[a_chelat]

2025 Triumph Speed Twin 1200 and 1200 RS Unveiled

Triumph has taken the wraps off the next gen Speed Twin 1200 and an all-new Speed Twin 1200 RS. Both motorcycles are powered by the same liquid-cooled, parallel twin engine but with an upgraded cam, a higher 8000 rpm redline and an extra 5PS peak power, with Triumph claiming a peak of 103.5 hp @7750 rpm and peak torque of 112 Nm @4250 rpm. It is mated to a 6-speed gearbox, with the RS variant getting a bi-directional quickshifter.






Both variants will come with updated electronics like lean-sensitive traction control, optimised cornering ABS and ride modes. The standard variant offers Road and Rain modes while the RS has an additional Sport mode. The instrumentation also gets an update - the erstwhile beautiful twin dials have been replaced with the LCD unit from the Trident 660. While the new unit offers turn-by-turn navigation, phone connectivity and a USB-C charging socket, it does take away some of the retro charm IMHO.



The standard 1200 gets 43 MM USD front forks and preload adjustable rear twin shock absorbers, both from Marzocchi. The 1200 RS gets fully adjustable Marzocchi USD fork and Ohlins rear twin shock absorbers adjustable for preload, compression and rebound damping.




There are a host of other design changes and improvements making this a comprehensive update. The 1200 is available in 3 paint schemes - Aluminium Silver, Crystal White/Sapphire Black and Carnival Red/Sapphire Black. The RS is available in 2 paint schemes - Sapphire Black and Baja Orange/Sapphire Black.

[hikozaru]

Sad day to be a triumph fan. No twin dials, the side panels do not align with the fake fins on the engine, no classic logo. Disastrous really

[Darkcloud]

Originally Posted by hikozaru

Sad day to be a triumph fan. No twin dials, the side panels do not align with the fake fins on the engine, no classic logo. Disastrous really

I agree with you completely. The twin dials and the full Triumph logo should have been retained. Guess these are the new normal now and the only choice left is to accept these.

[a_chelat]

While the twin dials will be missed for their aesthetics, I guess some would be happy with the new features the LCD unit brings.

As for the logo, Triumph has already been using this one for some of the 2024 paint schemes as well. The Carnival Red had it and it looked good.



Some of the paint schemes are a bit garish for my taste as well but at least this isn't just another sticker job but a proper update.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Now launched at 12.75 lakhs, with the RS at 15.49 lakhs:

[shabih]

Originally Posted by hikozaru

the side panels do not align with the fake fins on the engine, Disastrous really

Aah now I get it, I was also wondering why this new lot doesn't look right.

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Now launched at 12.75 lakhs, with the RS at 15.49 lakhs:

I used to be a fan of the Bonnie and the Speed Twin 1200 having test/short-ridden both. But now I am beginning to question the logic of spending this kind of money on a 1200cc twin when you can get more cylinders, a better ride experience with others. No offense meant to anyone, I was also in line to get my hands on the above two bikes for long but I'm questioning myself now.

[b16h22]

Originally Posted by hikozaru

Sad day to be a triumph fan. No twin dials, the side panels do not align with the fake fins on the engine, no classic logo. Disastrous really

It is a good looking bike overall but the last facelift was perfectly fine aesthetically. This new design has been messing up my head ever since it was launched. They've carried over the same broken-in-the-middle sub-frame look to the new Speed twin 900 as well.

[Aakarsh Gupta]

A strict no without the dual pods up front. They've ruined the design appeal.

[amol4184]

I took test rides of 2025 1200 and bunch of other motorcycles in this segment during the last weekend and week before that.

Here are some of my observations for each of them. Do note that these weren't really long test rides but enough to make up mind.

1. 2025 Speed Twin 1200 (non RS) - Easily the best looking of the lot. Its not even a contest. Top notch fit and finish. High quality kit that justifies the premium over 900. Riding modes make no difference to me but apparently the "Rain" mode on 1200 is rather effective in this rain soaked place. No Sport mode like the RS. Absolutely effortless acceleration and smooth power delivery all throughout the range. Instantly brings smile to the face. A breeze to ride in traffic despite hefty looks. I didn't miss the twin pods but then again I have never ridden previous iterations of this bike. The sitting position for my height was perfect. Not too laid back not too weighty on wrists either. Purposeful but infinitely better than older Thruxton. The turning radius felt humongous but probably a non issue as couple of bikes in this list felt similar.

2. 2024 Speed Twin 900 - Mistake to ride it after 1200. Feels inferior. Everything on it feels lower quality than 1200 including the finishing kit and overall look and feel of it. The riding experience is excellent though and a fantastic in traffic. More laid back than 1200 in every way. Also for whatever it is worth, it sounds better than the 1200. The seat is very low for my 185 cm height. The 1200 fits me better with taller seat. I am going to ride 2025 model coming weekend. The 2025 gets USD forks and other goodies that will fill up the gap it currently has vis-a-vis 2025 1200.

3. 2024 Yamaha XSR 900 - Awkward styling that doesn't hide its MT09/MT10 roots at all. Neo retro theme on it is just for namesake as everything on it is nearly 100% similar to MT09 including how it delivers power - snappy and rowdy. If you are not careful, it will bite you back. The design is basically this: someone ripped off Transformer style headlamps from MT series of bikes and installed round headlamp and called it retro. Definitely not my cup of tea. It sounds fantastic though. Besides its a Japanese machine and my experience with old FZ09 tells me that this will be a no nonsense cheap to maintain bike compared to Triumphs. Could be the quickest of all the bikes here. The seat is hard compared to others, especially the Kawasaki. Not a bad bike, just doesn't feel like proper retro.

4. 2024 Kawasaki Z900RS - As good as the Speed Twins IMO except looks. Butter smooth power delivery, perfect for my height and overall a very pleasant, non offensive bike with excellent reliability. Supremely relaxed sitting (may be more than I like) but if that's your jam, these bikes are better than Speed Twins in that regard. If comfort and reliability were my top choices I think this would be my first choice. The "Cafe" trim solves the problem of lazy sitting position so that is an option too. It also deflects wind hitting you in the face quite effectively.

5. 2024 Honda CB1000R - Too much naked bike rather than neo retro/cafe style despite what Honda calls it. This is somewhat similar to XSR900 with its awkward styling but not as bad. Typical Honda traits present in spades. Sounds good, everything feels good but not exceptionally high quality. Super smooth power delivery but I had a mis-shift and that immediately made me lose confidence in it. Excellent torque and a breeze to ride slow in traffic but the wind really hits you in the face. I think this would be my last choice among all the bikes here. It feels somewhat boring. Oh and surprising amount of heat radiated from engine.

All in all, 1200 is better than 900 in every aspect except price. Despite that I might still go for the 900 or Kawasaki. The 2025 900 has an interesting colorway coming up that might finalize my vote. And of course I have kept doors open for used bikes too.

[shabih]

Originally Posted by amol4184

I took test rides of 2025 1200 and bunch of other motorcycles in this segment during the last weekend and week before that.

Here are some of my observations for each of them. Do note that these weren't really long test rides but enough to make up mind.

1. 2025 Speed Twin 1200 (non RS) - Easily the best looking of the lot. Its not even a contest. Top notch fit and finish. High quality kit that justifies the premium over 900. Riding modes make no difference to me but apparently the "Rain" mode on 1200 is rather effective in this rain soaked place. No Sport mode like the RS. Absolutely effortless acceleration and smooth power delivery all throughout the range. Instantly brings smile to the face. A breeze to ride in traffic despite hefty looks. I didn't miss the twin pods but then again I have never ridden previous iterations of this bike. The sitting position for my height was perfect. Not too laid back not too weighty on wrists either. Purposeful but infinitely better than older Thruxton. The turning radius felt humongous but probably a non issue as couple of bikes in this list felt similar.

2. 2024 Speed Twin 900 - Mistake to ride it after 1200. Feels inferior. Everything on it feels lower quality than 1200 including the finishing kit and overall look and feel of it. The riding experience is excellent though and a fantastic in traffic. More laid back than 1200 in every way. Also for whatever it is worth, it sounds better than the 1200. The seat is very low for my 185 cm height. The 1200 fits me better with taller seat. I am going to ride 2025 model coming weekend. The 2025 gets USD forks and other goodies that will fill up the gap it currently has vis-a-vis 2025 1200.

As a current owner of the Street Twin (900), I can certainly say that it serves one well in terms of the everyday livability factor. Good enough grunt throughout the revband, doesn't run too hot, very natural riding position. I have ridden the Speed Twin 1200 (2024 edition) and for our road conditions, I found it a misfit, personal opinion. For the same amount of cash, you can get more cylinders and experience a different class (sports tourer, ADV, etc.) unless you're bent on the neo-retro segment.

[amol4184]

Originally Posted by shabih

As a current owner of the Street Twin (900), I can certainly say that it serves one well in terms of the everyday livability factor. Good enough grunt throughout the revband, doesn't run too hot, very natural riding position. I have ridden the Speed Twin 1200 (2024 edition) and for our road conditions, I found it a misfit, personal opinion. For the same amount of cash, you can get more cylinders and experience a different class (sports tourer, ADV, etc.) unless you're bent on the neo-retro segment.

No ADV or tourer for me. Definitely has to be classic or something close to it. The sales rep echoed what you are saying in terms of livability and heat coming off engine - an important factor for me as I would be using it for commute on a rather slow paced highway. So that is a big plus. To be honest, I didn't notice 1200 running too hot either but it was a short ride on a chilly day. One thing that nags me is the smaller tank capacity on 900 as compared to 1200. With that tank I am looking at refilling tank every 3 days. What's the real world mileage you are getting on your 900 in slow traffic conditions?

In other news, 2025 900 will come with taller seat and slightly repositioned footpegs which is good for me as I found the '24 model quite low. The rear suspension has also been changed to make it slightly firmer.

[shabih]

Originally Posted by amol4184

No ADV or tourer for me. Definitely has to be classic or something close to it. The sales rep echoed what you are saying in terms of livability and heat coming off engine - an important factor for me as I would be using it for commute on a rather slow paced highway. So that is a big plus. To be honest, I didn't notice 1200 running too hot either but it was a short ride on a chilly day. One thing that nags me is the smaller tank capacity on 900 as compared to 1200. With that tank I am looking at refilling tank every 3 days. What's the real world mileage you are getting on your 900 in slow traffic conditions?

In other news, 2025 900 will come with taller seat and slightly repositioned footpegs which is good for me as I found the '24 model quite low. The rear suspension has also been changed to make it slightly firmer.

I think we are sailing in the same boat. Somehow ADVs arent my choice as well. I stick to classics too, more so because my entire riding gear is now retro inspired

I think I get around 22KMPL on my bike but to be honest I use my bike mostly for fun around the city and touring, both are occasional. I did look at the 2025 model and I am impressed with the upgrades to the suspension and other bits. Certainly worth considering over the outgoing model. For my 2017 bike, I went to a seat modifier and have added around 1.5 inches of foam which has helped in making the ride more plush and making the bike less cramped.

[amol4184]

Originally Posted by shabih

I think we are sailing in the same boat. Somehow ADVs arent my choice as well. I stick to classics too, more so because my entire riding gear is now retro inspired

I too have leather retro jacket and going to get some subtle riding boots to match! That and I don't like the gaps/holes between handlebar and fairing on ADV bikes (looking at you Tiger Sport). My old Ninja too had a similar problem and I despised it. I think the higher end, big ADV's don't have that issue but those are way out of my budget or need.

[shabih]

Originally Posted by amol4184

I too have leather retro jacket and going to get some subtle riding boots to match! That and I don't like the gaps/holes between handlebar and fairing on ADV bikes (looking at you Tiger Sport). My old Ninja too had a similar problem and I despised it. I think the higher end, big ADV's don't have that issue but those are way out of my budget or need.

I'm so glad to see your posts, I am happy to know it's not just me who has these strange preferences

As for riding boots I have a few that goes well with my bike. One is a tall moctoe style boot I bought from Triumph which looks the best in my opinion. Then the Tripmachine ones, those are good quality and great when you're not riding as well, a little chunky though. I sometimes use my Timberland boots which are quite tough and waterproof as well, good arch support so helpful on long rides and last is a pair of moc Toe from Craft and Glory for around town or weekend breakfast rides. You should try them, goes great with riding jeans and the bike.