Triumph Speed Twin 1200 Refreshed and Revisited 

A few years ago I rode my vfr800 fi non vtec and test rode the new z900 and didn’t like it due to the jerkiness and close ratio gearbox. The dealer offered me a ride on one of these ( Staffordshire triumph). I was gob smacked on how much I enjoyed it. Not a bike for very long distance for me (purely my skeleton and age). I would have bought it there and then but was just out of my financial reach. Have since ridden the higher powered bonneville(70bhp ish) and I preferred it. It was altogether convinced of the smaller bike. When I was riding the speed twin I was bowling along thinking I was doing 65 mph and one glance at the speedo was 90mph😮😮😮😮😮. Naughty bike

Morning TAYM, I have no doubt in my mind that the Speed Twin is a quantifiably "better" bike in almost every area but, for me, I don't like the slightly more aggressive riding position and I've never had an issue with my neck on the T120. The biggest thing is though I really love the classic look of the Bonneville and the Speed Twin just doesn't cut it in the looks department for me it has a slightly tilted forward look like someone has lowered the front forks. All these things are subjective, I know, but I don't like any of the Speed Twin paint schemes and I don't like the upside down forks or the cast wheels or the fuel cap or the specimen pot brake reservoir or the silly mudguards. It's T120 all the way for me.

I’ve had my Speed Twin 1200 for about 9 months now. Aside from the Nitron suspension upgrade, I’ve also installed a de-cat pipe underneath the engine to give it a slightly fruitier sound. For the riding I do, there’s no bike I’d rather own. Perfectly happy. Although, for touring, I think a new Himalayan 450 would make a lovely second bike. Thanks for the review Mr TAYM.

Great to see you back on a Speed Twin, TAYM. I love my 2019 model. I’d describe the look as a modern take on a classic 70s sports bike. Mine’s almost permanently in sports mode unless I go in to London (not often. I live on the south coast) when rain mode is perfect !👍😁👍

Love the bike. Traded my Scrambler 900 Chrome Edition for the Speed Twin 1200 with Ohlins on the rear. My favourite aspect of the bike is the tone from the twin exhaust. What a lovely rumble on the go.. 😊😊

A very nice bike and an excellent review. It was nice to see a dry road.

Great video Mr TAYM. I have had a Speed Twin for the last 2 years, and could not ride it in sport due to the throttle. We fitted a spacer for it, and it is a totally different bike. Wow what a difference. You also said you had trouble with the mirrors. Mine are the other way around, with the narrow end to the out side. The vision is great. The looks are lovely. The sound is great. You need one in your collection. Great review. Thank you. Always look forward to your videos.xx

I bought the T120 last year and love my choice, Speed Twin is without doubt a sportier ride but at my age the Bonneville has plenty of poke and looks beautiful!

Morning Mr T, you gotta admit that Triumph make some mighty fine bikes at the moment, catering for all tastes, except maybe the learner (which is a shame!!). I have two now and unfortunately like every addiction I want/need more but like all normal people my ambition far exceeds my means😂😂😂 thank you for taking us all along with you again it was fun, and I love the Speed twin but until they bring out an RS version with better suspension parts I am hanging on to my non-existence deposit 😉🤣🙃

Another good and honest view of a good looking motorcycle 👍

Hi TAYM, I thoroughly enjoyed your revisit to the Speed Twin as I have 1 myself, ( I sent in a photo the other week of me arriving at my first bike meet this year ) The sound as you say is great but what I have added is the Thruxton R end cans, they are the same as on your Thruxton RS & they give it a deeper burble but not much louder which is what I like, also I have added the billet aluminium brake reservoir which is a bit nicer on the eye. I think now as they have ended production of the Thruxton they might make an RS version of of the Speed Twin. Have a good week Les.

Bought my 2022 Speed Twin in Red Hopper (best colour in my opinion) new and can honestly say I love it. Tried the Z900RS and RnineT too but overall I liked the Speed best. People complain about lack of cruise control etc but let's be honest this is a bike made for fast A roads and bends. People also complain about the side stand too and OK it is a bit fiddly but you soon get used to it. If you want to plod along get a T120 but if you want fun get one of these 😊

Hi, very nice video on the speed twin! I just bought new the 1200 Scrambler XE, Baja orange paint. It looks marvelous and behaves better. It has proper off road capabilities, but I will use it mainly as a road bike and it is stunning agreeable on every kind of road. This high torque engine will pull the bike against every resistance, with the right helmet and protective gear, there’s no need for windshield or wind special protection respecting the road speed limits. It’s perfect. Excellent maneuverability, excellent vision from the top of traffic in front and not so heavy like the other ADV big bikes. The sound of the engine is even better due to the high position of the pipes…I’m very well impressed with the bike, it really is giving me that fun and happiness that we bikers pursuit . That decision was in part made by watching your videos, specifically the one you’ve made test riding that bike model, due the positive energy that you put in your videos, it really builds the will to experiment and explore these machines! 👍🏻👍🏻

A great bike. I borrowed one for a couple of hours when my T100 went in for it's first service. I really enjoyed it. A proper hooligan modern classic ☺️. I had fun but it was slightly spoiled by the snatchy off/on throttle response. The T100 benefits from the single throttle body 👍

Yet another great informative video 👍I love mine I think I’ve done about 900 miles on mine now I like the 1200 sticker on the tank but I would have it covered up as I fitted tank grips on mine H S

Another great review m8. Very nice bike. I could see myself being as made as a snake on one of those 😆 🤣 😂. Love the sound

Bought a new speedtwin in 2021 love it even more with an x pipe, wilbers springs in front and yss shock in the rear . Loved the engine so much i bought a second bike t120 2016 last year for relaxt riding and touring with my wife. Also added yss shock to it as the originaliteit shock weer not up to our weight . Only down side from it is the different in Braking power compared to the speed twin my 2016 t120 could do with a bit more breaking power ( also for riding with a pillion So i have best of both world's . But if i could have only one bike i think i would hold on to the speedtwin or t120 or speedtwin eh t120 ......... They both have theorie own +&- Happy driving 👍

What a beauty, it’s a bike I’d like to upgrade to when I’ve got some more experience under my belt , regarding the looks it’s retro but got a modern look a bit like my street twin I think

Very nice bike, I like this & the scrambler. Too many good bikes these days to choose from.

My dream bike just love them another great review cheers naughty boy 👍

I think the Speed Twin 1200 would be a total hoot to ride! I’m not a fan of either the front or rear fenders/mudguards, but that’s just me. Great look and ride footage Mr TAYM!

Sure got the sound right on that Trumpy. Thanks TAYM.

Mag Alloy wheels and tubeless tyres : that's my kind of bike. I need a bigger piggybank.

I got me a 2020 red one, the paintscheme on the first models win hands down for me. Got it fitted with the vance&hines pipes, decat and a bunch of parts from Motone. No way this thing ever gonna leave my garage!

I test rode a speed twin back in 2019 and loved it then. I've not ridden one since, but keep looking at used ones. I much prefer the gen 1 paint scheme in either grey or red, I don't think they've bettered that.

Morning TAYM, I've not ridden a Triumph twin since 1977 so can't comment on the feel, but as far as looks and styling, grumpy goblin has said what I also think, it's too tilted forward, and that slash cut paint job on the tank doesn't suit the contours of the tank and the 1200 decals on the sideof it are like an afterthought to let people know what capacity it is ..your own bike is far better looking , I did like the dark model you rode a couple of weeks ago , I went to the Triumph dealers in Manchester to see one in the metal it's a handsome bike 🙌, but Holy sh1t ,the price!! 😅😅 , Have a great weekend and DGR on Sunda,I've got my suit ready and just waiting for delivery of a pair of goggles and a pipe Mrs Mel ordered off Amazon for me yesterday to complete the look ! 😅😅 Cheers Mel 🍻

Cracking video I love mine bought it from triumph chester first service tomorrow hope it doesn't rain cus I live in stoke but good review there 👍

You are an excellent reference point.

I do like this one TAYM amongst many others but for me those bar ends would bother me I have never liked them and of course I would have to get a center stand if available but a serious contender for me going forward a test ride is a must as soon as I can get to it .Nice one 👌👍

It looks great and it rides very well, expensive though. For the price they should have fitted better rear suspensions and Led lights.

I have a 2022 Street Twin, now known as the Speed Twin 900 and I love it. But I’m ready to upgrade to the 1200 and have been mulling over the T120 and the Speed Twin 1200 for some time. No matter which one I get I’ll always wonder what could have been, but I’m leaning more toward the Speed Twin.

A few points to bring up. First, naked bike riding position. I’m back to the 70s now, but there were BMW touring bars back then with just an inch or so of rise. I put them on all my bikes and at 70(+-) you were perfectly balanced into the wind. The other question I had was what upgrades the Thruxton has over the Speed Twin. I’m curious to hear. Thanks as always.

I owned a T100 for over 5 years and then bought a 1200 speed twin in 2023 and I think you will too eventually. I just wished they made this model and styling with the 900 lump in it .

Great timing - interested in the speed 1200 and 900. What rear suspension was that you mentioned, no one has referenced it before on RU-vid ?

I am not a biker but if I were to buy a bike I would choose a Triumph. I love the look of them all! This one seems to have oodles of power. I don't usually like the sound of a motorbike but this one seemed to "burble" pleasingly.

I think 70's retro describes it very well although the split colour tank doesn't appeal to me. That said Black Beauty has the triple black ( apparently silver is the new black 🤔) and obviously that caught my eye more than the all black version. I'm guessing these engines are over engineered and under stressed 98bhp and 100+nM isn't a lot for a 1200 engine. I more fancied the style of the Speedmaster but when I saw one in the flesh I couldn't believe how small they look, more Dave Davies than Grey Wolf 🐺🐾😉

Morning Taym

Speed twin 1200 is the all-round best of these classic twins IMO , its basically a Thruxton R with flat bars always liked the speed twin but ended up with Thruxton 1200s (came along at right price )

I wonder if would be Thruxton buyers like myself would see this as a better option for aging flexibility and now that the “T” is going away, the ST is the cafe racer of the Bonniville line.

Love my T120 but do wish triumph would offer the alloy wheels of the speed twin as an option

Test rode one last week, snatchy throttle and and hand numbing vibrations were too much for me but otherwise I love the Triumph retros. Decided to stick with my Speed Twin 900 which I think is a better all round bike. 👍🏻

I think what we need is a T120 but with an option for the Speed Twin engine in it.

The Mrs. needs to ride with you

Lovely Bike, But the Standard suspension is lacking if you really push it into corners, I'm waiting for a RR version with olins and a bit more grunt, now there is no Thruxton, come on triumph . Oh and a bigger fuel tank, its empty far to soon 😊

Morning TAYM nice bike but having owned a speed twin I wouldn’t swap it for my current steed the Moto Guzzi v7 special, there’s just something special about a moto guzzi 😉 carry on that man Caio for now tat ta👍🏻

I love the Triumph Bonneville but it's way over priced. Triumph would clean up if they made a bog standard 750cc Bonneville at £7000 with a decent seat, real mudguards, no stupid rider modes, analog clocks, old school headlamp and indicators and 75bhp.

👍👍🏍 very much the speed 400,s big brother.

After having an XC, it's hard to justify one of these other 1200s over it. It comes with the food seating position, and the high HP sport mode just rips with it's top end suspension. Bobber and speed need upgraded suspension. Might be getting a lightly used 17 bobber for $5k, so that was an easy choice, but otherwise...

Treat buddy to a set of Michelin road classics I never liked the phantom sports composition. Perrieli (stock set) I've had three sets on Shuck now I'll never go back to a substandard rain- muck road tire they last alot longer I'm sure if you can get em over there you'll love them they should also fit your thruxton.

Hi, would be possible that you could review at some point Benelli Imperiale 400. Thank you in advance

I have the T120 and what a lovely bike it is…but do I look at the speed twin with that extra 20 hp…not quite the classic looks but tubeless tyres …the paint options are dreadful as well but I’m still drawn towards it.

Those guys over there sure let you take a lot of bikes out for a test ride. They're lads, alright 😀. Triumph continues to confuse me with their names. The Speed Twin was the slowest, most mildly tuned bike in their line up, the 5T. Now, a Speed Twin is this big monster bike.

What’s more comfortable, the Speed Twin or your new Suzuki?

Have you tried the 1200x scrambler yet

Front mudguard looks a mile too short, stones in radiator is not good.

My T100 had a snatchy throttle which I cured with a booster plug.

I like it alot but new one to expensive for me,be a second hand one for me or a new Speedtwin 900,T100.Great Quality bikes.

To Bonneville or Not to Bonneville That is The Question! Is this a GSX 8R I see Before me?

No centerstand, no cruise control and more strain on your wrists and shoulders. Definitely a motorcycle for you young folks, I’ll stick with my T120 with centerstand, cruise control, heated grips and upright seating not to mention chrome spoke wheels. It’s obvious old guys like me have definitely learned more than you “kids”😂

The 1200 Speedtwin would make me feel like Toad from Toad Hall, boop! boop! I think that I would run over too many dogs, chickens and snakes 😁😁. I would have a T100 though..... 👍👍.

Poor Jake. I bet you cut the video and went back to him and ranted at him! Along the lines of, ‘when I deem to show off a bike for you I certainly don’t need to pay for my own fuel!’ We know what you ‘influencers’ are like! We read about ‘YOU’ all the time in the papers! Poor Jake! 😔🤣

1😂

Very disappointed with your video 😡 Why did.nt you wait till the warning lights at the crossing activated to see the train and stop going on about that hooligan motorcycle. 🚂👍😉