seat is functional and quite comfortable while still retaining that café racer feel. As standard it’s a solo unit but a dual kit is available in the accessories catalogue. The Thruxton-specific gauges (which are now much more compact) are easy to read and full of relevant information while still keeping a simplistic ’60s feel.  A fuel light, fuel gauge, trip meters, clock, average and instant fuel consumption and map position are just some of the features incorporated into the new instruments.

Finish and attention to detail have improved enormously on the new Thruxton, and an obvious example is the welding on the swingarm. One gripe on about attention to detail, or lack thereof, is accessing the sidestand. Eventually I found it easier to dismount and flick it out, which wasn’t a big issue just it would have been nice to be able to access it while seated.

There are over 100 accessories for the 2016 Thruxtons, and we rode a couple of non-standard variants on the test. There was the Track racer-inspired model with its bikini fairing, lower bars and Vance & Hines silencers.

The Thruxton R really is a fantastic all-rounder with a very cool look and feel. It's sizing up against bikes like the BMW RnineT, the Norton Commando and the Guzzi V7 but one thing's for sure: if it's impact you're after take a close look at the Triumph.

PERFORMANCE
Claimed maximum power: 97hp at 6750rpm
Claimed maximum torque: 112Nm at 4950rpm

TRANSMISSION
Type: Six-speed
Clutch: Wet multi disc
Final drive: Chain

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame: Tubular steel  cradle
Front suspension: Showa Big Piston fork, fully adjustable
Rear suspension: Ohlins twin shocks, fully adjustable
Front brakes: Dual  discs with Brembo  four-piston monobloc calipers
Rear brake: Single disc with Nissin twin-piston caliper
Tyres: Pirelli Diablo Corsa – 120/70-17 front, 160/60-17 rear

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Claimed dry weight: 203kg
Seat height: 810mm
Wheelbase: 1415mm
Fuel capacity: 14.5 litres

OTHER STUFF
Price: $21,100 (standard Thruxton $18,700)
Colours: Red, Jet Black, Pure White, Competition Green, Silver Ice or  Matt Black
Warranty: Two-year unlimited kilometres
Bike supplied by:  Triumph Australia, triumphmotorcycles.com.au