Triumph is well known for its charismatic product lineup and rich racing history. Triumphs are usually on the expensive side but remain far more sophisticated than the native thoroughbreds like Harley Davidson. Although they rant about their bikes, most Triumph owners are very loyal and will probably never consider owning any other brand.
Among the brand’s three-cylinder offerings, the Street Triple is one of the accessible middleweights in their lineup. With a rev-happy three-pot, the Street Triple quickly gained a lot of traction for how versatile it was. Though on the pricier side, the Street Triple is one of the sportier middleweight nakeds currently available.
The RS is the flagship Street Triple and is largely an affordable Speed Triple. Although not as potent as its elder sibling, the Street Triple RS offers a lot of the Speed Triples’s electronics and componentry.
Starting at around $12,550, the 2021 Street Triple 765 RS is one of the most expensive naked middleweights on the market. A race-ready tracker, the Street Triple RS has morphed into what is a “baby” Speed Triple with RS goodies.
Triumph Street Triple: A Brief
The Triumph Street Triple was brought in as a smaller offering for the brand’s three-cylinder lineup. It was introduced in 2007 with a chassis and engine from the supersport Daytona 675. Interestingly, the Triumph Street Triple was a naked version of the now-discontinued Daytona that was closely designed to remble the Speed Triple 1050. During its infancy, the Street Triple was riddled with a lot of mechanical issues, and with every iteration, Triumph revamped the offering even more.
One of the characterizing features of the earlier Street Triples were the twin-round headlights made to resemble its elder sibling. However, in 2012 the Street Triple got a redesign and quickly became the “bug-eye.” A year later Triumph re-did the chassis to make it more light and agile. In 2017, the engine got a bump in displacement from 675 to 765-cc. This gave birth to the Street Triple 765 with more power and better dynamics than its predecessor.
Triumph Street Triple 765 RS: An Inline-3 Symphony
The Triumph Street Triple RS uses a 765-cc inline-3 producing 121 horsepower and 58 lb-ft of torque. Transmission is a slick 6-speed unit with a bi-directional quick shifter as standard. Because of how rev-happy Triumph triples are, the 765 RS qualifies to be called an absolute screamer. Redlining to well above 13,000 RPM, the Street Triple RS produces one of the most intoxicating exhaust notes in the middleweight segment. Of course, it’s not as flat at the top as some of the inline-fours but, the sheer amount of volume is something that adds to the drama.
All this whilst being Euro 5 compliant. For 2021, the flagship middleweight has a claimed 9-percent boost in midrange output while maintaining the top-end punch of its predecessor. All this is made possible thanks to a new exhaust cam, twin catalytic converter for lesser resistance, and a new balance pipe inside the exhaust headers.
Triumph Street Triple 765 RS: A Tech Fiesta
As an overall package, the Street Triple RS is loaded to the brim with all the latest tech. As standard, you get a 5-inch TFT display that acts as your control panel with a dedicated night mode (inverted colors). As part of the tech fest, you get traction control and cornering ABS as standard fitment in the Triple RS. The goodies don’t end there, being an RS product you get 41mm Showa pre-load and rebound adjustable front forks and Ohlin STX-40 fully adjustable monoshock at the rear.
Also, the Triumph Street Triple RS comes with 4 riding modes: Track, Sport, Road, Rain, and fully configurable Rider. The lack of an IMU does mean the Street Triple RS lacks lean-sensitive traction control and ABS; a definite zonk for a bike in this price bracket.
Triumph Street Triple 765 RS: Born For The Track
While the deep and throaty exhaust note is unmistakably Triumph, another attribute that characterizes the flagship middleweight is its chassis balance. Impeccably poised, the Triumph Street Triple RS is a motorcycle tuned for the track. The more civilized Street Triple R has a more usable midrange boost in contrast to its track-oriented sibling. While that’s not something we’d complain about, it’s one more reason to keep the throttle pinned.
Exploiting the Triple RS’s top-end is one of the most satisfying of all the middleweights and thanks to its aggressive riding position, the experience is amplified. That’s not to say the Triple RS is not bad as a commuter; It’s certainly better than the rather unreliable Ducati 796. Considering its name bears a striking resemblance to its far more capable Speed Triple RS, Triumph has done a fabulous job in making an exciting middleweight. Although better suited for a Pro rider, the Triumph Street Triple RS will definitely bring a smile to your face regardless of your riding expertise.
Sources: MCN, Cycleworld, Wikipedia