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Anyone go with the R instead of the RS?

77K views 193 replies 57 participants last post by  zopparoo 
#1 ·
I've seen lots of lucky people on the forum showing off their new RS, but curious if anyone has bought the R?

Thoughts? Happy with the decision? Or wish you went for the RS?

I don't plan on ever taking my bike to the track, and looking at the specs, I think the R might be a better option for me for the street...

Thanks for the input!
 
#2 ·
For what's worth it- I do not own a 765 but if I buy one it will be the R for a number of reasons. Better power delivery for street riding as you mentioned, plus the big thing for me is the seat. Not only I prefer the looks of a bike with a full seat (and find the "looks clean" mindset of single seater crowd slightly amusing) but I highly appreciate the extra space and convenient access to it the full seat provides, given the fact that I cram all sorts of stuff under seat: alarms, PCV, soon will add quickshifter controller, etc.
All stuff that RS comes with that is of interest to me can be added later on; yes you'd probably save some money if you bought it in the RS package but the above advantages are more important to me that the few hundred dollars I'd save.
 
#3 ·
I doubt there's any noticeable difference in the power delivery, the RS rides better than any new bike I've ever ridden at low speeds/rpms. The RS also comes with a passenger seat too, but if you like cramming stuff under your seat the cover gives you more room underneath.
I've read in reviews that the ride is a little harsh on the RS, well it was when I rolled it out of the dealership it was. Out of the box settings are horrible, and dealers do not set it up, even though you get charged for it. I considered getting the R but you do get a lot for your money on the RS and I imagine resale value will be better too.
 
#4 ·
I can totally appreciate having more torque available at a lower rpm, but I honestly doubt you'll notice a difference in a torque curve that comes on just 1400 rpm sooner, up so high in the rpm range. We're talking about a torque peak at 9400 instead of 10,800rpm. When I putt around town, I'm shifting at 4,000 - 6,000 rpm and if I'm going all the way up to 9,000 i'm probably going all the way to redline anyway. If saving the extra $1300 or so is worth it go for the R but you can't touch the level of additional equipment on the RS for anywhere near that money after the fact...that's why I decided to go for the RS. There's plenty of adjustability in the suspension to give a slightly smoother ride on the road (I have mine set on the "comfort" settings) in the manual.
 
#6 ·
I'd go for the R vs the RS - I don't think some of the extras on the RS are must haves for me. A quick shifter is cool, but it would be nice if it was a downshift model also. I need a little more help on the downshifts. For me it would be a toy vs something I'd use a lot and I tend to preload the shifter which sometimes causes issues with quick shifters. Also, I don't think I have the skill to notice the difference between the Ohlins and R suspension. So I'm more of the target market for the R version.
 
#9 ·
For me, it would all be about OTD price. If the RS demands a significant premium, then I'd be okay for the "R" even for track days, especially if my Penske shock fits the 765. Besides, the Ohlins isn't one of their twin tube designs (TTX). For $1300, the RS is good bang-for-the-buck, but it wouldn't surprise me if it costs a lot more than that OTD.

Other thoughts:
- Quickshifter is nice, but I like GP shift anyway and would consider replacing it with one with an autoblipper (always wanted to have one).
- Supercorsa is a great tire, but the PRC is better for most riders. Certainly better for intermediate pace, as it warms up more quickly and provides better traction at cooler temps. Less likely too cold tear and wears much better. That's my experience anyway.
- I would bet good money that the difference in power deliver is noticeable. I'm not saying it would be huge, but it's not nothing.
- What I would want most from the RS is the M50 calipers and upgraded master cylinder, but the "R" brakes are still pretty good.

Just my 2 cents. I'd be pretty happy with either.
 
#10 ·
I agree, I'd be happy with either and they are good value for many different reasons. For me the R strikes the best feature/price balance. Others the RS may have the better balance. If I tracked my bike often and/or was mostly riding from a performance perspective I may fall into the RS category.

I didn't think of the tires but that's another thing I'd put into consideration. Yes, you'll eventually replace them to what you want but I try to commute as much as I can so longevity is a little more of a factor, so I wouldn't be as happy with the Supercorsas. I just slapped Roadsmart IIIs on my 2015 for longevity for commuting and twisty roads are harder to come by in Ohio.

On the torque/power output being more road usable for the R I'd really like to see dyno comparisons to really know. I don't think the R's slightly lower peak is the main factor but if it has more torque/power throughout the earlier part of the rev range (and by how much) that might give more insight. Sad part is I doubt any publication will take the time to dyno a comparison and I haven't seen Triumph do something like that so we may never really know.
 
#17 ·
The otd on the rs is too high right now. There were 3 2016 tuono rr's new leftovers near me that sold for the price of the 765 rs and if you're shopping for a track bike wouldn't you grab the v4? If there's any rs leftovers that triumph discounts sure but for a street bike the r would be my pick if I was shopping the 800 c.c. market. I can't believe the discounts APE and KTM give on their leftovers, I was offered a new 2016 SDR for $13.250 OTD!! it was orange so I bought the SE for $2500 more instead. sorry boys but I can feel the extra 40 ft/lbs on the street.
 
#21 ·
I was going through the same mental gymnastics trying to decide between the R and the RS. One of the guys that I ride with implored me to go with the RS and several others thought the R was the better choice. I ended up buying the R and (so far) am very happy with the decision. I wrote up a quick review in another thread. (I'm very new here but I thought I would share that I did go with R over the RS and it was a tough decision).

Sent from my LG-V521 using Tapatalk
 
#22 ·
Nice, congrats! I just read your write up, and it sounds great.

I'm thinking the R is the bike for me too, but unfortunately the otd price is still a bit too high for me up here in Canada. I'm hoping that everyone wants the RS, and they have some leftover R's that they'll be looking to discount to get rid of in the winter...
 
#24 ·
Congratulations. No matter what anyone else says, you have to make the decision yourself.

BUT, you all are going to be very sad, when they come out with the RT version!

j/k

;)
 
#25 ·
Congratulations. No matter what anyone else says, you have to make the decision yourself.

BUT, you all are going to be very sad, when they come out with the RT version!

j/k

Has there been any rumblings on the RT other than the initial thoughts that came out with the survey? With how Triumph approached the new Bonnies, releasing variations every 6 months or so, it wouldn't surprise me if they did a ST3 RT eventually. Not looking to pick one up but I am very curious as to what it would look like.
 
#26 ·
I haven't heard a thing. I'm afraid it might have just been a rumour, but I'm incredibly unmotivated to do any work today, so I thought I'd spend the day making smartass comments on internet forums.

:eek:
 
#28 · (Edited)
i haven't ridden an R version of the 765 but i have the RS and one thing i am reminded of every time i ride it is how much i like the brakes on this thing. the feel and power of these brakes is fantastic.

the M50 calipers and full brembo system on these brakes, the suspension, quick shifter and such really make the RS an attractive package for the way i ride.
 
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#30 ·
Verrrrry interesting. Pretty much my thoughts exactly.

And to all you RS owners, don't get me wrong, if money was no object I'd already have an RS sitting in my garage...
 
#31 ·
if you don't think you'll want a quickshifter, belly pan, bar end mirrors, adjustable levers, and a rear seat cowl then i guess the R is less money. i confess i am addicted to having a quick shifter and the OEM mirrors on this r and previous ones really aren't the best imo.
 
#32 ·
I have the R but I would value those RS mirrors out of my pocket at around $250 minimum. I've driven myself to tears to get the R mirrors adjusted. They look OK IMO but that's about it. Consequently, I'm anticipating my Rizoma Reverse Retro mirrors arriving next Friday....along with Woodcraft swingarm spools. Can't wait!

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#37 ·
Great find and posting!

From what i can see it appears that there is something like a 3-5 nm bump in mid range torque (7-8k rpm) in the r vs rs. this coverts to approx 2-3.5 lb ft. which is not something most riders are going to notice on the street (or track?) and certainly not a game changing difference in performance at any rpm.
 
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#38 ·
It also appears that the RS torque curve is the better one. As windy said, no one will probably notice, but bot the R and RS get above 75 just short of 9k and whereas the R peaks at 77 at 9.4 then drops off to below 75 by 11k, the RS stays relatively flat until it peaks at 77 at 10.8 and stays above 75 until well past 11k.

IMO, if you are rationalizing the R over the RS based solely on it having "better power for street riding", you are doing it wrong. There are other factors that actually do make the R a better choice for those who prefer it.

Disclaimer: The above statements made from the perspective that spec sheet racing is the most worthless form of mental masturbation. ;)
 
#40 ·
I like that R curve myself. Though, I'm still quite happy with my bone-stock 675, so what do I know?

Revzilla's review was pretty clear that the S and R versions rode a lot better on the street. Something to think about. Though $400-500 and some time at a suspension tuner could improve the RS ride, I'm sure.
 
#41 ·
I will say, it's a bigger difference that I had hoped. Hopefully a good tune will make the RS curve flatter like the R. Then again it has plenty of power for the street and I don't even come close to using all of it anyway. I still don't regret the RS purchase, I would have had to wait until now to buy an R, and even the brake upgrade alone is probably worth the extra money.
 
#43 ·
i agree about the brakes on the RS- the feel and performance are the best i've known. As nice as the bike is i'd have to say the brakes are the highlight feature
The brakes criticism on the R was the most surprising part of the Revzilla article to me. I would have thought they'd be at least comparable to the 675R's Nissin brakes. Maybe there was a bubble in the brake line on their test bike.
 
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