Triumph Speed Triple R (2012 - present) review

Triumph's Speed Triple with Ohlins suspension, Brembo monobloc brakes and lightweight wheels
Great suspension and brakes mean you can squeeze every last drop from the engine
Perhaps the suspension is too good, just look at the price

Ah, the R. A letter that invokes visions of exotica, exclusivity and excess carbon fibre. For those lucky enough to have owned one, those thoughts are quickly dispersed by the memories of a numb arse, stiff neck and probably sore wrists, too.

The R, once preserve of the superbike set has spilled over into almost every category. Should the letter R be reserved for superbikes and what really makes a bike justify the addition of the coveted R status? Has its significance been lost? In a world of increased marketing hype and tenuous links to racing, it appears the R now gets splashed around so much that it is to motorcycles what the word 'executive' is to a block of flats.

So is the Speed Triple R worthy of its R status? Better suspension? Check. More stopping power? Check. Less weight? Check. Gratuitous amounts of carbon fibre? Check. A more powerful engine? Erm, well, no. Triumph have kept the engine's output exactly the same as the standard model. Surprised? Well, I was too, to be honest.

Read the full Speed Triple R review