New Triumph Speed Triple under development
Triumph strengthening its foundations
WE’VE already seen the future of Triumph’s Bonneville line with the new water-cooled prototype parallel-twin and now we hear that the firm is working on revamping the other models that make up the foundation of its range.
Next up will be a revamped 1050 Speed Triple, with significant engine updates and a host of new electronics to bring it in line with the next-generation emissions laws and to add a little sparkle to its on-paper specifications.
While the firm has no intentions to join the KTM 1290 Super Duke/BMW S1000R naked bike power tussle, the next gen Speed Trip is set to get a slight bump in performance, even though its capacity is likely to remain at 1050cc. More important will be the addition of gizmos like traction control, multiple engine modes and even keyless ignition. We also wouldn’t be surprised to see substantial changes to the chassis in pursuit of less weight.
Other models with the 1050 engine, specifically the Tiger Sport, are also likely to receive similar mods, while the Sprint GT appears to be facing the axe; it’s already been dropped from most markets outside the UK.
The focus on the firm’s core models like the Bonneville and Speed Triple comes in the wake of several years pushing into new markets with bikes like the Tiger 800, Thunderbird and Trophy, as well as the huge – and seemingly wasted – development effort that went into the on-ice 250cc single-cylinder models.
In October, the firm’s product manager Simon Warburton, who’s guided the Triumph model line-up since 2006, left Triumph. He’s since been installed as Royal Enfield’s head of product planning and strategy.
