Bike Review 2012 Triumph Street Triple R

Goldie in front of sunflowers, somewhere in Maryland. Thanks Maryland!

4/29/2020: Updated with a few more thoughts!

As you may have noticed from my most recent social media posts, I am in LOVE with my new-to-me motorbike. It's the best one I've owned and ridden so far. 

Background

Before I start, I want to give you background info. It's good to know where the reviewer is coming from, so you can get a handle on what his/her experience is on bikes in general:

• 5'3", 130lbs. 28.5" true inseam

• Most recent rides: '06 SV650, '03 SV650S (both stock)

• My bike ownership history; none of my bikes have been lowered because I value my ground clearance and lean angle

• All the bikes I've ever ridden but not necessarily owned

So as you can see, this isn't a first bike for me. I would also NEVER recommend this is as a first bike. I'm not saying it can't be done, because some of you are reading this and have already purchased one as your first. What you didn't realize is this bike is not just a 675cc, it's a 675cc triple with 105 hp! That's 30+ horsepower over other 650cc bikes (ninja 650, sv650, fz6, etc).

The curb weight is 416lbs (likely 400, since I changed the exhaust which weighed 17lbs), and the center gravity is quite low (but the height isn’t) since the tank is rather skinny on top. This was my beef with the husband's sPeed Triple. Although I really love that bike it's too topheavy for my taste and as a result I was on my tiptoes and one flat left which even for me doesn't make me feel as good as I do on mine.

Tiptoed on the Speed Triple. Not that I couldn’t ride one all the time, it’s just super annoying to deal with something at the extreme level of height.

I purchased this beauty from good ole' Craigslist with just 4,995 miles on it, which is where I purchased my last SV. Although I was looking at various dealerships, I never saw one that I could afford. I guess it was just meant to be, because I found this one in early February. However, I didn't have the money to pay for it until late March! Lucky me.

Past vs. Present

I often see the question of comparison between this bike and the ever popular SV650/SV650S. Having been a previous owner of both models, I can absolutely tell you without a doubt that this bike triumphs anything the SV line ever offered for me.

The additional cost of which took me about 6 months to save up for. But it was worth every.stinking.penny.

I certainly enjoyed the 6 years I spent on both of my last SVs, but I'm sooooo much happier on this beast. Many folks will tell you that an upgraded suspension on the SV makes it a worthy ride.

True, I could've spent ~$1,500 and upgraded the stock suspension.

But, after spending ~1,000 miles on my husband's Triumph (including an overnight ride to Port Jervis) I knew I wanted one of my own!

Here are a few of the things that I have gained from upgrading to my Triumph:

• More power (30% increase from ~70hp to ~100hp) at the same weight as an SV! I can feel it mostly when getting on the freeway, at approximately 50-60mph, acceleration up to 70-80mph is quicker and faster

• Smoother throttle response especially when rolling off the throttle. The SV throttle is twitchy as hell when you roll on or off, since it lunges quickly if you don't roll off softly.

• Suspension. Fully adjustable, although it's set up for a heavier man, it still feels much smoother and more stable going over bumps. The rebound is far slower, so it doesn't bounce up and down so much. (I’ve since upgraded Goldie with a custom Ohlins TTX Shock with a softer spring to accommodate a better range of adjustment for my weight of 130lbs)

• Seat and Height. Much better for long distance, my flat butt is much happier after a 300+ mile day of riding. My version came with the optional sport seat, which is slightly more elevated and raises my butt a little higher which does make the bike a bit taller than standard Street Triples with the regular seat (which is flatter and not angled as much)

Goldie in 2020 with upgraded Ohlins Shock and lighter, smaller Competition Werkes Exhaust

Going from a V-Twin to a 3-Cylinder engine is definitely different as well. This bike needs to rev at higher rpm's so I need to work on delayed shifting since I'm still used to shifting at lower rpm's. Since it redlines at 14,000, it's definitely an adjustment for me to wait a little longer before the upshift. One cool feature is the gear shift indicator lights. Since I can't take a picture of this while riding, I drew a yellow arrow where the gear shift indicator lights (green, yellow, red) will show up depending on how you program them. I find this to be tremendously helpful as I get used to the way this engine powers up. I can also program them to light up at specific rpms for each color.

Height

I know many of you may be wondering about height. Well if you've read any of my past articles in the Too Short To Ride section of my blog, you know that I just don't care that the seat height on this bike is 31.7". For me, it's a lightweight bike at ~400lbs so it doesn't feel as tall (but I’m also not a beginner, so this is where the line will be drawn for you if you’re shorter).

The nice thing is that it doesn't feel top heavy to me, and the tank isn't very wide on top. No wider than where the turn signal and engine cut off switch sit on the handlebars. I have to emphasize that I've been through really annoying top heavy bikes like the Z750s and am completely used to this feeling.

But it feels just like the SV in terms of weight. I can't really tell the difference. The biggest difference is the Ohlins Shock. Since it’s a softer spring weight, depending on how I change the rebound and compression, my height can change from ~0.25-0.5”. (For track days, I try to adjust it so it’s as stiff as possible.)

Since my husband bought his sPeed Triple last summer, I had been taking it for day rides and even a quick overnight to NY. That bike has the same seat height as mine, but since the seat is sloped a bit, it forces me up on my tiptoes. Whereas my bike lets me plant two balls of my feet where I'm most comfortable. The engine is also larger too, so the overall weight is ~470lbs.

It's amazing how light a bike can feel after you've been riding something heavier and taller.

lifted insoles from Amazon

Since then, I've also added these insoles from Amazon to my Boots. Luckily my boots are a half size too big, so they fit in really well. As you can see the full insole comes with 2 add'l pieces for the heel. You don't have to wear all of them. In fact I only wear the main insole and one of the extensions. Although they don't make both of my feet flat they simply allow me to put my left foot down flat without shifting my butt off the side, a little more convenient. Click here to read my short tips.

Twisties

As far as throwing her into corners, it definitely feels more solid and planted. One thing that really drove me to get this bike was that I didn't want to sacrifice the flickability of getting the SV650S into a corner. I feel like the STR drops quickly without me having to do very much work. I definitely need to spend more time with her in the twisties to improve my timing when it comes to entry speed and leaning but it feels so familiar and easy to work with.

Goldie and I have done 5? track days together. Most recently in Fall 2018 with CLASS.

I upgraded the stock tires to Michelin Power RS and couldn’t be happier. The first time I did a track day with them was with Superbike School and they were absolutely fantastic. I highly recommend those for a mix of street riding, track and sport touring.

Long Distance

This is Not a touring bike. But, some of us aren't ready to call it a day and buy an F700Gs. Frankly, I don't know if I'll ever be ready for that. I'm still in love with twisty riding, and I can't imagine being as happy on a touring bike in my size. I also would be sad to lose the *power*. Once again my husband is right, it's very hard to drop back down to something less powerful when you're used to 100+ hp.

For now I'm making it work for me. The biggest impact for me is the lack of windscreen. Although to be fair, the SV650S barely had one anyhow. As with any bike lacking a windscreen or fairing, prepare to be whipped around a bit and with a strong headwind.

It was especially tiring when I rode for 3 hours on the highway in the pouring rain (150 miles) in 2015. That was NOT fun. I was exhausted when I got to my hotel that afternoon, it felt like I'd ridden all day in 100 degree heat.

At least my booty is more comfortable. The seat is a vast improvement over the SV stock seats. Holy smokes, I can ride a good half day (~200miles) without going numb. Granted, I have a very flat one so that definitely doesn't help. But, this seat is noticeably more comfortable most likely because of how much wider it is. Overall I can do about 350miles a day and feel pretty good on the stock seat.

Our first time together on the Blue Ridge Parkway in 2015. Kriega US 10-20 Packs. I don’t camp, so if you do enjoy that type of riding then these aren’t going to give you that kind of storage. I like comfy beds and hot showers at the end of a long day. :D

With the Kriega Packs loaded on the rear, I've got 40 liters of space. This is plenty of room for me on a 4-6 day trip. But I try to pack light and never camp. I love big, comfy beds and hot showers, what can I say?If you're planning on camping, you'll probably need a Givi top box as well. And I never travel far without a tankbag to give me just that extra bit of storage space.

I would also add that overall mileage on this bike isn't that much less than the SV650. I think my record on the SV was 200miles on a tank before it was fully dry. On this one, I can do about 180. I haven't pushed it to the edge but I got 170 miles with ~3/4 gallon left. The tank size is virtually the same, but sadly fuel economy goes down with the extra power.

For even more comfort in colder temps, I've used Oxford Heaterz Premium Grips and Koso Heated Grips a lead to wear my WarmnSafe 65W Heated liner. A quick warning about changing handgrips . You'll have to shave down the throttle tube (it's plastic) so the grips can fit over the handgrip. You only have to do this on the throttle side.  There's plenty of power for these two accessories, but I'm not sure how much additional power is available for fancier headlights or turn signals which might be future upgrades.

UPGRADES

The following is a list of upgrades that I’ve added so far:

• Ram Fork Stem Mount; I’ve used a Garmin Zumo 390 (using the included cradle) and my iPhone X (using the small and large x-grips)

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Garmin Mount

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Same Ram Mount Fork Stem with xGrip

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Woodcraft Front Axle Sliders

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Rizoma Veloce Mirrors

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Rizoma Action Turn Signals Rear

• Rizoma Veloce Mirrors (sold each); these also required the Side Mount Mirror Adapters  SKU 1278562

• Rizoma Action Turn Signals (sold each)

• Rizoma RRC Clutch and Brake Levers

• Competition Werkes GP Slipon Exhaust

• Woodcraft Front Sliders

• Techspec Snakeskin Tank Pads

• SW Motech Crash Bars - unfortunately these are discontinued; I had to order mine directly from Twisted Throttle and they don’t carry them anymore.

WISHLIST

And here are the ones I still want to add:

• Motodemic Headlight Conversion Kit

• Sargent seat or similar comfort seat

• Rear Axle Sliders

• SW Motech Frame Sliders

• Rizoma Turn Signal Fork Mount Adapter + Action Turn Signals for the Front

I love my new bike, I can't express that enough. If you're looking for an upgrade from a sub500cc bike prepare for something that isn't quite what you're expecting with the additional power from this deceptive "middleweight".

But if you've decided to end your relationship with your SV650 / Ninja 650 / FZ6, then it might just be exactly what you're looking for.

Update!

Unfortunately, a month after I wrote my review, I totaled Goldie 1.0. But the really really good news is that I was able to acquire an identical Goldie 2.0 which is the exact same bike, same year, same color. The pictures of me on the Dragon above and doing my track day is with Goldie 2.0. 

I wanted to mention that in August 2015, I was able to drop 18lbs of weight from the bike by adding a Competition Werkes low mount exhaust:

2012_triumph_streettriple_competitionwerkes gp cobra black

I also removed the rear footpeg mounts and subsequently have a lighter bike along with a much cooler butt! Those high mount exhausts were blowing so much hot air on my thighs/butt, they were killing me. After just 5 minutes of engine warmup, they would be blowing so much height underneath my seat. Not so bad in the Fall/Winter but miserable in the Summer. I felt a huge difference in warmer weather and it's far more comfortable to ride with especially on longer trips. I highly recommend it!

Install and Review: Oxford Heated Grips on a 2006 Suzuki SV650

A couple weeks ago I installed my fancy Oxford Heaterz. Since then I've went for a chilly ride with them and they performed beautifully. Check out my review and installation pictures!

Riding a Suzuki SV650 v. the SV650S

After spending a few months on my new ride, I thought I would share my experiences riding almost the same bike.  This is my second SV and my fifth motorcycle since I started riding bikes in 2004. My previous S model was with me for 4 years before I sold it last Christmas before moving to Philadelphia. The main reason I bought that one was because I hated the Kawasaki z750s I had at that time. I made the mistake of buying it because it looked cute and I did very little research on it. As a result, I only rode it 6,000 miles in 3 years! Sad. Before I tell you some of these differences, I think it's important that you know where I was coming from before I bought my first SV.

Once I found the S model, I was in love. Definitely love at first sight, and first ride.

So that brings me to what made the S model so awesome. Here are a list of features that I noticed and right off the bat and learned to love:

• Falls easily into corners, with very little input
• Much lower center of gravity; the fuel tank felt like it was under me not in front of me
• Responsive to my lower body's input; when I used my legs and feet to lean into the corner the bike responded quickly and easily.
• Figured out how to use my body position to lean into the corners
• Almost 2" shorter seat height! I can barely remember how I rode that thing.
• 50lbs lighter

Toward the end of our relationship, I grew to hate the aggressive riding position because I enjoyed taking long rides (150+ miles) and long trips (1,000+ miles). This bike was killing me at the end, although I thought heavily about putting risers on it I simply never got around to it. In hindsight, I should've sold it for the other version.

Which brings me to the differences I've noticed about the non S model.

• Steering input; feels different but just as easy to fall into a corner with. I can't quite say if it's better or worse, it's just different.

• More comfortable; if I hadn't almost ruined my back on my last trip with the S version, I would've gotten another one. I'm really loving the almost upright riding position. Of course the seat is still stock, so still massively uncomfortable after 30-40 minutes but we'll (and hubby's speed triple) be refoaming our seats very soon.

• Stiffer front end; I think because there isn't a windscreen and large fairing up front that it's lighter, so the front doesn't feel as soft. I feel like the front isn't as 'bouncy' when I come to a stop. Whereas the rear is definitely stiffer and I need to drop the preload and then at some point, get a shock that's a bit softer. Even with the awesome Pilot Power tires I have, my weight doesn't compress the rear shock enough to give me stability in corners. If I throttle too hard then the rear end slides a bit.

• No windscreen; Oy. Riding into the wind at highway speeds is definitely more work. I definitely need a small windscreen of some kind, hoping that I can find a Puig that will work and not look too awkward.

• More seat space; since the toolkit is stored in a different spot so that means I can shove my rain liners and a pair of gloves under the seat. YES!

• Torque; I have a Delkevic shorty exhaust and it's Loud. It has a low rumble, which I appreciate so hopefully I'm not pissing off any of my neighbors. They say some aftermarket exhausts add a little power. I really can't tell if it's the noise that's creating the illusion of more power.

Everything else is the same; gas mileage (although the fuel light blinks now, instead of just staying on), seat height, weight, overall performance.

Overall, I would recommend the non S version, because it's a much more comfortable bike to ride vs. the S. You're more upright and almost in a supermoto-ish riding position. Feet are right beneath you and it feels natural and easy.

How I Found My Motorcycle

When my husband and I left San Francisco, not only did we leave behind my family and friends, but we also left our beloved motorcycles. I was a little more adamant about selling mine than my husband was. But after a good conversation with a friend, he told me that I should just sell it. Given that it wasn't a very expensive bike, it would be far too much trouble to maintain it in CA while living in PA. After all, it's just a motorcycle. It's not a person, and in the  It was a little hard at first, but after I made the decision to sell it, I felt like it was the right decision all along. And I'm so glad I did.  

When I finally made the decision to sell, it was definitely in my mind that I would find a new motorcycle to love. There are so many to choose from, after all. When I started the search, I had my heart set on something more upright along the lines of a Supermoto ("Sumo"). I was hoping for a used Suzuki DRZ 400SM, something fun for city living. I should preface that I am a whopping 5'1", with a 28.5" inseam.  My inseam has allowed me to ride far more motorcycles than I could've ever imagined, including these. I also knew that that with a 35" stock seat height, I would have to look into lowering a little bit if necessary. However given how light they are, I really wasn't expecting it to be an issue.

If you've never ridden a Sumo, it's one of the most exhilarating experiences you'll have on a motorcycle. Completely upright, like a dirtbike but with street sensibilities (suspension, braking, tires, etc. optimized for street use). It handles like a giant bicycle! But with plenty of power. Certainly not designed for distance or long hauls, but I thought I would manage for a while without something that was touring worthy. Apparently, I was wrong.

After looking online for a few weeks, I realized that DRZs are just as @*(%*)! expensive in Philly as they were in the San Francisco Bay Area. Damn. So then I decided to alter my search a bit. I found some DR650's that were definitely less expensive. Dual Sporting is something I definitely want to get into. I still love street riding but have been inspired by many friends who have ridden all over the world on them and have had such great adventures. Having ridden a DR650, I knew exactly what to expect.

I started my search with a very low budget, ~$3,000. I actually found a few of DRs that were close but I waited too long and they were no longer for sale. After missing out on these, I decided to look at naked SV's. If you aren't familiar with the SV650, they were made in the full faired (very forward, low bars) and naked (very upright, single handlebar) versions. My last one was an S and I grew to hate the extreme riding position for long trips. As someone who enjoys long, 150+ mile rides, I knew that wouldn't work again.

So I figured why not search for Nakeds? They seem to be less popular here, and I couldn't resist the condition this one was in. Searching Craigslist, I found this beauty. And I couldn't stop thinking about her! Especially given what great shape it was in. Barely ridden, in practically perfect shape and well taken care of. A 2006, less than 7,000 miles on it and just a hair over my budget. I guess I love street riding too much to give it up just yet. As excited as I was about the idea of a DR, the idea of another SV excited me more! Especially a Naked version with a far more comfortable riding position. And funny enough, the riding position reminded me of a powerful supermoto (2009 KTM 690 SMR) that I had the opportunity to ride once before.

I'm familiar with the engine, maintenance and overall care. Parts are inexpensive and plentiful, it's easy to find a mechanic to work on them and I know I can ride a few hundred miles a day on it. I've already started my long list of farkles to upgrade, and can't wait to get it totally ready for my first long weekend trip.

When I went to look at the bike, here are the questions I had ready for the previous owner:

• Are you the first or second owner?
• Has it ever been crashed?
• What upgrades have you put on it, and do you still have the stock parts?
• Do you have any maintenance records for the life of the bike?
• Do you have the title?

I was very happy with the asking price, as I thought it was well below what others were going for so I didn't plan to negotiate on that point. Overall, I went with my instinct when I met the owner, Jerry. He was very nice, honest and truthful about the bike and why he was selling it. It just felt right, I didn't get the feeling he was trying to cover anything up or tell me something that wasn't true. When I asked him for his address to come see the bike, he was a little apprehensive about giving strangers his address. I told him that I totally understood. To make him feel better, I told him where I worked and he immediately responded positively, saying that he was familiar with the site. I also shared my blog with him which also added to my credibility.

The only rough part for me was understanding the way Pennsylvania handles title transfers and the way things work here. But Jerry was really nice and even found a late night notary that we could go to after I got off work. In this state, you have to go to a Notary together to sign off on the title and process the paperwork for the DMV. There are small businesses that specialize in this service so you don't have to go to the DMV. It was a fairly quick process, and 20 minutes later I was riding home.

I'm super excited about finding new roads and taking her new places. I even went on my first group ride with my new riding friends at Revzilla. In the end, I'm very happy with my decision, it ended up being the right one even though I never thought I would be back on an SV.