Spending 2022 with the Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RR | MCN Review 

Nevies is undoubtably the best reviewer of motorcycles in the UK presently. Love his pragmatic, practical approach without being boring in anyway. Obviously, a fast rider with huge experience, an asset to MCN and motorcycling in general.

Really good stuff. There is an art to giving criticism without attacking and it seems this bike earned some less than positive reviews. I'm a huge Triumph fan and Speed Triple owner so it is refreshing to see a review that does give pros and cons rather than being a puff piece to ensure media bikes keep coming. It will be interesting if Triumph addresses the bar position and seat because to my eye this is one of the most beautiful modern Triumphs made. Hopefully it doesn't die on the vine over a couple easily remedied items.

Glad to hear an honest opinion. It's not my opinion nor that of the vast majority but that's cool. I've had mine for 6 months, put 4k miles on it and I'd buy it all over again. I do regular 250 mile runs through the canyons and I find it exciting, fun and truly comfortable. I just love it.

I'm nowhere near as experienced rider as Neeves, but mid 50's and 700 miles into my Speed Triple 1200RR (traded a 1050RS). I'm addicted to riding it & love it to bits. Its great fun & I don't find it uncomfortable at all.

Great review! Agree with most points, but I must add that I think ergonomics are unique to each rider. I have longer arms and the bike suits me perfectly. I’m 63 and have been riding for 50+ years when you include dirt bikes. I’ve ridden many motorcycles and this 1200 RR is by far my favorite. However, I would not recommend it if you’re out of shape physically and especially if you tend to weight your hands, which I consider a common rider mistake along with using the arches of your feet (duck foot riding) as opposed to riding on the front balls of your feet, which makes a huge difference. Additionally, slightly squeezing your knees helps to balance your weight properly by reminding the rider not to place weight lazily on the hands and wrists. I agree this bike is not a long range tourer. Absolutely not a tourer. I didn’t buy it for touring. I bought it for shorter thrilling rides and because I think it looks phenomenal. BTW, in person, the white version is surprisingly cooler looking and as a result, much faster! Thank you for the review. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Cheers!!

I don't see how this is a negative review. The reviewer said: It's as fast as a Superbike on track, including straights and long corners, it has a cruise control that makes it more comfortable than an average Literbike on the motorway, it looks better than most Sportbikes, it has electronic suspension and at the same time is cheeper than most if not all Literbikes that do not have electronic suspension. So, the bike is confused, big deal; don't discuss Nuclear Physics with the bike or ask it personal advise and you should be fine!

I've bought this bike 1 month ago and did 2000Km. I was owning a 2019 Speed Triple 1050 RS right before that for 3 years. I must say I agree with some point there but not all of them. The ergonomics are quite good for me (Short torso, long arms and legs 5'7). I think at higher speeds the front ends get a little too light and yes the bike doesn't have that instant low end kick that the 1050 had but I found that the 1200 engine suits well the style of the bike better than the 1200RS. So far I love it and I wouldn't exchange it for anything on the market right now because the bike was made for the exact type of riding that I'm making which is country back roads, commuting on the highway and sometimes some track day.

Refreshing to see a top journalist actually slate a bike. As a former 1050 Speed Triple owner I'm sad as one sit on this bike convinced me it wasn't going to be comfortable.

Best MCN review ever! Fantastic… really. So refreshing to hear honest criticism of a bike. I was tempted by the RS last year, but I’m glad I went with the Speed Twin after hearing Neevsey roasting the engine and clock. I rode this RR a few weeks ago and even on the 30-minute test ride, I could tell the clip-ons were mounted way too low.

I appreciate the transparent review! Looks like triumph has some room for improvement with the 1200 speed triples. These long term reviews always have such invaluable information!

It's enormously refreshing to see an honest review, as nowadays every bike review seems be about the same bike - the brilliant one! That is mostly why I repute MCN and especially Neeves the best bike reviewer around right now.

Riser solves it! First, fantastic review, Michael - thank you and MCN for the great inside! I bought the RR and immediately had the ABM multiClip riser mounted. Additionally, they put the peg brackets from the RS on my bike. With both, it transforms the RR into the perfect sports-tourer it’s supposed to be! It not only rises the clips but especially moves them closer to you - perfect! I understand that it wouldn’t be fair or possible to review a bike with such an accessory. But, for the people out there like me (love the look, but need more comfort; and didn’t like the extra 50 kilogram from the H2 SX SE) it is important to know that this key criticism is easily overcome (wish, you could come to Switzerland to test my bike). Only did around 2 hours rides so far; but, I get off it as if I was riding a GS. For those interested in the Speedy RR - your points re. breaks and engine w/o character: Guess, mortals like me don’t notice it (especially the breaks). Yes, the engine feels dull compared to a S1000RR; BUT (big but) the characteristic suits perfectly the way I drive 95% of the time (though, not much grunt under 2500 rpm). The biggest annoying point is the screwed-on passenger-seat - looks like an accountant overruled the designer. If I had a say at Triumph, I would include the ABM clip-ons as an option (maybe brand them and figure out the best settings/recommendation for the first installation). A few reviews w/o this weakness could jump the sale of this product very significantly. I also didn’t like the riding-position after a short test ride - but, took my chances with this excellent solution. Cheers!

I love Michael, but he’s Uber critical of this bike in both naked/sport forms. Never mind the lines on that tank, who gave Neevesy that haircut 💇‍♂️.

I’m a big fan of Mr Nieves, THE number one road tester. But…. Can’t help feeling it a big ask to expect a sporty bike to be good at touring, track work, comfort etc. I’d imagine most people who ride this bike will be like me, mid fifties and a Sunday morning blast to a nice cafe and maybe the odd longer ride? Leave the touring to the adventure bikes and have a blast on the Triumph 👍🏻

I have ridden the RR for almost two years now and am now 110% thrilled. - Super engine - Super chassis - perfect seating position for me (176 cm) - absolutely sufficient power & torque - ingenious unique design - exemplary operation/intuitive settings + I like the insane Triumph triple sound. But what I had to change/adapt resp. wanted to change: - Mirrors are now on the handlebars like on the RS, with the original RR mirrors I only saw myself more than 75% of the time! - The original exhaust was too long for me; I mounted short SC-Project => The sound is now even sportier: wow wow wow! - Switched from the Pirelli Super Corsa SP3 to the Continental Sport Attack 4 (due to greater tread depth & softer rubber compound) -> more reserve in the rain & less crass/hard, suits me better! Adjustment to the seat geometry: - Front fork legs pushed down 5 mm - Rear preload reduced by 3 mm => Now it also fits perfectly for use on country roads Recalls; all WITHOUT costs: - Cockpit fairing (small plastic part) melted; was replaced; now this is apparently solved - Blipper was replaced; for whatever reason, I had no problems with it - SW upgrade so that the radiator fan now runs earlier + longer. The rest was right out of the box. EVERYTHING WONDERFUL! I will probably want to ride this uniquely beautiful and high quality motorbike for a very long time.

So Triumph, adjust the fork geo, put sport tourer bars on it and put some memory foam in the seat and you'll be onto a winner! It is a gorgeous bike but appreciate the honest review.

Have the RR brand new, too. Wonderful looking bike and very precise to ride. Stable bikes are fast bikes, so the steering fits for me. The Speed Triple never has been a quick steering bike - always has been on the stable side. Coming from a 2018 1050 Speed Triple RS I always flirted with Superbikes like the BMW S 1000 RR, but was looking for a more understatement looking power bike, more sporty than the average naked. The looks of the RR ist absolutely my cup of tee. This is not my one and only bike of course. For touring I have a 2017 BMW 1200 GS. But as a second bike in the garage it's a riders dream. Taking it out after work or weekends for a quick turn this gives me a smile on my face only a Superbike can deliver. That's exactly what the bike is meant for, fast and quick rides on back country roads and the one or other track day. Fantastic bike - the seating position could be a little more upright, that's true. Position is nearly the same as on BMW S 1000 RR, known for the quiet comfiest of the recent Superbikes, not as dramatic as on a Yamaha R1 or the recent Ducati Superbikes V4 and V2. So, everything ist relative and this bike needs to be compared to other Superbikes. The looks of it is so understatement one will easily forget or not recognize what the bike is capable of...

Cheers from Australia! Michael Neeves is clearly the best motorcycle reviewer. He is honest and realisticly sharing his experiences with the bikes he tested. Thanks Neevesy and MCN!

Great honest and confirming review. Was waiting for this to determine what to do. Def happy I waited and went with my guy. This should be shared with the triumph design team

Love the long term reviews keep up the good work.

Liked the honest, candid, no fluff review. Need more like this… some reviews you wonder if they are pandering to the manufacturers for access to more bikes 🤷👍👏

Loved it, honestly is the way! I’m a massive Triumph fan and currently own a Daytona Moto2. Rode a speed RS and thought it was harsh and soulless. Love the new format and straight talking style. Good work guys!

Thanks for the honest review. Dan and Neevesy make a great team.

Balls to the wall honesty in reviewing this bike 👍

I appreciate the honesty as always, Neeves. Thanks for answering a lot of questions and concerns that I had as a predominately sport bike rider looking for something more comfortable but still engaging. I'll stick with my secondary naked for now.

loved the honesty....thank you!

Great review and format 👍 keep it up guys 👍

Fully appreciate the honest review. Thumbs up from a Thruxton R owner!

Outstanding review by the best reviewer to do it👍

Neeves nailed it. I own the Speed Triple RS (nor RR) since 2022 and he's just right with everything. What grinds my gears is the fact that Triumph keeps sending these bikes into recalls - the latest mapping removing some grunt and sparkles. The software is so bad, it's ridiculous - I stopped using any of the connectivity. At the same time, this is a fantastic bike that I love to ride almost every day, also on tracks.

Thanks chaps - honest review presented nicely. Hopefully the big find at Triumph take that feedback and address the issues, for it is a nice looking machine.

Great honest review Neevsey and Thankyou as I’m in process of deciding on a new bike.

Great review. Sadly so true. I was seriously in the market for Speed triple RS and the nice dealer suggested that I properly try both the RS and the RR before making decision. So I did and got myself the new S1000R.

Again a very honest review Michael and unfortunately also very true! Good humor too (hair straighteners!!) - and speaking of getting "old"... wait till 70 knocks on your door sir!! Blessings!

Engine character, higher bars, both easy mods. I'm getting one, thanks Neevesy.

Great review MN going to be some great bargains on these now lol🙌

Honest review, many reviewers seem to gloss over a bike's negative points (including others who have reviewed this model) presumably to avoid offending sponsors/ advertisers or harming their chances of getting future loan bikes so kudos to Neevesy and MCN for not ducking it.

This was much appreciated. I'm getting on in years and riding sportbikes any real distance is getting to be a chore. I was almost positive this was going to be my next bike but after your excellent review, I will be looking at other options.

Great analysis from a polite analyst.Thks.

Ooh…The honesty of this review is bloody amazingly refreshing!! I’d be spewing if I had one of these on order 🙂 Shout out from Melbourne for a top review boys ✊

I'm a big fan of MCN reviews especially MN, lots of experience and knowledge and hard to argue with. However, I think MN is being very harsh here. Yes I am a little defensive given I have just bought an RR and have done over 1,000 miles. Not sure if MN has missed the point though, this is a gentleman's sportsbike, so the riding/steering suits the bike well. So my opinions vs MN with ranking: 1. Glitches - Agree Had a few myself, but soon disappear. MINOR. 2. Tall side stand - Agree Whilst this looks odd, not important. NON-ISSUE 3. Pillion seat bolt - Disagree. Really!! does it matter. NON-ISSUE 4. Sat Nav - Agree Triumph should have done better with this. MEDIUM. 5. Gearbox/Neutral - Disagree Mine is fine throughout the riding experience. MINOR. 6. Brake feel - Disagree As MN states, this is typical of latest gen bikes, so unfair to level at this bike. MINOR. 7. Engine note - Agree It could have been better, mostly hear airbox, but still sounds ok. MEDIUM. 8. Steering - Disagree if you want full sportsbike steering feel, get a sportsbike. The steering suits this bike in my opinion. MINOR 9. Seat - Agree Big problem, hoping someone will make a aftermarket seat. As per MN, after an hour you getting chaffing on top of your legs, its too wide, spoils the ride on long journeys MAJOR. 10. Bars/comfort - Disagree. I've been riding Daytona's 675/ Yamaha R1 for years and think is significantly more comfortable than those. Yes there is a little wrist weight, but use your knees/back to reduce the pressure and its fine. MINOR. Hope this helps, this is a great bike, looks the nuts, refined, smooth, beautiful road corners, goes like stink. Best bike i've had. FYI: I'm 45 years old.

I'm fine with my Thruxton R with a good seat. I'm curious how a 125 horsepower Thruxton with a more slant towards touring might be received. Some detachable panniers, a adjustable windscreen with the clip ons raised another inch.

No holding back Nevies I like it very informative as always

Neeves for president!! Clear, sharp and above all uncompromisingly honest!!

Keeping it real, nice work as always.

Such an interesting interview, I've owned a 2013 GSXR750 based on Neeves' reviews and a 2019 S1000RR Msport. He's rarely wrong

I met Michael Neeves in 2014 and just bought this bike in Crystal White/Storm Grey. I was one of the people that went against his recommendation and fell in love with it. I never thought I’d buy a Triumph as my first bike, but glad I did as it spoke to me.

Really good job MCN!

Neevesy an immensely experienced road tester, that tells it like it is, which in this day and age is very much appreciated and nice to hear, probably not going to get an invite to the Triumph Christmas party this year mind you, 🤨 but a warts an' all review, thank you. 👍 lets hope Triumph take the comments on board and make the next gen better. I certainly agree with his comments about the dash on modern bikes, as an older rider, I find them almost impossible to read, especially if you need glasses to read, i:e close up but not for distance, when you ride.

Great, honest review. Heard his comment on the Nine-T Racer :-) Yes, it's quite stretchy, but even so, more comfortable than my former '99 RSV1000 (low clip-ons, and a seat that's basically a wooden plank with upholstery). Didn't stop me from trips to Germany though, and I was always the last to call for a pitstop. Admittedly, the BMW is usually taken on daytrips with lots of coffeebreaks nowadays, but that's more my changing preference than physical discomfort.

good teamwork presenting

Excellent discussion.

Great summary

Great review, as always. Can you recommend a couple of routes in the pyrenees? Thanks in advance!

I typically take rides with mine of about one tanks distance and that is too short to feel any pain or problems with the riding position or the seat. At higher speeds, the wind also unloads your wrists. I have a BMW K1200GT for touring. My issues with the bike are: -The mirror stalks are too short. I need them to be up to 100mm longer to be able to see anything. -The anti-wheely is too abrupt so you do the pogo when accelerating fully. The engine character is amazing. I don't understand the critique at all. Same with the brakes. Just fantastic! The heated bars have three settings and the highest is too warm.

Thanks for the honest review! Took it to heart , thought it through and bought one anyway… h/e added a clip-on kit that raises the grips by the suggested inch and 1K miles in, think it‘s sportbike reasonable VERY comfortable. As for the lack of „character“ … „want-to-go“ etc., tested the new Street Triple RS. Found it brilliant but too pushy, nagging constantly to push it. Not age appropriate (early 50s). The Speed Triple RR feels more grown-up and just fine for me… the youngers might call it bland but thats fine , it’s their prerogative :-)

Absolutely!!!!

I had an R9T Racer, and the main reason I sold it cause of the riding position. Stunning Bike, but when you dread the ride home, it was time to get rid of it. Now I have a regular 2021 R9T-719, just as stunning, but way more comfortable. 😊👍🇩🇪

Got a 2017S Speedy and love it now that I lost that high weight by going low boy exhaust and removing the passenger pegs...one look at the RR and I thought it was a Frankenstein but each to their own. Not to mention it was twice the price of my bike but apparently not twice as nice.

Thanks for the honest review. Sadly it has became a rare thing recently.

quality stuff just saying it as it is, a true professional journalist. if taken heed triumph would be an incredible brand in the long term...theyve nailed the segment it is in...just fine tuning and they will own it

Also, it's quiet due to Euro 5, put a pipe one it, sounds amazing and has that wall of torque. As much as I love Neeves, I feel like there is a bit of personal bias here. Everyone says the bike has a ton of character. S1000RR that he loves is also slow steering. The seat on the bike is also super comfortable. Better than the last one. All subjective ding that no one else has brought up. I agree that the clip-ons are terrible on this bike. I am 6'1 and they bother me too, worse than my 2022 RSV4.

My thoughts on how it sits on the kickstand, and how he described how it felt rear heavy, is that they shortened the shock length for stability compared to the lower powered 765. I would imagine that Ohlins shock is ride height adjustable.

I've got one of the last of the previous generation 1050 RS bikes, and love the it despite its agricultural gear box and weight. The engine is amazing and sounds awesome - stirs the soul! I've looked at the new gen 1200 RS and the RR, but they don't seem to have the bad boy character of the previous model. Listening to Neevsey, confirms some of the thoughts that I've had about the new bikes. It would be ideal for me as a concept, but sadly I won't be buying one until Triumph sort out some of the issues. Seat comfort is a major issue for me, and even with the 'comfort' seat it gets a bit squirrely at the back end after 2 hours. I don't want an armchair, but it does need to feel good n a longer ride.

Does it have a height adjustable rear shock? Or could the forks have been pulled through the yolks to speed up the steering?

Great video, an honest opinion. I really like the bike, I've mentioned at the dealers about bar risers. Love the look but maybe I'm too old for the riding position. Told me all I need to know. 👍

I have watched 4 different reviews and you guys are only ones disliking and complaining about the bike. Everyone else seems to absolutely love and admire it. Where does that difference come from? Not one person has mention bad points you have raised...

An allen key and torx key are on the inside of the expansion tank cover to remove the rear seat and the fuel cap if it fails. Page 86 of the owners manual 👍 Great review, I've got the RS and love everything about it apart from the suspension, tried the RR and I found it really uncomfortable as well. Let's hope Triumph bring out an electronic suspensioned RS like KTM have with the Superduke Evo.

A great honest review as always from the master road tester. I am a Triumph fan boy, but it feels like the Triumph R&D team spend too much time at the track and not enough testing on our crappy roads where we spend 90% of our time.

Great video

Let’s hope they make some improvements to the mk2. Still a beautiful machine and fairly easy to put right.

I agree seat position wise, similar to my previous RSV4s. However I love the RS and with adjusted suspension it handles well. To remove the rear seat there is an Allen key (2 in fact) behind the expansion bottle panel on the left side of the bike, other one in case electronic fuel lock malfunctions. Separately, are the Pirelli Diablo 4 Cora’s Bette than the Metzelor M9RRs?

Funny about the tank paint not being symmetrical side-to-side... I bought a 2012 Thruxton and the stripe on the tank was crooked compared to the stripe on the rear solo cowl. Otherwise, I loved that Thruxton, and I adore this ST-RR. Just wish that I could afford one.

Fantastic review guys ! Such well spoken, love it. By any chance is there a way to the route you did in the Pyrenees? My brother and I were planning to go and we would love to have a few good addresses! Cheers lads, hi from 🇨🇭🧀🫕

I bought the 1200 RS due to triumph fit and finish and reliability. My RS has been plagued with issues. Paint scared and swirl from factory, wire harness issues, fault gaskets installed from factory, electrical issues, and now a transmission peace has broken. Triumph has security re-designed the spring and arm so it doesn’t happen again but no recall for it yet which is mad. 3 weeks in the shop with no parts yet from triumph(clearly too busy building new bikes). My warranty is up in March and I’m scared as I haven’t had the dreaded transmission fault sensor issues which I know lots have had. I think this will be my first and only triumph. For context this is triumph North America in Canada(no real dealer network).

Because I had a 2017 Triumph T120 and a 2016 Thruxton R (non faired) I found that the two bikes were just too similar and the Thruxton is the better of the two so I decided to trade in my T120 for this speed triple RR. When I saw one in the showroom though I was a little underwhelmed. Its such a petite bike - beautiful but petite just like the standard speed triple RS and so I thought it lacked enough street presence. In the end I went for a new Panigale V2 Troy Bayliss edition and think I made the right decision.

I still love the look of it, would defo demo.

Will you be doing updates on the GT PRO, looking forward to your comments

A Triumph kicking video. Love it! lol

Good review, but to be fair he wasn't saying the bike is rubbish, Triumph should be happy to receive some genuine constructive feedback. Like put cruise control on the Street Triple FFS, at least the RS it's a street bike innit. In my opinion, the bike manufactures should be aiming for is something similar to the style of the Tuono, with a small fairing, comfortable seating position and sport bike handling and character. Suzuki almost got it right with their GSXS1000f anyway, time will tell.

Another good, honest review from Neevesy, MCN's most highly respected journo and, as ever, without the need for the review to descend into a mauling. I have been lusting after one of these RRs since their launch - and considered ebaying a kidney or two to get one of these things. To my ageing eyeballs, the RRs truly are beautiful motorcycles, with that retro-futuristic vibe - Dan Dare would probably have one of these in his garage. So, how to make it comfortable enough to live with and to ride the roads for a few years - as it would be very unlikely I'd take it to trackdays. Are there any aftermarket accessories to help improve rider comfort - handlebar position /seat padding issues etc.?

As an owner of the RS I disagree with a lot here but I'm not hurt by it lol. The biggest gripe I have is with the seat complaint. I've owned or still own 2023 tiger 1200 gt pro 2022 Harley Fat Bob 2020 SV 650 2019 CB 1000R And I've put considerable miles on rental bikes, such as newer street triple , hypermotard, z900rs ... The speed triple has THE most comfortable seat I've ever used. Did 1900 miles in 5 days, (700 miles in the first day) and the seat was amazing. Really surprised by it. My legs were cramping up every 100 miles but my ass was great! I'm 40 if that matters.

I totally agree with everything Michael has said, Triumph please take note of these comments as they are all part of the development process.

I emailed Michael privately after we swopped a few notes & my opinion was in MCN readers rides a few months. Got rid of mine after just 6 months for all the same reasons, ridiculous riding position/low bars giving me neck & back issues. Stiff gearbox & impossible to get in to neutral unless stopped & mega laggy dash. Just can't understand what triumph were thinking & how they have stuffed up the RS & RR after fine tuning the 1050 to perfection

So good to hear an honest review. A rarity these days.

Most revealing 👌👍

Quite a shocker for this bike to be blasted for slow steering with such a relatively sporty riding position. A longer shock/modified linkage might solve this and also make the side stand work properly 😂 A slow UI for the dash is a big boo-boo though because it's something you have to deal with every time you ride the bike. I had hoped that the latest gen Speedy models would come with a bigger capacity and hilarious amounts of low and midrange torque, they'd have been on my shopping list for sure.

This and the Katana would be fun local endurance racing bikes

Good review. Wonder if swapping out the 190/55 tyre for a 200/55 would be the trick putting it on its nose a little bit more and also giving the side stand some more distance so it won't fall over so easily. Anyway thanks👍

Absolutely!😁

I’m happy with mine 🤷🏽‍♂️

Always makes me chuckle about ‘some people’s millage over 3 or 4 years’. As a 20K mile a year rider, y’all need to get out more! 😜. I’d have 1 of these as a 3rd bike in a heartbeat - stunning bike. Not sure a side stand change would put me off… the brake complaint is concerning though…

I so agree with Nevies! I really wanted this bike when I first heard about it, mostly due to the "figures" regarding performance. Had it for three months after initial loving the first rides with this Speed Triple 1200R. But that was just because I also have a heavy Z H2 which the 1200RR just annihilates for fast twisties. I hope Triumph do some upgrades/changes with this model in the future. As it is now it is OK for Track Days I guess, but for serious road trips it is just not the best to say the least. And neutering the top speed as Triumph does on some models is just *wrong*! Especially on a bike like this.

I still want one.

Interesting criticisms of the RR. I was thinking about getting one, now not so much.

I've never heard absolutely come up as many times in one conversation.and regards the bike higher bars , bigger screen and better luggage make it a sports tourer

First, as many others here have said, Mr Neeves is the best. Regarding the bike, I, like Mr Neeves, am at the age where the 1200 RR really appealed to me. I've never been one for naked bikes. Having clip-on's and a bikini fairing were making me seriously consider going down to my local Triumph dealer, price being the only thing holding me back. LOL. 20K (US) for a Speed Triple with clip-on's and a bikini fairing. Hmmm. Just wondering if raised clip-on's (like the Thruxton has) to push you up 2", an exhaust and a custom seat would transform this enough. I was obsessed with the look of my Thruxton R 1200 but it wasn't after a few mods that I became truly happy with the ride.

Sutherland continues to kill it. Strength to strength. Onward and upward. ❤❤

Thanks Dan and Neevesie, a credit to MCN paper.

I will own a 1200RS. Tremendous bike although suspension is a tad hard. I recently went to a dealership and they said no one is buying the RR. It's just neither one thing or another.