the quality of the finish, the exceptional top end
nature of the parts, and the gorgeous design
aesthetic, this bike wins hearts and is instantly
covetable. Not only has Triumph reinvented a deeply
revered classic, it has made one that will become a
revered classic in its own right. Mr Bloor, I believe you
have hit it right out of the ballpark with this
motorcycle, Sir.
So what’s it like on the road? Well, it takes a while to
find your way into the heart of this bike.
I’ll explain my thinking. The BMW RnineT, for example,
with which this competes, takes you to a corner and
falls in without effort, saying in effect, “Come with me,
it’ll be alright, you’ll see”.
Whereas the Triumph says “Take me into that corner,
and mean it, I will go wherever, but you do the driving”.
On the face of it, the Beamer seems easier - it
probably is, but when it lets go, you are going to be in
trouble.
The Triumph doesn’t seem like it’ll ever let go, but you
are responsible for bringing it home. Ultimately I think
that’s a better place to be.
Of course there is traction control and ABS and all
the standard safety features as well as three modes
for riding, Rain, Road and Sport, but we all know which
setting the Thruxton lives on.
That fuel injected 97hp powerplant is designated as
High Output, unlike the High Torque of the T120, but
the Thruxton has torque galore, as well as a few more
revs to offer. It develops 112Nm at 4950rpm, and what
that translates to is a fantastic top gear acceleration
for overtaking from 3500rpm at 100km/h. It doesn’t
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