Reviews 2012 Triumph Street Triple R Review

2012 Triumph Street Triple R Review Featured Hot

Editor rating

4.1

User rating

0.0 (0)

Written by Jan Plessner August 20, 2012 1179 0Add

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2012 Triumph Street Triple R
Photo © MotorcycleUSA.com & Justin Dawes Photo

Motorcycle Info

Manufacturer

Triumph

Year

2012

Country

Great Britain

MSRP

$9394

Type

Engine Size

675 cc

Configuration

Weight

416 lbs

Seat Height

31.50"

Colors

Diablo Red, Phantom Black, Crystal White

The 2012 Triumph Street Triple R packs a serious punch when it comes to engine performance and handling. The impressive nature of this bike doesn’t stop with its extremely responsive 675cc in-line 3-cylinder power plant and fully adjustable sports suspension. The Street Triple R features the trademark twin headlights and high-level exhaust, meaty dual brake discs up front and a comprehensive instrument suite that even includes a lap timer and adjustable gear change indicator.

I think this Triumph is a great bike for intermediate and experienced female street motorcyclists who want a sportbike-type ride, but without the aggressive wrist numbing lean over of a true supersport. If you crave a highly tuned engine, the thrill of quick acceleration and stopping on a dime, then the Triumph Street Triple R should be a bike you demo ride in the near future.

Five experienced female riders recently tested the 2012 Triumph Street Triple R for the MotorcycleUSA.com Women's Streetbike Shootout. It should be no surprise the Street Triple R had no trouble standing out from the crowd.

2012 Triumph Street Triple R Shootout Video

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Editor reviews

2012 Triumph Street Triple R Reviewed by Jan Plessner

#1 Reviewer - View all my reviews Written: August 21, 2012 | Last updated: August 21, 2012

Overall rating		4.1
Rider Comfort		4.0
Power Feel		4.5
Handling & Shifting		4.0
Features & Controls		4.0
Apparence		3.5
Confidence Inspiring		4.0
Value		4.5

Pros & Cons

Pros

Piles of power
Tons of torque
Superb handling
Lots of kick for under 10K

Cons

Where’s the gas gauge?
Not ideal for newbies
Bug-eyed headlights

2012 Triumph Street Triple R: Best in Class

Review
Ratings Details
More Info

The Street Triple R has earned a variety of best in class accolades in the U.S. and abroad. This model won “Bike of the Year” in Bike magazine in the UK and in Moto Navi of Japan.

According to triumphmotorcycles.com, the Street Triple produces 105 bhp and 50ft lbs of torque. That’s plenty of “get up and go” to put a smile on the face of even the most seasoned motorcycle rider.

Rating Details

Rider Comfort

With a seat height of 31.7”, the Triumph Street Triple R is a tad on the tall side, but so well balanced and behaved, it never became an issue for this 5-foot, 2 and a half inch tall test rider. The seating position is tiny bit aggressive, yet fairly upright. I found the seating position, seat material and padding quite comfortable.

Power Feel & Engine

The Triumph has significant power and torque for a bike of this size. It may only measure 675cc’s, but when you twist the throttle, it feels like a bigger bike. It is steady on the freeway and super solid on tighter twisty roads, too. According to the Motorcycle-USA.com Women’s Streetbike Shootout, the Triumph uses 3.71 seconds to reach 60 mph from a standstill and can do a quarter mile in the elevens.

Handling & Shifting

I think the Triumph is easy to shift and smooth throughout the drivetrain. It feels light and responsive and it’s super fun to twist the throttle. The Street Triple R features 41mm Kayaba inverted front forks which are adjustable for preload, rebound and compression damping to give expert riders options to set the motorcycle up for their specific needs. The rear monoshock is an equally high-quality item, adjustable for preload and rebound damping. The suspension on the Triumph was a little stiff for the straight, boring and bumpy freeways of Southern California, but when it came time to cut up the local mountain roads, everything seemed just right.

Features & Controls

All the features and controls seemed to be within easy reach and comfortable to use. The mirrors were well placed and usable. The dash was easy to see, even in bright sunlight.

Apparence

The five-spoke alloy wheels from the Daytona 675, fat alloy Magura handlebars, a stylish two-tone seat and detailed instrumentation are just some of what makes the Triumph a head turner. I liked how the Triumph looked and was just getting used to the unique headlights about the time our day of riding was complete. I’ve always preferred lighter colored bikes, so I’d gravitate towards the Crystal White over the red or black. They all look sharp.

Confidence Inspiring

It’s so nice when a quick bike can stop quickly as well. The Street Triple uses twin 308mm floating discs with Nissin 4-piston radial calipers up front. What does this mean to you? If you need to stop quickly you can.

Value

With a price tag well under 10K, a cruising range exceeding 200 miles and a 51mpg rating on the highway, rest assured you’ll maximize your dollar and exceed your fun factor quota on this machine in no time at all.

Triumph Genuine Accessories

Triumph has an assortment of genuine accessories that are becoming very popular among the Street Triple R owners. Color-matched small windshields (called flyscreens), belly pans and seat cowls give the bike a more sporting and aggressive look.

There is also a three-into-one “low boy” exhaust system and lightweight slip-on exhausts for improved performance and weight reduction.

You can also find CNC-machined clutch and brake levers and “plug and play” quickshifter kits that can be fitted to the Street Triple R in minutes.