While my old 2010 Thruxton was in for her 48k service, my local dealer loaned me a Speed Twin he had taken in and which is due for the auction block. The nice red and black Speed Twin came with gorgeous wee Motone pipes and a Puig flyscreen as it’s only modifications.

Naturally, I took it out for a ride this morning to see how it fared. This included a long sweepers on NM South 14 and a jaunt up the Sandia Crest Road, with its myriad twists and turns, and an altitude climb from 6500 to 10,660 feet.

First off — the power on the 1200 Bonneville twin motor is very good. Even in sixth gear at 80mph, a blip of the throttle for a pass got me to the ton in second of two. Engine breaking is solid, as well. The motor never feels stressed, even at close to the redline of 7000rpm. The speedometer’s 140 is enthusiastic; at just under redline, the bike was doing 120mph. Even with the altitude changes, the motor never faltered. Power comes on smooth and very linearly. That said, going downhill sees the bike stumble and look for its power. If you aren’t on the throttle past a certain point, the electronic-controlled throttle has to search a bit for what its supposed to be doing. I had a similar experience with my 2018 Street Cup. It’s annoying, but it’s not a deal breaker.

Fuel usage was indicated at 51.9mpg, and when I topped it off I did a quick check with my phone’s calculator and came up with 52mpg…so just about spot on. That’s pretty decent for a 1200cc motor, but Triumph (and everyone) now run their bikes waaaaay too lean to meet the ridiculous Euro5 standards. It also has the result of making the bike run on the hot side. It was in the low 50s on the top of Sandia Crest, yet the fan for the motor kicked on near the top of the climb, and came on once or twice while doddling along at 50mph.

The gearbox is pure modern Triumph. They excel at this. The shifting is clear, quiet, and nary a false neutral to be had. They really do make the best transmissions out there, right now. My Royal Enfield is similarly easy to use, but false neutrals can occur if you don’t kick it enough. The clutch is effortless.

Handling is also very, very good. The bike runs on a pair of 17″ wheels that throw the Speed Twin into the corners, but still inspires confidence. Tire widths are fairly thin — 120 up front, 160 in the rear — and this also helps the bike feel good in the turns. It transitions well in the chicanes, and feels planted. (Tires on this were the Pirelli Diablo Rosso IIIs. Hopefully, they’re not like the Pirelli Sportcomps on the 900 Bonneville line, which get a lot less impressive in the wet….or mildly damp.)

The ride is good. Not too plush, not to teeth rattling. I spent most of my time on the Speed Twin in sport mode, but road mode didn’t seem to make the ride any more pliant. I didn’t bother with rain mode. It’s not the luxurious ride of the Moto Guzzi V7, but it’s comfortable enough for an hour and a half in the saddle. If anything, the only thing that dings the ride quality is the motor. It’s smooth and quiet, but over 4500 rpm, the bars get a bit buzzy — especially the left side. The Puig flyscreen wasn’t my cup of tea. It looks okay, but it channeled air straight onto my shoulders in turns, and even tucked, it was buffeting my helmet.

Looks-wise, this bike is beautiful. I like the classic styling a lot more than cruisers or sportbikes, and the Speed Twin hits all the right queues for nostalgia, yet keeps some modern aesthetic. Build quality is top-notch. I love the brushed aluminum fenders and accenting on the side covers (which should be color matched to the tank — come on, Triumph!) and the instrument cluster is one of the best looking out there.

The Triumph Speed Twin comes in at $12,500 MSRP, so with the inevitable dealer mark up, you’re probably looking at $14k out the door. Is it worth it? Maybe taking inflation into a account, but I’m a little more tight-fisted than some. After Triumph moved production to Thailand — then raised their prices — I was pretty disappointed with the brand. They’ve got that “gouge you for everything” quality that BMW and Ducati have, now. Would I buy one for about $10-12k? Absolutely, yes. The power and handling are fantastics on the Speed Twin, but $14k is a touch much for me. Your mileage, as always, may vary.