Triumph Speed Four 2005 — Specifications

Can a motorcycle be too beautiful? When Triumph launched the Speed Triple, the answer was a resounding "no." This unfaired roadster, with its roaring triple engine and elegant brute attitude, redefined what a characterful motorcycle could be. Naturally, the next question was: can this magic formula be applied to a more compact, more accessible engine? In 2005, Triumph answers with the Speed Four, a machine that takes the heart of a TT600, removes all its plastic skin, and gives it a massive dose of attitude. The result is a naked bike that doesn't seek to be gentle.

The base is the 599 cc inline four-cylinder engine of the TT600, but here it is unleashed. Without the fairing of the sportbike, the engine is highlighted, and it benefits from an electronic management revision. Triumph promises more responsiveness in the mid-range, filling the dip that characterized the first generation. The figures speak for themselves: 98 horsepower at 11750 rpm and 68 Nm of torque at 10500 rpm. It's an engine that demands to be worked, but it offers serious top-end power, much fuller than that of the original TT600. The announced top speed of 230 km/h is not a fantasy. For a 600 roadster, this is a clear commitment to the higher end of the market.

The chassis is directly taken from the TT600, an obvious advantage. The perimeter aluminum frame and adjustable suspension (43mm at the front, monobrach at the rear) offer a superb base. With a dry weight of only 170 kg, the Speed Four is agile and responsive. The wheelbase of 1395 mm and the seat height of 810 mm give an engaged, sporty riding position, accentuated by the high-placed footrests and underslung handlebars. This posture announces the color: this motorcycle is made to be ridden, not to lounge. The braking, with its dual front discs, is powerful but could benefit from a little more progressiveness. In the 600 roadster market like the Suzuki SV650 or the Honda Hornet, the Triumph Speed Four positions itself as the most radical option, the most performance-oriented.

So, who is the audience for this 2005 Triumph Speed Four? It's not the beginner's motorcycle, nor the tourer seeking absolute comfort. It's a machine for those who want the stylistic aggressiveness of a Speed Triple, but in a more compact and accessible format. For those who find the Hornet too tame, the SV650 too conventional. Its design, with its forced air intakes, its unique twin headlight, and its flashy colors, is a statement. Its price, at €7990, also places the Speed Four in a more premium niche. The finish, typical of Triumph from that era, may show some limitations, but the essence of the motorcycle is undeniable: a boiling, nervous roadster that takes the recipe of the great Triple and concentrates it in an explosive 600 cm3 format. It's a unique proposition, a bold alternative in a market often timid.