The Speed Triple is another unchanged bike for 2022 apart from a new orange paintjob that really suits it. These bikes should be a bit quirky and stand out, and the Triumph is a good example of how a simple colour change can make a big difference. Previously the 1200RS was only available in a very low-key, sensible, and instantly forgettable grey – Matt Baja Orange is much more like it.
The rest of the bike is the same, which means a 177bhp 1200cc three-cylinder engine in an alloy frame with posh analogue Öhlins suspension, Brembo brakes, and a singlesided swingarm, all weighing in at a very reasonable 198kg. It’s also worth reminding ourselves that the Triumph is one of only two bikes on the test that has been conceived, designed, and built as an entirely bespoke naked bike – it doesn’t have any donor parts from another bike, let alone a sportsbike.
It’s a good indicator of just how much value Triumph puts in the naked bike sector – as well as the fact that the Speed Triple got a major update last year