ROAD TEST – 2020 TRIUMPH STREET TRIPLE S - JUST BIKES

ROAD TEST – 2020 Triumph Street Triple S

Words & Photos: Zane Dobie

I get to ride a lot of motorcycles, but it’s a constant battle defining what separates a good motorcycle from a bad one. Full disclosure: no one makes a bad motorcycle anymore. It really comes down to what you get for your hard-earned dollars. In the case of the Triumph Street Triple S, it’s one of the most expensive LAMs bikes on the market, but is it worth it? Well, my heart is telling me ‘Yes’, but my brain is questioning where the $14,900 has been spent.

I could rave all day about how this bike makes me feel special and the way I’ve always considered Triumph as the Aston Martin of the bike world - it’s an upmarket British sport bike brand. But we are talking LAMs bikes here, and we associate LAMs models with the bottom end of the market pricewise, so my head was telling me one thing and my heart another when Triumph released their first LAMs Street Triple in 2017.

Given the opportunity to test the 2020 Triumph Street Triple S, I decided to ride with my heart… and this bike has changed my outlook on the merits of a premium LAMs motorcycle.

The Noise Maker

I’m not going to lie: when I first hopped on the Street Triple S, I was convinced Triumph had given me the wrong motorcycle. I’m still puzzled at how they managed to keep it under the LAMs power-to-weight threshold.

The 2020 version of the Street Triple’s 660cc inline triple makes 39.7kW; an upgrade from last year’s model which made 35kW, while the 61Nm of torque is also an upgrade from 60Nm on the 2019 version. But it’s the sound of the three cylinder that impresses more than the numbers – it’s simply incomparable.

You hear a lot of people talking about how good their bike’s aftermarket exhaust sounds, but the Street Triple doesn’t need an obnoxious exhaust to sound amazing. The purrs from the throttle bodies are music, too, and I found myself shifting into high gear and twisting the throttle fully open just to hear that sweet induction sound, but I can’t move away from how meaty the exhaust sounds!

The exhaust is one of the many things about the Street Triple S that feel like it’s only just on the limit of what’s allowable. It sounds way too good to be permitted on Australian roads and adhering to strict decibel regulations.

The 660cc triple is obviously much more capable than its LAMs confinement allows, which is good news, as you have a great platform to start modifications for the day you are fully licenced. I’m not sure how it’s done, but no doubt there will be a YouTube video on how remove the restrictor.

You can really feel the restrictor wants to come off because there’s a curiously large amount of low/mid-range torque but absolutely nothing up top, which is an extraordinary sensation on a bike with a redline around the 12,000rpm mark.

When it comes to the gearbox, the gears feel rather close together. It’s a funny feeling, actually, taking off from the lights and shifting straight up into fourth. I will admit, though, that considering it doesn’t have a quickshifter, the Street Triple S slips into gear like butter.

Limited Tech

Something that grinds my gears a tad is limited technology on brand new bikes. It is 2020, but the technology on most motorcycles seems to me like it’s still stuck in 2010. Even basic cars are being released with Apple CarPlay, sat nav, etc. these days, so why are we still running a black & white LCD display on a $15,000 motorcycle? Having ridden the 2018 Triumph 765 Street Triple RS, I was super impressed with the display and interface on that model. Unfortunately, the 2020 Street Triple S hasn’t been so blessed.

The Street Triple S has only two rider modes - Road and Rain. It’s a basic set-up which can be forgiven for creating a simple system for newbie riders.

For the hoons, it is not all bad with Triumph’s tech, as there is the ability to turn off the traction control if you feel like doing a wheelie or a burnout.

There’s an analogue tachometer, as well as some nice colourful lights that flash when you’re bouncing off the rev limiter.

Perfectly Balanced Suspension

In order to keep the Street Triple S within a budget - and more affordable than the RS - means Triumph had to scrap the RS’s top-of-the-line Öhlins adjustable suspension. Despite the loss of adjustability, the suspension on the S feels plentiful compared to other LAMs bikes on the market, offering comfort and performance.

The 41mm upside down Showa fork performs well under braking, while the stability it shows through corners doesn’t compromise the day-to-day rideability. It’s not too stiff, not too soft, but just right. Same goes with the Showa rear shock, which comes with a piggyback reservoir to ensure that when it’s working overtime, the shock doesn’t lose any of the great performance it has. Along with the piggyback reservoir there’s adjustable preload on the rear shock. It’s a pretty common feature on bikes now, giving the rider that extra level of control when choosing between their road or track setup.

Another nice surprise on the Street Triple S is the Pirelli Diablo Rosso III rubber, which is standard fitment.

Tyres are the element of a new bike which I feel are often compromised on cost grounds (especially in the LAMs market) or left up to the buyer to sort out, but thanks to Triumph, you get decent tyre technology right off the showroom floor.

Ready to be ridden on the absolute edge, the 180/55 rear tyre offered an enormous amount of surefootedness. It made for a confidence inspiring ride, especially when leaning into corners - just what the learner rider needs in their early days on the road.

You don’t need me to tell you Pirelli tyres, in general, are the business, but it needs to be said that the performance of the Diablo Rosso III hoops are unmatched, and in the case of the Street Triple S, these tyres matched the great suspension setup.

Face-Melting Stopping Power

It is one thing to have all the power in the world, but when you’re barrelling towards a corner you’re going to want to slow down sooner or later. Something common with a high-performance bike is the inclusion of brand names you know and trust throughout the suspension and brakes - not just the manufacturers “home brand”. The Triumph Street Triple S has two separate brands on the front and the rear brakes, both at the top of their game.

Up front, you’re supplied with Nissin 2-piston sliding callipers, combined with twin 310mm floating discs. The rear brake is a Brembo single piston caliper with a single 220mm disc, but both the front and rear have “switchable ABS” which on the front brakes didn’t have the ABS shudder you normally get when slamming the brakes on.

When grabbing the front brake lever hard, I think I felt my brain hit my skull - the stopping power is incredible for a LAMs bike. Triumph have iced the cake with some adjustable levers, too, and it’s these little touches that make you look at the Street Triple S and think that any bolt-on part is just going to be sub-par compared to how it left the factory. And that’s how it should be.

Suffice to say, I was super impressed with the performance of the brakes.

Styling

I’m not going to lie when I say the front of the Street Triple S looks a little bug-like to me, perhaps resembling an angry ant. It has flashy DRL LED light strips across the top of the headlight and I think if you saw it in your mirrors you’d want to pull over and let it past before it attacks you!

The fairing just under the tank gives a “fuller” look and makes the Triumph appear more grown-up than its competition in the LAMs class. The rear is shapely and it’s at this point that I am willing to hand over my cash! Not only is that fat rear tyre for grip but it makes the Street Triple S look like a full-powered sports bike. It works in well with the petite wings off the side of the pillion seat, too, giving a chunky, aggressive look.

Adding to the visual appeal is the twin spar aluminium beam frame, which is the same used across the Street Triple range. It’s not just there for looks, though; it actually outperforms the Street Triple S’s restricted motor. This is great news for those people who are planning to remove the restrictor post-LAMs. As the Street Triple S is a hard bike for your skills to outgrow, it’s ideal for anyone looking for a keeper.

All Wrapped Up in a Neat Package

As I sit and reflect on why I liked the Street Triple S so much, I realise it’s my “millennialness” coming out and thinking “damn I look cool on this bike”. It looks hot and aggressive on the road, not to mention being adorned with Triumph’s well-bred badge.

It might be light on in terms of the 2020-level technology you’d expect for its $14,900 price tag, but what you get with the Street Triple S is a pure and raw riding experience that I haven’t seen on a LAMs bike before. The quality build, coupled with the almighty sound of the inline three cylinder engine, outweigh any negatives that I have already forgotten about with this bike.

I think anyone who jumps on a Street Triple S will feel intense pleasure when opening up the throttle. It is a special type of bliss you only get from riding a Triumph. But please, all manufacturers, can we have TFT dashes on LAMs bikes now? Pretty please?