Triumph 1050 SPEED TRIPLE Edition Speciale 2013 — Specifications

One hundred units. That's all Triumph deigned to produce of this 2013 Speed Triple 1050 Edition Spéciale, and frankly, that number says a lot about the ambition of the project. Not a limited series to liven up an aging catalog, but a coherent proposition from A to Z, where mechanics and aesthetics respond to each other with surgical precision.

The 1050 cc three-cylinder engine, we know it. Bore of 79 mm, stroke of 71.4 mm, compression ratio of 12:1, four valves per cylinder: a honed architecture developing 135 horsepower at 9,250 rpm and a torque of 107.9 Nm available from 7,500 rpm. On this point, the Speed Triple has nothing to envy the Z1000 and other Streetfighter 848 that populate the segment. The English three-cylinder has a character that its four-pot rivals do not reproduce: a linear power delivery, a wide usable range, an organic sound that resonates in the kidneys long before the rev limiter. At 230 km/h top speed, the machine keeps its promises, even if it will be forgiven for not being a pure sportbike, with its 219 kg fully fueled.

What distinguishes this special edition is the rigor of the visual treatment. The two-tube aluminum frame and swingarm disappear under a deep blue, extended by a fine trim on the rims and a double longitudinal band running from front to back. Black comes to counterbalance: on the 43 mm Showa forks, the handlebars, the mirrors, the silencer covers. More discreet but decisive, carbon fiber makes its appearance on the radiator sides, the battery cover and the front mudguard. This is not cosmetic carbon fiber plated to shine in an exhibition, it is used in places where the eye naturally falls. Two colors to choose from: "Matt Graphite" with matte blue trim, or "Crystal White" with bright trim. The first is more discreet, the second more demonstrative; in both cases, the consistency does not falter.

The complete equipment complements the whole without overdoing it: ABS, engine guard, passenger seat cover, fork head. The inverted Showa fork works on 120 mm at the front, the Showa shock manages 130 mm at the rear. Braking entrusted to two 320 mm discs with radial four-piston calipers at the front, complemented by a 220 mm disc at the rear, is more than sufficient for the machine's road profile. The seat is high at 828 mm, which immediately excludes smaller builds and clearly positions this motorcycle for an experienced rider, comfortable with a lively machine and not inclined to comfort concessions on long journeys.

At 12,590 euros, the Speed Triple Edition Spéciale positions itself above the standard version, which is justifiable given the care given to the finishes and the exclusive nature of the series. It is aimed at a specific audience: the urban or short-distance road rider who seeks a high-performance and identifiable tool, far from track replicas and overly tame roadsters. Triumph has rarely been so convincing in the exercise of the limited model, and these hundred copies should find buyers without difficulty.