2025 Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RS

In the February 1994 issue of Cycle World, Alan Cathcart says, “The Speed Triple is nothing less than a cafe racer for the 1990s, a modern successor to those Tritons and Gold Stars and Dresdas that encapsulated the visceral thrill of ton-up two-wheeling a quarter century ago. Nothing I’ve ridden in years so perfectly captures the minimalist appeal of the cafe-racer concept.” Three years later, Triumph transformed the 885cc T509 Speed Triple from neo-cafe racer to bent British hooligan. Its bug-eyed headlights solid-mounted in front of the steering head were a two-fingered salute to convention, channeling a particularly British display of rebelliousness. Those two fingers don’t mean “peace,” mate.

Nearly three decades later, the Speed Triple has become more of a hyper-naked than a twisted streetfighter. Totally reworked for 2021, the Speed Triple 1200 RS gained 30 hp and dropped 22 pounds. The larger-displacement 1,160cc triple produces a claimed 177 hp at 10,750 rpm and 92 lb.-ft. of torque at 9,000 rpm, and is accompanied by a host of IMU-managed electronic rider aids. With Öhlins electronic suspension, keyless ignition, Brembo Stylema brake calipers, and a 5-inch TFT display, the Speed Triple RS is as well equipped as the competition—if not quite as powerful. At $18,895, it’s more than $10K less expensive than the Ducati Streetfighter V4 S. The 1200 RS may have lost some of the attitude of the original, but more than makes up for it with a sweet-handling chassis, the exhilarating power delivery of its three-cylinder engine, and sophisticated electronic controls. In that way, it’s a cafe racer for the 2020s just as much as the original was a cafe racer for the ‘90s.

The 2025 Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RS starts at $18,895 for Sapphire Black and Matte Silver Ice. Carnival Red costs $19,220.