Triumph Rat Motorcycle Forums banner

Speed Twin vs. Street Triple R

39K views 78 replies 32 participants last post by  Skilzost 
#1 ·
Has anyone here ridden both of these? Putting looks aside--the Speed Twin wins there, IMO--how does Speed Twin compare to the Street Triple R in terms of handling and general performance?
 
#2 ·
Mate they are two very different bikes for different needs.

I went from the street triple to a street twin, the performance and handling of the stripple was much better, but I enjoy the ride of the twin much more. I have made some mods to improve performance and handling but it is still not in the stripples level. If you look at the speed twins performance stats that will probably not be either.

Horses for courses, had my triple for 6 years from new and loved it. Had my twin for 8 months now and loving it.

For my riding needs the twin wins every time, maybe take a test ride of both and see how you feel after that.
 
#3 ·
Thank you for the response. Out of curiosity, what made you want to make the switch? I've read several posts on here where people switched from the stripple to a bonneville. Many of them said that the stripple often made them feel like they weren't really having fun unless they were exceeding the speed limit. Is that how you felt? Also, do you miss the acceleration at all?
 
#4 ·
I read bike magazine here in the uk, in a recent issue they showed how these two bikes compare.. the speed twin has less power but more torque, the triple has more power, less torque.. they worked out the thrust the motors have per gear, the speed twin has more than the triple up to around 80ish mph, so for normal riding the twin will be faster
And why more people enjoy riding twins is because of the relaxed position on the bike, slight forward lean, straight arms, nice soundtrack, compared to a triple, hunched over, leaning on wrists makes you need to go fast to keep the weight off
 
#5 ·
I read bike magazine here in the uk, in a recent issue they showed how these two bikes compare.. the speed twin has less power but more torque, the triple has more power, less torque.. they worked out the thrust the motors have per gear, the speed twin has more than the triple up to around 80ish mph, so for normal riding the twin will be faster
And why more people enjoy riding twins is because of the relaxed position on the bike, slight forward lean, straight arms, nice soundtrack, compared to a triple, hunched over, leaning on wrists makes you need to go fast to keep the weight off
Interesting, especially considering the Triple is quite a bit lighter. If that magazine is correct about that, it would appear that Speed Twin is a superior around-town bike. Kind of the way, IMO, these nakeds (e.g., MT-09/10, Duke 790, Street Triple, etc.) are superior to supersports.
 
#6 ·
yeah apples to oranges I think
and the triple no doubt handles better and is faster overall
but in normal riding conditions the speed 2 is awesome in my opinion and feels plenty fast- like really powerful
the mid RPM torque is strong and the bike is easy to ride
I have and have had LOTs of bikes and 160 HP KTM etc
and the speed 2 feels more fun and not tiring either
ride one and see
one of my favorite bikes to ride for just beating around is my 73 Honda CB 350 twin--wow so easy and fun
the speed twin makes me feel like that with 3 times the power, better suspension, powerful brakes and modern day ABS etc
did I mention its easy to ride--nice seat height, not too heavy or tall :)
plenty of great bikes out there today- plenty--but this one is good rider
I wouldn't take it on LONG touring- but thats not what its meant for
 
#7 ·
Another interesting factor here between the two bikes is monthly costs at least in my age bracket and location. Insurance costs for a new street triple R were literally double as they were for my Speed Twin.

That was a factor for me. I wanted something sporty but not committed like the Thruxton. Was also looking to get away from chrome and spiked wheels. I’d been starting to consider the triple but then they came out with the speed that check nearly every check box at a good price point. Due to the insurance I never bothered testing the street triple.
 
#8 ·
Asking the question on the ‘water cooled twins’ section of the forum gets you the opinion that the twin is ‘better’ - ask it again on the Street Triple section and see what they tell you! :grin2:

The bikes are very different, and designed for different uses and different customers. Which one is better (for your use) will depend entirely on how you feel after a road test on each of them. And it may well come down to whether you prefer the ‘brapp’ of a twin or the ‘howl’ of a triple. You will have a ball finding out. :smile2:
 
#15 ·
Not quite what the OP asked for, but I did test ride a Street Triple R and the Street Twin before deciding to buy the Street Twin. On the triple, I found myself doing 50+ mph on 35 mph roads while still in 3rd gear. I felt I wouldn't enjoy riding the triple at a sensible speed as much as the twin. I am guessing the Speed Twin is essentially a Street Twin dialed up to 15.
 
#16 ·
Not quite what the OP asked for, but I did test ride a Street Triple R and the Street Twin before deciding to buy the Street Twin. On the triple, I found myself doing 50+ mph on 35 mph roads while still in 3rd gear. I felt I wouldn't enjoy riding the triple at a sensible speed as much as the twin. I am guessing the Speed Twin is essentially a Street Twin dialed up to 15.
Why is that? I've actually seen other people say the same thing. Is it just the knowledge that you're only using a fraction of its power or something?
 
#18 ·
I actually test rode the Speed Twin and the Street Triple R a couple of weeks ago, along with a Royal Enfield Interceptor. My main ride for the last four years has been a 2006 CBR600F4i that I picked up in March 2015, a one-owner sweetheart with only 5700 miles and in virtually mint condition. I tweaked it for my needs (stiffer Racetech fork springs, Racetech Gold rebound kit, braided steel brake lines, lower Knight Design footpegs, etc) and turned it into a wonderfully usable supersport. But I’m an old fart (64) and the riding position is getting to be a bit much, so I thought I’d switch to something more mellow and relaxing.

First up was the Royal Enfield (because I’m a cheap bastard) and it was charming in a retro (kinda slow and wobbly) sort of way, but a little too sloppy for what I wanted. The Speed Twin looked like the ideal solution, but my cheapness had steered me away from it. But when a test ride was offered I jumped, and that bike was (not surprisingly) light-years better than the RE. Very quick, the midrange lunge is hilarious. I really liked it a lot...but somehow I just didn’t love it. And in that price range I need to feel serious lust. The riding position was slightly off, making me feel like I couldn’t get my body in the right position to easily control the bike. At that point I was ready to go home defeated, but on a semi-whim I asked if they had a Street Triple R demo bike (because I’ve quietly lusted after a Street Triple R since I first saw one in 2009), and sure enough they did. I suspected it would be too similar to my CBR, but figured it was worth a test ride...

And that was that. Ten seconds into the test ride I was giggling like a little school girl, the triple’s intake sounded like a rhinoceros on PCP. The torque of the 765 engine is addictive, nail the throttle at 4K rpm and the combination of sound and thrust is just stunning. I walked back into the dealer showroom grinning like a fool, and the co-owner of the dealership offered me a deal on a new-in-the-crate 2019 Matte Aluminum Silver R that I couldn’t resist. I only needed to do one thing to make it perfect, and that was to add some trusty Knight Design footpegs to pick up an extra 1 inch of legroom. The handlebar position is perfect for me (6’2” tall with long arms), and the added legroom with the KD pegs makes the rider triangle vastly more comfortable than my CBR.

I’ve had the bike for all of 8 days now and every time I ride it I love it even more. I have to give a big shout out to Team Power Center in Janesville, WI; owners Todd and Darcy are the nicest, most knowledgeable and straightforward people you could want. I can say with certainty I wouldn’t have made such a big purchase so readily if I had been at a typical dealer.

Sorry for the long-winded reply, my enthusiasm for the Streetie gets the better of me! Anyway, I hope my two cents is at least mildly helpful.
 
#21 · (Edited)
Absolutely no reason to loose your license on a Street Triple either. It’s an astonishing piece of work, perfectly happy to trundle smoothly through a 30 mph limit in 6th gear and then accelerate away without changing down. Or, you can chuck it down a few gears and pull a huge wheelie, the choice is yours (because the bike doesn’t care, it’s happy either way).

The latest price rise on the twin (a basic black one is up to £10800 in the U.K. now) makes the Street Triple R look an absolute bargain (£9300). And when you factor in the much higher spec of the triple (TFT dash, fully adjustable suspension, radial brakes etc) it’s something of a no brainer.
 
#24 ·
That's one part of it. That triple was an astonishing piece of work, but I just preferred how the Twin "felt" at the speeds I mostly tend to ride in over the triple. I liked the relative "roughness" of the twin which made it feel like it was actually working to get up-to speed over the triple's effortless, almost liquid, power delivery.

PS - Do take my comment about the roughness and smoothness with a grain of salt as I have spent most of my riding life on a 100cc single from 1996 and have never been on an 4 cylinder bike.
 
#25 ·
I've had a Street Triple 675R, now I own a Speed Twin. The power delivery of the Triple is such that the faster you go, the better it performs. The torque keeps climbing with the revs. The Twin, on the other hand, gives you all the torque at 4k, and it pretty much flattens out after that. Yes, it will rev higher than 4k, but it does not get more exciting, unlike the Triple. The Triple gave me a power addiction, and sent me searching for more -- I went to the BMW S1000RR, then Aprilia Tuono. One day I realized that I am taking too many risks riding these ridiculously fast and powerful bikes on the street. Not in terms of risking of losing control and hurting myself (the Triple, the S1000RR, and the Tuono all handle brilliantly and even an average rider can go on them real fast); more in the lines of getting arrested for speeding. So I got myself the Twin. It is a gentlemen's ride -- you can ride it sensibly but don't need to make compromises. Hooliganism on the Twin is just kinda unnatural. It promotes responsible riding because, as I said above, while it will go faster, it will do it without the enthusiasm of a race bike.

The Street Triple is the better bike, if you have willpower and restraint. I don't, so I now have the Speed Twin.
 
#26 ·
Had the same problem with my Speed Triple RS. Just wasn't as engaging to ride when you have to follow the rules, but when you did bad things OMG it was incredible. Speed Twin is SO much more fun for me to ride on the street.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Wolfmanhawaii
#29 ·
My opinion is just that, an opinion. I still think that the Speed Twin is awesome bike, but is different from the Triple, and I tried to outline some of the *perceived* differences. The Triple peaks at around 10k and even if I am slightly off at my perceived feel of where the peak torque of the Twin is, whether at 4k or 5k, it does not change my perceived fell of difference in character. I think that we can all agree that both the Twin and the Triple are awesome bikes, and the only real help we can offer is to confirm that neither one is a bad choice.

To the OP: A test ride will make is very clear which bike you like better.
 
#31 ·
Actually the Street RS holds most of it's torque close to redline... It has a screaming top end that beat my Daytona 675 quite handily... I think that 765 motor is one of the best motors out there on the market... Yeah, there are faster, but to have a bike that light, so smooth and electric and rips on top like that... Hard to beat.
 

Attachments

#30 ·
I rode the Speed Twin, and my wife has a Striple RS. The two bikes are so far apart, they are not in the same class.

The Speed Twin is certainly capable for what it is, but in pretty much every performance category the Striple crushes it. The Street RS is faster, a lot more HP, stops faster, corners better... It's a high performance machine, a true sportbike.

The Speed twin pretty quick for a standard... It's is quick enough, but if you came from the world of sportbikes, the Speed is gonna feel like a slow bike. We are talking maybe 80hp at the wheel? It does have torque, but the extra torque is not enough to overcome the weight penalty and 40hp deficit it has to the Striple RS.

I rode it, and got on it a bit, and it was fun, and to me would make a great second bike... But if I was after a performance street bike, I would not consider the Speed Twin as my primary machine...
 
#32 ·
Not that I necessarily disagree but there is only 25hp difference between the speed twin and the street triple RS and only 20 between the R. It's not remotely close to 40hp. Obviously suspension, gearing and torque play a huge difference between the feel of the two bikes.

The speed twin actually has faster acceleration from a standing start. Once you get higher in the RPM's and higher gears the triple starts screaming.

The speed twin doesn't feel like a slow bike, I used to have a 675 and this actually feels faster at street speeds but runs out of puff faster. The speed twin is just nowhere near as smooth, when you're riding it hard, it isn't effortless, there is vibration and a lot of noise. I actually think I ride faster on the speed twin because it's an easier bike to ride, it's a lot harder to give it too much throttle (because you're not dealing with high rev twitchiness) or under estimate a corner. Both are unquestionably fast bikes one just feels purpose built for the task while the other grumbles a bit when you push it.

I go riding all the time people on 675 and 765's, they aren't pulling away effortlessly. Once you start approaching the speed limit it's a different matter but pulling out of corners and standing starts, they're a lot closer than one would expect.
 
#40 ·
I test rode the Speed twin and ripped on it, and went with the Street Cup because the Speed just wasn’t that fast... it was quicker than the Street cup, but still literally half the hp of my other bike so it still felt like weak sauce and I decided that the Cup looked better and would be just as fun as a second bike.


I have had the 765 out on the race track(Road Atlanta) and it was brilliant... no way the Speed Twin could hang with it... I have owned bikes with almost the exact same weight, hp and tq as the Speed... its not close.

Yeah, around Main Street and in town the torque is nice... I do like the Speed... I would own one...but if the question is about performance, it’s not on par. That’s all I am saying...
 
#47 ·
Old thread. Any new, real-world views?
I'm chomping at the bit to trade in on a Triumph, digging both bikes for different reasons.

Taking track days out of the equation...
Seems the Speed Twin has a more comfortable/upright seating position, has enough torque to hang at legal speeds and is a great around town commuter/backroad burner.
It lacks TFT, suspension, quickshifter, has less braking power, and the uncomfortable seat comes up a lot.

The Street Triple seems a superiror performing, more fluid, intuitive bike, with a heavy lean to the sporty side that includes a more aggressive (and probably uncomfortable) seating position, and a motor that likes to be revved. Maybe not so great for commuting or in-town riding. No doubt the Street Triple offers a giggle factor that the Speed Twin can't match when you whip the throttle.

Looks is a matter of tastes. I love the holes you can see through the Speed Twin motor, the old school tank and the metal fenders. The Street Triple looks like a wasp inspired Transformer, with plenty of plastic.

Someone mentioned double insurance cost on the Street Triple. Ouch.
 
#48 ·
Having experienced them, all, for the minor price difference, I went with the speed3 over the street3. Insurance rates were lower, weirdly and having cruise control was kind of the tie breaker for me.

To me a Street3 vs Speed2, the 765 would be such a significantly better handling bike and like 50lbs lighter. I'd take the triple, they make the Bonnevilles feel so archaic.

Here's my Speedy and my Thruxton.



Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk
 
#49 ·
Having experienced them, all, for the minor price difference, I went with the speed3 over the street3. Insurance rates were lower, weirdly and having cruise control was kind of the tie breaker for me.

To me a Street3 vs Speed2, the 765 would be such a significantly better handling bike and like 50lbs lighter. I'd take the triple, they make the Bonnevilles feel so archaic.

Here's my Speedy and my Thruxton.



Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk
Beautiful bikes! Thanks for the response.

Looks like the answer in your garage is to have one of each, lol. Kind of what I have going on in the garage right now with the F6b and Night Train.
Gonna shake things up with a Triumph.
I don't understand why the Speed Twin or Street Triple don't have cruise control.
Thanks again. I've read some of your posts on the Scrambler FB page. Good stuff!
 
#53 ·
I have since traded my Speed Twin, but I remember some of its quirks:

- I didn't like seating on it for longer than 1 hour. It is too upright, and that puts stress on the spine. My back was hurting after a ride. I prefer a slightly sportier position. On the Triple, on the highway, the lift from the air is enough to compensate for the weight on the bars.

- Stock, the cat makes it very hot. I don't think I am exaggerating. I am used to the hot engines on superbikes, and the Twin is even hotter. Decat and a tune (I did the Diva's) solved that. The Tripe is much better in that regard.

- Gearing is weird. First and second are so short, on intersections I have to upshift twice while still crossing it. It runs out of RPMs at very low speeds. Perhaps a smaller rear sprocket will help; I have not tried it. The Triple wins here as well.

- In the garage, it is a pig. It is very top heavy. On the road, the weight distribution helps it to fall quickly into corners, making for a very enjoyable ride on twisty roads. The rear tire is also a little narrower than the Triple, and this helps with agility too. Torque is abundant, so getting out of the corner and giving it some gas results in a very rewarding experience. Just be careful with downshifting when approaching the corner; the very short second and first gear were causing rear lockup all the time.

- Looks: I really like how the Twin looks. Very classy. Analog clocks are both classic and modern. I wish the tine LCD info panel used a bigger letters.

- Rain mode in the Twin is great. Again, because of the high torque combined with very short first and second gear, it benefits from some softening.

- Wind management is very poor. On the highway, it is a chore. I tried to fit a screen, but could not find a good mounting solution.

- Accessories were, and expect, still are, scarce. The Euro model with its different placement of the turn signals is better in that regard. I had Tech rack, but it interfered with the Corbin seat.

- The Triple revs higher, and goes faster.

Even with these quirks, the Twin is still an awesome bike. Most can be addressed if one is willing to invest a bit, and their riding style (i.e. sensible) matches the character of the bike. For me, I did not like the adjustments to my riding style it required for it to perform at its best, so I sold it and switched back to a more sporty bike.
 
#59 ·
Shouldn't the slipper clutch deal with that, although if you're braking hard there may not be enough weight on the rear to make it work?
The only bike I locked the rear when downshifting was a R9T Racer, within about 100yds of setting off at the first traffic lights, quickly learnt how a dry clutch reacts on a big twin in December. my throttle blip didn't work because of the ridiculous slack the dealer bikes have, luckily you can adjust it without tools.
 
#60 ·
I own a 2017 T-120 and a 2018 Street Triple R (765). I can only guess at how close the Speed Twin is to the T-120.

I find that I ride my Street Triple R about 3 or 4 times more than the T-120. I find the Street Triple R more fun, exhilarating and nimble. Just accelerating in 3rd gear from 8,000 rpms to 12,000 rpms always make me grin. I tell myself that riding my Street is good exercise (may or may not be true).

I find the T-120 annoying when I scrape my pegs. But it is beautiful and sounds GREAT.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Wolfmanhawaii
#63 ·
SLIP assist clutch, the same ramps that force the plates together with forward torque for the assist function force the plates apart with reverse torque for the slip function.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Wolfmanhawaii
#64 ·
You got me intrigued. I may be mistaken, of course, and the information published in most "reviews" is a copy/paste from one or two sources which are not necessarily correct. I have not taken the Twin's clutch apart, but checked the factory repair manual. The clutch description simply states "wet multiplate", in contrast with press reviews. The parts diagram also does not show the Belleville springs I would expect to see in a slipper. I have done slipper function adjustment on Aprilia clutch and the Triumph does not have the same hardware.
 
#66 ·
I have not taken the Twin's clutch apart, but checked the factory repair manual.
I have taken mine apart and its exactly the same as the one fitted to my 675R, they are just calling it different names.
If you look up any 2013 675R Specs it will say slipper clutch, then on later models they called it a slip assist clutch, now just an assist clutch, maybe the marketing men don't like the word slip, or the lighter action is just more important to most riders, but its the same clutch.
Its a ramp type so isn't the same adjustable type you've worked on and doesn't have Belleville springs, but only 3 normal springs instead of the usual 5 on a regular triumph clutch so lighter action.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Wolfmanhawaii
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top