15th March 2017, 06:55
| #1 |
| BHPian Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Hyderabad
Posts: 161
Thanked: 395 Times
| Triumph Street Twin: A British classic for the ages It was almost two years back when I got my second ‘first love’, the red Italian beauty, DSK Benelli 300i.  Aren’t bikes always a man’s first love? At least it was mine and who knew you can get a second chance!   That bike had a lot of context to it and it will always be an emotional part of me, especially considering the bunch of idiot friends I got with it thanks to India Bike Week (IBW) ride to Goa 1 year back.  They say it's very rare that you can make a good set of friends once you are out of college. Maybe you'll have work friends or weekend friends or party friends or sports friends but very few would get a brotherhood that you can count on - to be there for you at all times even when you are not in the same country.  Without the context of our bikes, the chance of us getting this close would be a miracle, especially considering the diverse nature of our characters and lifestyles.  Our Benellis were the common thread between us and they got us together when we were really in need of such a company. This post is dedicated to all those idiots and many such bikers who are turning a new leaf in their life story like me.  Even though some of us parted with the bikes that brought us together, the brotherhood is still intact and growing stronger with each day.  While the brotherhood was keeping me afloat, there were still so many things that were not right in my life and I needed a way out. My sweet little Italian beauty, Benelli 300, was taking me only so far and I needed something that could give me new lease of life. They say with every motorcycle, there is a love story and with every love story that surrounds a motorcycle there is a certain intrigue to it. Sometimes it all begins with a guy admiring how hot or beautiful she is and soon we see everyone ogling her at every chance they get. Some have the guts to approach her and take her out for a test ride yet many would just sit back and enjoy the beauty from a distance.  Some of the ones who dared to approach get lucky and have a fling going on for a while till they decide to move on. However, there might be one or two like me, the serious, committed and sometimes just ‘nice’ people, who might decide to get hitched for a lifetime.  Yes! This is the ultimate keeper for me and oh boy! Isn’t she a classic for the ages!  Yes! The similarities with which we guys appreciate bikes and girls are borderline crazy and similar. Maybe that’s the reason why girls are our biggest enemies when it comes to bikes and no wonder they get jealous. Luckily for me, I had no such girl in my life yet to compete for my attention and the only thing that held me from buying this the moment I saw it was the economics. Not that I was not fortunate enough to afford it but the logic of utility against luxury is a constant battle most of us face especially in a country of billion people where you get constantly judged not just about your personal finances but also your means and uses of it. Do I get bothered by such personal judgement when I wish people can mind their own business? Yes! But I guess I learned to manage it. Sometimes getting asked yeh kitna hai and the follow up comparison like my car costs half of that is in my opinion worse than the yeh kitna dethi hai question! Going back to the analogy of getting married to the most beautiful girl in town, maybe people are just jealous or they are trained to constantly compare like how I did when I decided to give this baby a serious shot. Comparison  It's not just when you are coming off a 300 cc twin-cylinder gem like the Benelli 300, but any upgrade from a quarter-litre class bike will be a tricky choice considering the number of choices you have in the market (Harley Davidson Iron 883, Street 750, Triumph Street Triple, Bonneville T100, Kawasaki Z800, ER 6N, Versys 650, Ninja 650, Benelli 600i/GT, TNT 899, Honda CBR 650F, Hyosung GT 650R/N, Aquila Pro650, ST7, Ducati Scrambler series). Besides these, you have numerous used choices that can make you dizzy. For someone like me who hated choices, I had to use my MBA skills to make my life little better. You make these fancy tables, category analysis and specification comparisons. None of them helped. It was one lazy night while I was binge-watching YouTube and Motorcycle.com reviewed the new Triumph Street Twin and the one thing that caught my attention was the science behind torque and how that can affect ones perception of a ride. Before seeing this Motorcycle.com review, I, like many probably, was under the impression that higher power figures, higher torque figures and lower weight would translate to better performance of a machine. However, I realised that there is one additional factor that is key to enjoying our machines on a daily basis and that is usability. In other words, if your bikes’ power/torque band peaks at a higher rpm above 7000 rpm like in Benellis, the chance of you enjoying it in a city, where most of us ride, is minimal. Similarly, if it peaks somewhere between 5000-8000 rpm like in supersports, the chance of you relishing every bit of that power and torque is minimal in our day-to-day use. Now, most of us, driving in India in our congested cities would agree that the average rpm that we would achieve on our bikes is somewhere around 3000 rpm with a range between 1000-5000 rpm. This is the so called ‘usable power/torque’ band and this is where you achieve the peaks on a Street Twin or for that matter on any of the new Triumphs that have come in 2016, be it the Bonnevilles, or the Thruxtons. On paper, 55 bhp of power for a 900 cc engine might seem low. But TRUST ME guys! You can feel every bit of that torque or power within the city while you are not breaking triple digit speeds. Having driven a naked street such as Benelli 300 and being not a big fan of supersports for our road conditions, I decided to go with cruisers. So I test drove the best among the lot – Iron 883 and Street Twin back to back. The differences were very clear and immediate. Now don’t get me wrong on the Iron 883. When Harley first entered India, this was my dream bike. And I wanted this bike much before I got my first love, Royal Enfield Classic 500. However, the Street Twin was just too good and I fell in love, again. Fewer vibrations, ‘lighter’, a whole lot freakishly quick and enjoyable while being so much more safer with all the latest electronics. I was sold! Now, I can go into amazing details about each and every point on the bike but you have so many videos talking about the same. So I will rather stick to the 10 most good and bad bits that I have experienced so far and let the pictures do some of the talking. Maybe a video review in the future!  10 good bits: Low seat height – At 750mm, this is one of the lowest sitting bikes in our country right now and you can feel this immediately. Surprisingly, the ergonomics were designed so perfectly that for someone close to 6 feet like me, the ankles and feet were still at the right places unlike on Benelli 300 when I hand to angle my feet downwards. Also, the seat was very comfortable, even for 3-4 hour rides. Any longer like my ride to Araku valley needed a air cushion.  Light weight – Now at roughly 200 kilos it is not a light bike at all. However, you won’t feel that even at stand still to some extent. While in motion, it's that much more better. This could mostly be due to the torquey nature of the bike but it’s a point that matters to me a lot. Controls – This is something that one could easily overlook while buying a bike but after getting a taste of how light the handlebar, levers (clutch and front brake) and throttle control feel, you’d be spoiled. The lightness of the handlebar is probably the first thing that I noticed when I test drove this bike and it was something that surprised me the most. For a second, I wondered if the quality was bad but then after a thorough inspection, I realized it’s just how this bike is designed. The ergonomics were just spot on even for an ‘almost 6 footer’ like me. Slip-Assist clutch is amazing not just for its technicality but also for the lightness it offers as my fingers were never stressed out even after a 4-5 hour ride. The ride-by-wire throttle control is super sensitive and before you realise, you’d feel like Zeus with lightning in your palm.  Engine – Coming from a Benelli, I was used to 3 service intervals an year and a total cost of ~Rs. 15000 – 20000. With Triumph, when I first heard of a service interval of 16000 kms/1 year, whichever is earlier, I was shocked especially considering the high torque nature of the bike. It’s a freaking 900 cc high compression, high torque engine and if they could pull off such a service interval then I was sold on the reliability. Also, it feels as solid as a rock with minimal vibrations (a lot more less if you compare it to a Harley). Even though the power figures are not so attractive on paper, it could reach 160 kmph with so much ease that many nakeds were struggling to keep up with me in the 0-100 runs. But then it struggles a bit on the top end to reach 190-195 kmph, the top speed I could achieve and by which point the nakeds and supersports would overtake you in a jiffy. Anyways, this bike is meant to be enjoyed cruising around 120 – 140 kmph and I believe that’s the right speed anyways for our conditions. Moreover, the efficiency of this engine is amazing. On some rides, I have achieved as much as 30 kmpl for at least 60-75 kms when I was cruising around 80-90 kmph in ghat sections, where this bike is so at home. But in city conditions, you can expect anywhere between 22-24 kmpl and that isn’t so bad either for a 900 cc bike. Sound note – This would include both engine and exhaust note. The moment you turn it on, there is a rich throaty feel to the engine and the stock exhaust. I upgraded to a Vance & Hines exhaust system (not the scrambler one as shown below) and the soundtrack is that much more delicious now. Would definitely recommend it! On a side note, isn’t sound a key factor in our purchasing decision? Maybe that’s the reason I never liked the Japanese half litre bikes so much! Torque – I feel on many of our bikes this is a least noticed feature unlike in cars where we talk a lot about the torquey nature, peak torque figures, and turbos or the lag that comes with it. Torque on a bike is as much important as on a car and more than the peak figure that we are so fascinated about, the actual usable figure in 80% of our rides is for me a critical feature and Triumph got it absolutely right. It’s a hoot to ride in the city because of this. Just imagine 80 nm of torque coming at ~3300 rpm.  Chassis & Manoeuvrability – Having so much usable torque in real life conditions can only go so far if the chassis and manoeuvrability are not there to match it or to put it bluntly hold your ride in the saddle. For a cruiser, the way it holds up in a corner and the nimbleness with which it turns is amazing. Unlike the Iron 883, you don’t get that hard tail feel while cornering or traversing your daily traffic. Safety – Having a brilliant engine with an amazing chassis can only go so far if you don’t have the right stopping power in case of emergencies. Riding is on some occasions very addictive in the sense that you'd try to push your limits when you shouldn't. There were quite a few occasions when I got the torque rush and pushed myself in to a tight spot to only realise ABS and traction control saving me the spills. On one front, ABS prevents locking of wheels, however, without traction control, which can give that additional grip when needed like in wet conditions, safety goes only so far as the rider. Customizations – Besides Harley Davidson, Triumph is probably the only manufacturer who has an abundance of options (150+ to be specific for this bike) to customize your ride. However, availability of these add-ons and spares is hard and I had to ask the Bangalore dealer to ship few as they cater to a bigger crowd. But oh boy! With all the available accessories, one can potentially have a ‘new’ bike every year. Right now I have a café racer version going on and I’m planning to have a scrambler version next year.  Brand – Prior to this bike, Triumph was just another Harley for me in the sense that they are popular back home in their home country and are just trying to replicate the same culture in India. In other words, everyone seems to be coming to India with a cookie cutter approach while ending up fitting a square peg in a round hole. Just take the example of the Street 750. A decent bike at a lovely price point but I always wonder why Harley thought India can do with a cheap quality bike when in fact they were doing quite well with the Iron 883 as the entry level model. Their brand took a big hit with the recent issues surrounding braking on Street 750 and it’s a big hit when you look at the big picture. Unlike Harley, Triumph seems clear and their product mix appeals to a diverse crowd. They had a bike for every rider who can afford it and if you can’t you aspire for one and that’s a lovely feeling I felt for many years. The aspirational value for a brand can be much higher than the accessible value and this can be easily overlooked by many if you are only concerned about the superficial things like price and power. Also, another thing that appealed a lot to me about Triumph besides the rich history was the riding brotherhood. They had a very matured and larger crowd when compared to a Benelli and this is very beneficial for a relatively new biker like me. More than anything this is a bike I can wear my heart out and keep it forever.  10 bad bits: Product choices – Triumph has a bike for almost every rider, be it a classic, be it a cruiser, be it a supersport or an adventure bike. Within each of these categories, it has multiple choices like Street Twin, Bonneville and thruxton within the overarching modern classics category. If things stop there, it would have been fine. But Triumph went few steps ahead and is coming up with sub versions of Street Twin like Street Cup and Street Scrambler. This not only confuses but irritates me as one can make a street twin look like a café racer, aka Street Cup, or a Scrambler with the 150+ accessories list that it announced on launch and its that much cheaper and fun to transform your bike with just accessories. By offering overlapping versions, you are not only compromising the brand perception of a customer but also confusing them further which could potentially lead to lost sales. Just an opinion from a MBA who is jobless   Sales – When I talk about sales, I mean the quality of sales. The sales staff at the dealership here in Hyderabad are very friendly and knowledgeable. However, lot of times they end up working in silos like diverting you from one person to the other when you need info on finance, accessories, delivery date, service hours etc. This could be mostly down to the dealer, however, I wish Triumph as a brand had a better and unique sales experience as they have amazing products, which are mostly let down by pricing and quality of service offered by the dealers. Service standards – Compared to Benelli, Triumph in Hyderabad has a smaller space (basically a studio ~1500 sq.ft in area if my estimate is right) for service and you’ll be shocked how many bikes exist in that small and narrow space (sometimes they are as high as 30). Each time you give your bike, your major concern would be what new scratch or dent that could show up. Touch wood! I had none so far. That being said, service quality at this dealership is good even though they resort to some Jugaad occasionally like the time they had to replace my horn as the wiring contact came lose due to its proximity to the radiator. They used some locally made connector instead of on OEM option as they would have had to replace the entire wiring harness which is a pain in the ass considering how tight and compact wiring is on these bikes. You’ll hardly see any wires hanging around. It helps the bike in terms of looks, however, I’m not sure of practicality. Pricing – Ok! This is a very subjective topic. However, I believe this is decently priced to our market conditions. A lakh lesser would have probably made this bike a best seller considering the price of the same bike in other markets like US, Canada and Europe. Also, when you look at this bike, the worth or the performance of it is not clearly evident and this can put off a lot of people. So this could have been taken care by positioning the price attractively. But whom am I to do it! You got to ride it to believe it and a lot of my friends love this bike like I do. Accessories – There are tons of them (150+) although how many are readily available not just at your dealership but across India in general is a big mystery. This again goes back to how Triumph is looking at the Indian market. They have a great product line with some of the best OEM accessories available for a bike. Yet! If they are not available or too costly, the number wouldn't matter right!.  Availability of parts or spares – Just like accessories, spare parts could be hard to find depending on your location's sales. That being said, compared to a Benelli, the most basic parts like filters, headlights, levers, foot pegs etc are more readily available. Power – When you can build such amazing performance at as little as 55 bhp, imagine what could have been possible with a higher output, maybe around 65-70 bhp. Just saying! The current top end maxes out at speeds around 195 kmph. Sufficient for our roads? Oh yeah! But who wouldn’t like more power when you compare it with others that offer anywhere between 70-80 bhp at this price point. High speed stability – Maybe it’s the chassis or the lightness of it or just aerodynamics, the bike gets slightly unstable at speeds above 160 kmph. However, keep in mind that it’s not wobbling or shaking like crazy. It’s just a tad more more sensitive to winds at higher speeds and you can get nervous if you are not so comfortable with such speeds or your instincts are not so lightning quick. Wiring – This wiring on this bike is so snugly packed that you hardly see any wires hanging around. It goes well with the looks, especially for a retro classic. However, it complicates so many things. Take the instance when I lost my horn not just once but twice due to its proximity to the radiator. The service guy had to cut the wire at the end and join with an extension wire as he couldn't pull it any longer. If one wants to replace a single wire completely, he/she would have to remove the tank entirely to access it and then unwind the correct wire from a set of wires all bungled together. It’s a pain for the service guys and there is a good chance of messing things up. Maybe a bit more practical solution next time Triumph!  Tiny bits – The horns sound puny and the lights have a bad range. Also, who puts the USB charging under the seat?  Accessing it is a big task. Also, no bobbins would fit out of the box on this bike making any service at home with a paddock nearly impossible. I use a car jack to get things done but it’s a pain. Now to wrap things up, I’d say to all those who are not so into this bike for its looks, please take a test drive and you’d be mightily impressed. For me, it’s a keeper and I love every ride on it! Ciao  Last edited by navin : 15th March 2017 at 10:50. Reason: video shows excessive speed (above 140kmph). |
|  (56)
Thanks
|
| |
|
15th March 2017, 10:54
| #2 |
| BHPian  Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Bangalore
Posts: 845
Thanked: 739 Times
| |
|
|
|
15th March 2017, 11:28
| #3 |
| BHPian  Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Berlin
Posts: 118
Thanked: 90 Times
| |
|
|
|
15th March 2017, 11:30
| #4 | |||
| Team-BHP Support  Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Mumbai
Posts: 2,197
Thanked: 24,243 Times
| Re: Triumph Street Twin: A British classic for the ages Quote:
The classic Bonneville look is just breath-taking. A wonderful experience penned down. It was a delight to read  .Quote:
Quote:
Lastly, wishing you happy miles with the Street Twin, and would love to read about your future customisation plans. | |||
| (1)
Thanks
|
|
15th March 2017, 11:32
| #5 |
| BHPian Join Date: Feb 2017 Location: NCR
Posts: 255
Thanked: 603 Times
| |
|
|
|
15th March 2017, 15:14
| #6 |
| BHPian Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Frankfurt
Posts: 32
Thanked: 56 Times
| |
|
|
|
15th March 2017, 16:57
| #7 |
| Senior - BHPian  Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Ahmedabad
Posts: 1,450
Thanked: 2,466 Times
| Re: Triumph Street Twin: A British classic for the ages Hi Does the Vance and Hines add on actually make a big difference in the sound quality? For the Bonneville it not only sounds a lot better but also adds design upgrade. Also, what has your dealer told you about the services? I was told that the first service will be at 800 kms, which I understand, but it will cost around 7000 INR which I don't understand. As I dug in to it, dealer told me that the bike, when delivered comes with 'standard' items and they have to be replenished at first service. This is bonkers right? He means to say there'll be an oil change, all filter change at 800 kms.  |
|
| (1)
Thanks
|
|
15th March 2017, 17:45
| #8 |
| Distinguished - BHPian   | |
|
|
|
15th March 2017, 18:24
| #9 |
| BHPian Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Gurgaon
Posts: 100
Thanked: 131 Times
| |
|
| (2)
Thanks
|
|
15th March 2017, 20:15
| #10 | ||||
| BHPian Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Hyderabad
Posts: 161
Thanked: 395 Times
| Re: Triumph Street Twin: A British classic for the ages Quote:
Quote:
No I didn't but I love the new Street Triple RS. If it were in India when I got my Street Twin, then it would have been a tough choice. Quote:
Quote:
| ||||
|
|
|
15th March 2017, 20:52
| #11 | ||||
| BHPian Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Hyderabad
Posts: 161
Thanked: 395 Times
| Re: Triumph Street Twin: A British classic for the ages Quote:
Yeah! It has a great engine and was priced superbly. In terms of sales, it did great but I felt bad hearing the stories, online and in person, and how Harley handled the issue. Anyways, their new Street Rod looks menacing even though its priced a lakh more than Street 750. Eagerly waiting for some reviews and to your point, most harleys and some triumphs are an empty canvas. You can do a lot. Quote:
Interesting that you switched from RE 500 and Ninja to RE 350. Weird how and when we like what we like! I came from a Classic 500 to Benelli 300 to Street Twin. But I can sense some similarities in our preferences. Classic tourers! I didn't test drive the T100 or T120 although they were the ones that made me consider Street Twin in the first place. It was on a ride from Vijayawada to Hyderabad when I bumped into another rider on a Blue/White Bonnie (amazing color) and he was all rave about it and its driveability on the highways. So decided to know more and after seeing Street Twin, I just fell in love and was on my knees as you said. For me Bonnies were too classic compared to Street Twin, which felt a bit more modern. It was a perfect mash up of the old and the new if you consider the riding and safety aids. That beein said, the new Black T120 looks awesome. So if I were you, I'd put it down to looks and the test drive. They both now have similar gigs and its just design preference and obviously price. Quote:
Yeah! I got my first service at the same time at 800 kms. I don't remember the cost of the service and I'm out of country to pull up the bills but they didn't top up anything as its a mere checkup. So it shouldn't have cost that much. Just get a breakdown. But even then, it's an yearly service and TRUST ME! Other brands cost a lot more. Just be cautious about labour charges. My friend who owns a tiger got a labour cost of 8000. Crazy!Don't go by what the dealer says in terms of replenishing! Check the manual. It doesn't ask for a top up. Quote:
While I was in the market, the Bonnies weren't as equipped as the Street Twin and they looked kind of dated. Also, this might seem harsh but I remember a watchman in Goa calling a Bonnie a Bullet during our Goa IBW ride. That had a bad impression on me even though its not true. So it was mostly looks and the timing of my purchase. Although, the new T120 in matte black looks killer! Imagine it being all black! So it boils down to what you like the most design wise and where you want to put your money. I spent almost 10 lakhs including the accessories as this felt more flexible in style compared to T100 or T120. So, it would also depend on what you want to do post purchase.Last edited by mobike008 : 15th March 2017 at 22:24. Reason: Only 2 smileys per post please... | ||||
|
| (2)
Thanks
|
| |
|
15th March 2017, 21:29
| #12 | |
| BHPian Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Gurgaon
Posts: 100
Thanked: 131 Times
| Re: Triumph Street Twin: A British classic for the ages Quote:
| |
|
| (1)
Thanks
|
So it boils down to what you like the most design wise and where you want to put your money. I spent almost 10 lakhs including the accessories as this felt more flexible in style compared to T100 or T120. So, it would also depend on what you want to do post purchase.|
18th March 2017, 15:32
| #13 | |
| BHPian  Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: BLR, IXC
Posts: 232
Thanked: 129 Times
| Re: Triumph Street Twin: A British classic for the ages Quote:
Its a lovely ride and ticks all the right boxes! I notice you have many pieces from the Brat Tracker inspiration kit, including the exhaust, indicators and the bash guard. Did you get that and leave out the flat seat and tail tidy? I ask since its a steal compared to buying the accessories separately. | |
|
|
|
18th March 2017, 17:11
| #14 | |
| BHPian Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Hyderabad
Posts: 161
Thanked: 395 Times
| Re: Triumph Street Twin: A British classic for the ages Quote:
Ya its a steal but didn't match my criteria and I ended up paying less. For one, I wasn't a fan off bench seat and I wanted a café racer look. Then, you can't remove the baffle on the exhaust that comes with the kit and the sound is too close to stock. So not worth the money. Also, I kind of preferred the stock tail as it had a better finish than the tail tidy. | |
|
|
|
18th March 2017, 17:22
| #15 | |
| BHPian Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: BLR, IXC
Posts: 232
Thanked: 129 Times
| Re: Triumph Street Twin: A British classic for the ages Quote:
They had quoted the same for the VnH exhaust and the whole kit, so it made sense. Didn't realize your exhaust is different Completely agree on the original tail being better than the tail tidy. The tail tidy isn't tidy enough for my liking  | |
|
|
 |
Most Viewed