Triumph 1050 SPEED TRIPLE 100 S 2016 — Specifications

When Hinckley decides to bare its claws, it doesn’t go unnoticed. The Speed Triple 1050 S 2016 version wasn't born from a simple marketing facelift; it's the result of a serious overhaul, motivated by considerably tougher competition. The Ducati Monster, the Kawasaki Z1000, the Suzuki GSX-S: all have raised their technical level to the point of teasing machines once reserved for the circuits. Triumph couldn't let its Speed fall behind.

The beast's gaze has changed. The two oval headlights are certainly controversial, and each will see either a coherent evolution or a questionable sidestep. The side fairings are redesigned, the mirrors have migrated to the end of the handlebars, the two-person seat adopts a two-level profile, and the turn signals switch entirely to LED. What hasn't changed is the essential: the single-sided swingarm, the silencers nestled under the seat in a configuration that is no longer really in line with the times but belongs to the identity of the machine, and this stocky, compact silhouette, visibly eager. At 192 kg dry weight, the Speed remains firmly planted on its two wheels without ever giving the impression of being heavy.

The real work was done under the fairing. To comply with Euro 4 standards without sacrificing the character of the English triple, engineers reworked no less than 104 points on the mechanics: intake, cylinder head, crankshaft, pistons, combustion chambers. The result is directly reflected in the technical specifications: 140 horsepower at 9,500 rpm, 111.8 Nm available from 7,850 rpm. What the figures don't express is the way the three-cylinder delivers its power with a continuity that the Japanese four-cylinders don’t have. No flat spot, no aggressive peak: a smooth power curve, velvety at low revs, frankly muscular as soon as you exceed 5,000 rpm. The top speed announced at 230 km/h will anyway never be the right criterion for judging this type of machine.

Electronics have moved aboard, and that's good news. The Ride-by-Wire system powers five injection maps: Road, Rain, Sport, Track, and a fully customizable Rider mode. Each profile jointly adjusts throttle response, the intervention threshold of the traction control, and that of the ABS. The latter two are deactivatable for those who prefer to manage alone. The chassis retains the perimeter aluminum frame inherited from the Daytona 955, associated with a 43 mm Showa inverted fork and a rear shock absorber from the same manufacturer, fully adjustable. Radial-mount Brembo calipers on 320 mm discs constitute braking up to the standard of the 140 horsepower that feed them.

At 12,100 euros, the Speed Triple 1050 S clearly targets an experienced rider, comfortable on a 825 mm seat and on a machine that requires a minimum of physical involvement to be exploited. It's not a beginner's bike, nor even a rational choice for daily commuting; it's a roadster designed for those who want character without sacrificing efficiency. The competition has progressed, that's undeniable, but the Speed retains that particular personality that figures struggle to translate.