
The older Street Triple was known for its agility and handling and things have gone to the next level with the new Street Triple RS. For starters, the 765cc in-line motor on the Street Triple RS is a bored out version of the 675cc that powered the outgoing model. This new heart makes 121bhp at 11,700rpm and peak torque of 77Nm at 10,800 and this is just for the RS model. The power is much less on the Street Triple S which is the base variant. The best aspect of this motor is its tractability. Thanks to the wider torque spread, it’s easy for the Street Triple RS to be ridden as low as 3500rpm. In fact, shift the gear to fifth and the bike will do 35kmph without any fuss. To make things exciting, drop the gears and cross the 7000rpm mark. That’s where the adrenaline level starts to push up because that’s where this British naked motorcycle become a different animal.

Twist the throttle completely and you will reach illegal speeds in a matter of seconds. The motor is extremely refined and smooth. There are no signs of any vibrations even post 10,000rpm. The bike returned 20kmpl in city riding conditions. The addition of a quickshifter elevates the overall experience. The up-shifts are nice and friendly and can be operated from 2500rpm. Unfortunately, the same thing can’t be said about the downshifts. For city riding, the slip and assist clutch is pleasure to use. The throttle response is precise, thanks to the ride-by-wire system.

In terms of safety, the folks at Triumph have equipped the Street Triple RS with top of the line Brembo M50 monobloc callipers with 310mm discs at the front. At the rear, there’s a single piston calliper gripping into a 220mm brake disc. The bite and feel on the levers is unbelievable. There’s also a switchable ABS to take care of the panic braking. The ride duties are taken care of by fully adjustable Showa big piston forks in the front and Ohlins at the rear. The tuning is slightly on the firmer side but not firm enough to break your back each time you go through a pothole.

Handling the Street Triple RS in really slow traffic requires little more input - blame the slightly heavy front and super grippy Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP tyres. But as the speed increases, life becomes easy. In fact, the bike doubles the excitement in smooth and curvy roads. Quick turn ins and outs are the RS’s forte, a very addictive trait of the bike.