I have 4000 miles on mine and absolutely no complaints. This is my 52nd year of motorcycling and I consider the one of the best all around bikes Ive ever owned or ridden. I use it for transportation and sprinting around on county roads.
Nice video, thanks. I generally agree with your comments. I've had my 2016 Street Twin for 3 years, and I very much like it. I tried and almost bought the T120, but decided that a little old guy of my size and age (65 kg, 69 years) would be happier on the smaller ST, and I do not regret my decision. To me, the stock ST's biggest deficiency was its poor rear suspension and its lack of adjustability, which gave a very harsh ride on some of our potholed highways here in Wisconsin. I recently replaced the rear shocks with a pair of Fox units, which allow 5 levels of preload and, more importantly, 25 levels of damping. At US$750 they were not cheap, but they are worth the price. I agree that better brakes and a 6th gear would be nice, but I'm still pretty happy with this gorgeous, torquey, nimble bike, and certainly would not trade it for any of my 7 previous bikes..
Hi Guys. i'm in Northwest Arkansas USA. We have some of the best motorcycling roads in the world with almost no traffic. I've got 4200 miles on my 2017 Street Twin. I also have a 1970 Tiger 650, and have had the first Hinckley version as well (the 100th anniversary Bonneville), and many other triumphs in the past including TT models and Tridents. I feel like the Street Twin is the best Triumph I've ever had. Plenty of power, handles great, light, and good looking as hell. I have a Vance and Hines scrambler pipe, no cat, bash plate, fender eliminator, led lights, and it came with a bench seat, but I put a stock one on. I ride all over the hills and curves of the Ozarks with it. Yes, it is small for an interstate bike, but fun as hell for what I do.
Actually I did find the stocker more comfy. it doesn't spread your legs apart as far, also its padded a little more and covers the frame rails on the side. Kinda like it was made for it. The Brown brat seat looks cool when I go hang with the young guys, but I'm in my 60s and like the comfort of the stocker most times.
Hahah I thought that in the edit. She probably won't watch it anyway... But seriously she's pretty light but I've ready many reports that you need to jack the preload up to max if you've got anyone of any weight at all on the back.
At least it's not "Sorry it's wobbly, I need to get used to the extra weight" when maneuvering the bike in a parking lot... coincidentally it was our last date so...
I have a 2012 Bonneville SE, didn't come with a TACH so I added an aftermarket TACH because I wanted one. Now that I have it, I have to say that I didn't really need it. It shows me what I already knew. Low end torque, no need to rev the engine. Love your videos and the ride through London!
Brakes: braided lines. Extremely informative review. The best I've seen about this bike. I love the London setting. I miss it. I have subscribed. Who the hell gives this a 'thumbs down'?
I have ridden lots of bikes .. I chill , I go fast , I go faster all depending on my mood .. the Street twin does it all without me getting in trouble..... PS an old friend of mine used to out run fireblades on a GN250 .. he was awesome at corners :-)
Each bike is made for specific kind of riding. If your own bike lacks in some things, It is so important to know and recognize it. As you said... You have bought this bike for a specific purpose. And for you...the good outweigh the bad. THAT is what counts! There is no such thing as the "perfect motorcycle". And your bike is beautiful! Ride safe my friend.
I found the same thing with my Thruxton's suspension. Works very well unless I hit a sharp bump. Doesn't even matter how big it is. I think the compression damping locks up a bit when the shock moves too fast. I bought an aftermarket set of shocks and they behave the same way.
I went with Wilburs. I did not go with the fully adjustable. They look too modern for the bike. I went with the touring setup as the distributor says the sporty ones are really stiff. The Wiburs are nice and I now don't have to remove the exhausts to change the pre-load when my wife rides, but the ride didn't change much. Both the stock and the Wilburs work great hauling ass around corners or over slower road undulations, but feel exceptionally stiff hitting anything with a sharp edge. Personally, I can't recommend spending that kinda coin for these, but there maybe something out there that provides that magic carpet ride we all desire. Just may cost an arm and a leg to find it.
Fair review of some of the more negative points. The steering lock was fiddly in the first week. Now I do it without thinking, it is very easy. Weakest point of the bike is motorway riding. All the power is down low, after about 60-70, there is lack of strong pull. Great street bike for round town and a hoot on winding country roads, bags of personality. Brakes: Someone else on here said it, this bike has a very effective back break. Use rear break first, then front - it becomes second nature. It could do with a second front disk but more back breaking. Built to a price: I agree and for the money you get a great. Best bits of the bike - the torque, easy handling, styling.
Cheers Christoper. Will give it a bit more of the back brake and see how I get on. At least with the ABS you can give both brakes a good pull without fear of locking up
I've done 8,000 miles on my Street Twin, as for the braking, try reverse braking, putting the rear brake on first, and then the front, also when cornering fast ,apply the rear brake.No worries with having ABS. I've removed the Cat. and had the bike remapped with the Vance H tune for the Scrambler at the dealers, leaving the standard exhaust on, greater sound and better performance, Fitted the front Tec progressive springs and adjusters, slightly lowering the front end, now waiting for the modified camshaft.
Almost certainly will get the decat and v&h tune. How much did the dealer charge for the remap? Thanks for the tip on TEC springs. Seems like good value
If you ever get the opportunity to ride one of the old Bonnies as a comparison, I'd be interested to see what you make of it. That's not the old oil cooled one but the ancient Meriden 70's or 80's type. I had a go on one years back and it was "an experience".. Regarding the brakes... change the pads for a semi-sintered type, swap the cables for braided and service the pistons and callipers etc. Sometimes just a change of fluid can make a huge difference.
Interesting Christian. I had thought about the fluid as the initial pull seems a bit spongy which could be air in the hoses. I'll try to get round to it soon, but I would have hoped that the dealer gave it a good check before I bought it. You're right that would be an awesome video to compare the old and new. But I've no idea how to swing myself a ride on an old Bonnie. I think there's a vintage bike club here near where I live but I don't think anyone would lend that sort of bike! I hired an Enfield in India last year - I guess there'd be some similarities?
Excellent points... you could get the little brackets on the subframe for holding disc locks. Nice to see some proper vlogging... it’s a dying art. Tbh!
That’s a good point. I’m going to see if my tail tidy opens up a tiny bit of space under the seat as I’ve heard the motone one does. But otherwise might look at options like frame mounts or one of the smaller Kriega bags
@@motobob can we put a bigger tank to our ST ? What bike would you be recomend me for long trips...i'm 5'4" ....a Guzzi V7 has plenty range and 6 gears but its not reliable......yamaha bolt is reliable but a 3.2 fuel tank...im not rich to buy a road king....and not tall enough to buy a used V Strom 1000 cc ....i like classic triumphs and naked.....what do you recomend to me to buy ? Give me please a idea.....thanks for be online and put yours ideas for us
Soggy brakes? - Before throwing money at it, change the brake fluid and bleed it thoroughly. Even if the bike is new the fluid used is often old stock and may have water got into it, and air because it wasn't bled properly. For a bike of that weight, twin discs or 4-pot, you don't need both. Twin pot single will do the job well enough if it is working properly. Change the brake fluid and use a brand new tin.
Update .. now they are well bedded in .. the squeal / grinding from the old pads has gone and they are working really well . Initial bite is nice , apply more power and they are perfect , lots of feel .. can still get the ABS kicking in ...if I pull really hard :-)
This bike is high on my list for something different, smaller and fun around town. But I’m afraid of buying it and hating it after a week. I’m bored with most naked Japanese offerings now but they might have fewer drawbacks. I don’t know if the Street Twins personality and character is enough to redeem its shortcomings for me.
Try a Ducati Scrambler - a little less looks but more performance with engine / brakes/ suspension - the 0-80 is like immediate with much less weight . so one has to be a bit more on notice .
MOTOBOB - No doubt you won't regret it's a nice ride I thought it was very nice but a bit eager for me at 64 ,it was more comfortable for opening up on a good moving less congested situations. But the suspension and braking // power is outstanding.Looks subjective. Cool runnings !
I know what you mean about the top box but I also don't want to ride with a backpack all the time. I like to have a safety kit and portable tire repair kit. I'll end up going with a diy rack and top box but atleast one that suits the look of the bike.
It's a tough call cos they're so practical and the wife likes something to lean on a little when we've hired bikes with a top box. But I want to keep the bike looking clean and don't mind the backpack too much. Would help if I didn't have to use all those locks everywhere I go...
Excellent footage and commentary, thanks MotoBob. Ok, so cards on the table I haven't even got my full licence yet but did spend yesterday prepping for my Mod1 on a Suzuki SV650 round E London (with an instructor of course! Jason from LMT/Scooterden - simply excellent). I've been fantasty shopping (like one does) for a LONG time and recently had my attention swayed from the much-lauded RE 650s to the Street Twin (of which I would be getting a 2016 dealer bike with the Triumph 1-year warranty, c.£5.5k which seems a very good deal. I prefer the looks overall). Like you I'll be town riding mainly and putting the g/f on the back occasionally (coincidentally her cycle commute follows much of your route above so as and when, I'll give you a nod if I see you en route if chauffeuring!). I thought the TEC parts, mods and cam conversion video fascinating (must get out more...), particularly the bit hinting Triumph restricts the engine to combat competitiveness over their 1200! Adding the performance mods that bump it up to 70bhp of fuel booster plug, camshaft, Rebel 2-1, DNA filter, front and back shock upgrades comes to £1,072. George TEC mentions doing a video for a front brake upgrade but none I can see and as your dad wisely said, upgrading on the single will wear the disc out quicker but with that extra power it seems a better front brake system would be needed. Aware that this starting to perhaps turn the bike in to Triggers Broom (ruclips.net/video/LsxwLutKyaA/видео.html ) but with the mods taking the spend to £6.5k for a beautifully styled bike with enhanced performance seems an unbeatable and attainable combo. Bimey...that was a waffle! Better crack on with some more training...
Pretty sure Jason taught me too! Good times. Yeah there's plenty you can upgrade... it's fast enough in stock form though for town duties. It mainly feels a bit weak at motorway speeds but if you're not doing much of that, it won't bother you. If you're getting one, just ride it for a few weeks maybe and then decide what mods you think it needs? that said, I love planning mods so I can see why you might get a bit trigger happy :) Good luck with the rest of your learning!
@@motobob Agree about potential for trigger happiness. Spent money on a Scout I had on stuff that didn't fix the fault, in the end, I couldn't fix, it's lack of cornering ability. Should have spent ALL the money on suspension and modifying a 4x4 lift kit so I didn't have to dismount every time I approached a corner. Got a 2016 Street Twin and added x pipe and larger front sprocket, affixed old 70's style badges and knee grips on the tank. Stock pipes so far and had been waiting for the nod from tec for the cam.
Bad point the clutch cable is trapping the wiring harness on the steering head, remove the cable and place behind the harness ,freeing the harness to move
MOTOBOB I've don't the tail tidy using the NRG led kit, replaced the front indicator lights with the NRG fork leds, painted my tank and replaced the mirrors with lane splitters. Just some basic changes for now. It's become a bit of a hobby though so as you said in your video, I have to be careful not to invest to much that it brings the cost up to a thruxton hehe.
True! Although chances are that if you bought a thruxton you’d be modding that too! The NRC fork indicators look awesome... I’m trying to decide between those and some motogadget m-blaze pins mounted on a radiator bracket
MOTOBOB hahha that's definitely true. Yes the motogadget one looks awesome. We didn't have it available here in Australia though upon the release so I got impatient and bought the NRG.
Having owned 3 aircooled Bonnevilles and a Scrambler I truly see no advantage to the 900 liquid cooled. It's new, it's the latest but an older 790/865 is brilliant.
I was tempted by the Bonneville SE as there are a good amount knocking about used, but it wasn’t much more to go for the street twin so it didn’t make sense to get the older bike. That said I’ve not ridden the air cooled bikes. What’s better about the motor?
water cooling it's something inevitable for years to come, these euro regulations about emissions restrictions are only getting harder and harder to achieve. so i guess it made sense for triumph to just embrace it and do there best to design a cool engine with that vintage look, and they did.
Couldn't agree more, I've got an air cooled Scrambler and they're bomb proof. Fitted a 3 pot Nissin calliper from a Honda on the front and this improves the braking no end. Twin Bitubo shocks on the rear and progressive springs up front, sort out the suspension. Wouldn't part with it for anything.
One advantage I can think of immediately is you can brake a lot harder on loose metal/ wet roads on a street twin than a non ABS bike. I've tested it, going back to non ABS can be tricky initially.
I use the pouch that came with disclock, and attached it to my handlebars. Works great. Don’t need to open the seat to get it. It’s always within reach. You can see it in my videos, or on Instagram.. Cheers!
Motobob, the guys at tecbikeparts.com said the cam is the most restrictive part. They do suspect it was put in as a more controlled way to take power out than say the ecm. Being that the ecm can only remove so much. Also, they are working on a cam to help give the bike closer to the same power as the 1200 motor. It doesn't require a tune either. I believe to the best of my memory, that with minor bolt ons and the cam the 900 had the same power as the 1200. Now for me, I am a street cup fan. I love the look of it. The thruxton is nice and so is the Bonneville 120. But for me, I'd rather spend a little on the cup and make it the performance I wanted than buy a bike I didn't want. The cam is $350 us dollars. But at tec they said it would be significantly lower when they go to casting the cams instead of fully machined ones. Just something to think about I guess. Thanks for the vids. Keep it up!
Yeah the cams sound super interesting. I think I’ll wait til my bike’s warranty is up and the cast versions are available before I take the leap tho. Thanks for all your thoughts :)
I actually wanted to ride the twin, went to a local Triumph dealership after setting up an appointment, and after I got there, brought all my gear, they would not let me test ride one unless " I was ready to purchase" . Pissed me off. I test rode a Harley and an Indian without any problems. Are all Triumph dealers like that?
That sucks! In my experience the triumph dealers are really accommodating - I’ve tested a street twin, thruxton r, and tiger 800 before I bought the ST and they were totally cool about it each time. Where was the dealer you went to?
I go along with all you say, l’m definitely going for the Tec camshaft for my Street Scrambler but l bought mine as a bit of a project as l preferred the looks of it compared to the T120.
MOTOBOB Tec said the cams should be ready end of this month. I’ve had a chat with the dealer l got my bike from and in principle they couldn’t see a problem fitting it so all being well probably get it done in the spring when bike is due it’s yearly service.
MOTOBOB They mentioned warranty it’s just depends on if your prepared to take a chance, many people don’t worry that much about it if they did people like Tec wouldn’t be producing parts like this.
Hi Motobob, felt the same as you about the storage, one solution for the disc locks is there is just enough space behind the side panels for one lock per side, the panels easily pull off. Near side is just above the air intake snorkel on the offside it's just above the rear disc hydraulic chamber, you can string a piece of elastic across the side panel mounting points (top 2) and tuck the disc lock away behind the elastic. I also hate the top box look but have fitted a T120 chrome carrier and grab rail which is good for a small 'bum bag' roll with essential tools and a chain lock. For the front brake try EBC - HH pads as a simple cheap upgrade with more grab and stopping power. Cheers Nige, PS : I have the cam kit from TEC on order so will see how much extra power it unlocks :-)
That’s a nice tip. I’m already using one side for my tracker tho. So hard to find space to stash stuff. I’m wondering if the tail tidy I’m about to install will give me more space under the pillion seat as I’ve heard some do. Fingers crossed! Would be interested to hear how you get on with the cam. Have they given you a shipping date yet?
Wow, so harsh. I love my ST but mine is a 2021 and I think it got the power boost in between our model years. I take mine on the highway all the time, but I do agree it shines as a city bike. Looks super cool too, especially when lined up against all the plastic Japanese sport bikes.
How have you found the finish on yours? I gave mine a coating of ACF just in case and cannot see rust anywhere body wise. The chain on the other hand has made me up my maintenance game compared to my previous bike (05 SV650). Was a bit disappointed to have it rust so quickly but it was only surface and cleaned up nicely with some tlc. I’m using Muc-off extreme wet weather lube which was fine on the last bike, might change it to a wax base for the summer. What about yourself? Just completed 2 days riding and camping along the south coast-coped fine with everything strapped on and the road speeds there suited it! First day I had it I went from Guildford to Newcastle-but if a trial by fire but so much more comfortable riding position than the last one!
Yeah exactly the same - the chain rusted really quickly in winter. Otherwise the finish is decent. The headers and those little air intake covers have both tarnished quite quickly but should clean up ok. I’m hoping to do a couple of longer trips this summer too - looking forward to riding on some country roads as I’m mainly in the city in the week
So as it turns out, I've got a Street Twin I'm going to ride once I pass my test. I've already bought the Free Spirits floating disks and four pot callipers front and rear, as well as the TEC progressive suspension front and rear. I also got the TEC cam whilst I was there, but I won't be fitting this until I get used to the bike. All of the bits arrived this week, I'm not sure if I should fit them this weekend, or wait till I've ridden it at least once with the stock bits just so I can appreciate the improvements. But then, if it's not much better, I'll cry over how much I've spent on upgrades and not achieved anything! So I might just fit them and live on in blissful ignorance. EDIT: I should add - if you did buy the T120, your insurance would be more, and then, you'd have a bunch of other mods you'd want to make, so you'd just go and spend just as much on upgrades. The Thruxton probably has everything it needs, but then it's a much more expensive bike that's designed for a Sunday blast rather than an every day bike.
Thanks for your feedback. What about the tires ? Do you trust the Pirelli under the rain? I’ve heard a lot of complains about them. I’m a daily rider in Bruxelles, and the weather is the same as in London...
I have done the Tec suspension upgrade on my 900 scambler, older model, I would strongly recommend it, complete transformation, Nice vlog fella, nice to see someone has done there homework for once.
I rode an er6n for three months, excellent bike but it just did what it did nicely, has a great growl on acceleration, is light and nimble, just slightly boring.
Hey mate, good vid. If you bought the bike new then give those brakes a chance to bed in. I've had a heap of new bikes and the brakes on the all of them were shocking when new, sometimes taking up to 3000 miles before they get good. As for the soft suspension etc, its not a performance bike so you get non-performance bike bits on it. I wouldn't spend big upgrading parts because it simply isn't worth doing. Good luck with it.
Cheers Jamie. Yeah I get what you’re saying about the suspension etc. By the time you’ve spent all that money you could have just bought a thruxton r. I’m definitely gonna spend my money on customising it aesthetically first as most of my riding is in town anyway so can’t really make the most of performance mods
@motobob when you went with the dual sport tires, did you have any problems with clearance with the stock mud guard? I’m really digging your vids. Thank you for posting all this stuff.
Great video, have the same bike, I have a couple of MT501 Givi side bags and I can say they are not a bad choice for extra space. Definitely better than a top box.
Sorry, final crumb of waffle..luggage. As a cyclist of 30 years + I've never understood why anyone would take any weight when the frame can. Added risks too if/when falling off. I appreciate it may be down to aesthetics but the Olive LHS pannier looks great to me and the fastening rail doesn't hinder also fitting the grab rail which a plus. I also liked the Olive small tank bag but appreciate horses for courses. IMHO just no to a topbox on such a wonderfully styled bike.
Don't go with TEK rear shocks. Look at the Hagon shocks. As for the front, to me the progressive springs are half-arsed. I think Ohlins has a cartridge that fits the new Bonnies. I know I can't get them for my '03 T100 :(
Just need to find out what Japanese bike has a Nissin caliper that fits then buy an as new one from Ebay. I junked useless Kawasaki 6 pots for Suzuki 4 pots some years ago, great result.
How about final drive gears? I have some of the same issues with my XG750 Harley, but as I bought used and got a great price this allowed me to make reasonable upgrades.
Well, I did add progressive rear shocks that raised the height and smoothed the ride. Plus they are black that looks cool. I went with steel brake lines. I added a slip on muffler, stage 1 intake and a Vance & Hines fuel programmer. The Harley is belt drive, this is my first. I adjusted the belt (too tight) and this smoothed out low speed acceleration. All and all not bad. The bike had 30 miles on a 2017. The first owner paid 8500.00 and sold it to me for 5000.00.
I heard the Street Twin's engine was purposely built to fade in the higher revs so that the T 120 will be more of a stand out. There's been some tweaks with custom cam shafts that make the smaller engine blow away the T 120.
Yeah I saw the TEC Bike Parts video which covers all of this stuff. Will have a look at the cam shafts once they've released them and speak to my dealer about my warranty. Seems like a cheap way to get a lot more power out of the motor though.
You may already have done this, but have you considered Kriega for your luggage requirements? Whilst not cheap, they have a stealthy subtle look that would match the bike and could be stowed in the rucksack when not in use. I'm thinking the 5 or 10 litre rear mounted dry packs which would accommodate your disc locks, chains etc, and are quick to attach/remove. Good luck with the mod dilemmas, (decent brake lines can make more of a difference than is first imagined), enjoying the postings and looking forward to how it unfolds.
Cheers Dyll. I’ll take a look into it - they certainly look the part. But I’ll run into the same problem again when my mrs starts commuting with me again after maternity leave is over. Good shout on the brake lines. Might give it a go
straps on the frame and has a grippy mesh on the bottom I just tie it straight onto the cover don't have to take it off.i imagine it would be even better on a twin?......ruclips.net/video/BwHNquYly68/видео.html
Ah, yes, sorry, forgot about your other half. I have used one of Kriega's bag harnesses on the tank, though I would recommend a more dedicated tank bag if you adopt that solution. Arguably, a rear rack may spoil the overall look, but I think Tec Bike parts offer one for the Twin (along with a number of other tempting add ons) which would seemingly meet your needs, personal aesthetic preferences aside.
I really like my Street Twin and have recently been prettying it up with things like black levers and alloy clutch cable bracket etc. I don't have the problem of leaving the bike parked in London but totally agree about carrying heavy chains and disc locks, and yes it would be nice to have a cubby hole on the bike for those things. My son bought me a small top box for Christmas to carry all that stuff, and although it's not bad looking, I haven't fitted it yet and still undecided to be honest. The decision should be entirely practical of course but the nagging doubt is till there....does it look cool, probably not.
Yeah I mean on the one hand you buy the bike because it's a beautiful thing, so you don't want to ruin it with a big plastic box. But on the other hand it ruins the experience of riding a bike to have a huge heavy backpack on. Wish there was a solution!
Enjoying your videos !! one thing pull me a bit away from Triumph is reliability !! placed in worse after Ducati & BMW ? Did you encounter any issues ?
I rode an '01 Hinckley, Bonneville. I've been a MCist for more than 50yrs. Both "Red Renna" + "The Captain" know my texts. I'm a Grandpa. MCs were my life. MCs can be VERY important. They still are, to me. Captain Rambunctious is going to sell "Thruxty." Go there. Get it. Tell him I sent you. John Spencer Long Beach, Ca USA 😎
Interesting points, I wanted more performance and better brakes so went for the street triple, and although not perfect I absolutely love it. Ps I though that having to push the key before turning it was a fault but obviously not, just a little annoyance!
Haha me too until I read the manual! Yeah I was surprised that the base street triple was near enough the same price as the street twin. Seems like a lot of bike for your money!
I am not a bike rider. But when you want an easy upgrade for brakes on a car, use braided stainless steel brake flex hoses. They do not expand when the brakes are applied. Relatively cheap and very easy to install. Do not know if a change will invalidate the warranty. Harder pads can be a way to go, it is not only wear of the extra disc wear to think about. These days there are many types of pads, Non-metallic, Semi-metallic, Ceramic with various gradings of hardness in each type. Some will wear the disc out quicker, some pads will wear quicker. Some pads will take time to get up to working temps, others will not be good in certain weather conditions as others. You should find something that is suitable. Being a Triumph you have said nothing about the oil leaks yet. Ok I will get mew coat.😉😂
Haha. Hoping leaky triumphs are a thing of the past! Thanks for the advice on the brake lines though. I’ll probably switch them over when the weather’s good enough to get outside for long enough to do it
Nice video. Does your bike buzz through the bars at 70ish? Mine seems to and I’m sure it didn’t when I first got it. Totally agree about the fiddly steering lock!
Cheers! 🍻 yeah the steering lock is a fiddle but easy when you know how. Not noticed the vibration at 70 but I haven’t done much motorway riding. Will keep an eye out for it
Howdy from California! Really liked this review - even though I’ve already bought a Street Cup. But I did that for exactly the reasons re: the lack of tach that you mention. I just wanted one. The storage space problem has yet to be resolved, however, sadly. Anyhow, thanks for a great vid!
Thanks for the kind words on both vids scotty. Street cup looks like a great bike too and it would be great to have the tach. Wonder if it’s possible to put the street cup clocks on the street twin... would assume so!
MOTOBOB Hi again! Still digging your videos! But yeah, from all I’d been able to tell from the forums etc., the headlight unit and mount are totally different on the Twin. This means putting the Cup’s gauge pack on is quite a bother. What I don’t get is why Triumph didn’t just use the Bobber’s gauge? Cost cutting, I suppose. In any case, loving my new bike - but wish I could store a lock :/
For the braking stuff I recently upgraded my single disc Suzuki's front brake with EBC HH pads and the difference is immense, much stronger. Yes your discs may wear quicker but replacement discs are about £125 and it's still going to take a while to wear out so you probably would have that much saved up by the time they need changing and you can upgrade them to another brand of disc when the time comes. For storage I know RJ used a Kriega Kube to put his disc in and strapped that around a post on his bike. Their tail packs are good I've been using my one for the last 2 years almost everyday and it's showing no sign of wear, still fully waterproof @1:57 I generally pray lorry and bus drivers don't kill me there, pretty scary when they whoosh past and inch away from your shoulder
I’ll take a look into the pads. Did you do front and back? Or just the front? Kriega stuff looks great but I’d have to look for somewhere good to mount it. Tbh I’m keen on the battery idea but need to find one that’s not too expensive.
Yeah lol I thought it was worth a punt my FZ1 cost £40 just for the front due to 2 sets which was a little pricey but they last ages and work really well even in the wet. You could just try the front to give them a go and buy the rear later.
With you on the Top Box, very ugly, you should consider a seat bag, that simple straps round the seat, so easy to remove when not needed,. Waiting for someone to come up with a nice brown or karkey retro bag for the classic bike's.
You’re spot on ray - been looking for some retro bags myself but can’t seem to find them. Something like a canvas bag but with modern quality of straps and waterproofing
Thanks Nathan - I don’t know if I’d recommend this bike for long distance at speed. Personally I’d opt for something with a screen and a bit more power and gearing. What other bikes did you have in mind?
Thanks for replying. To be honest, I'm doing my motorcycle lessons now, as I'd always wanted a motorcycle. Have just turned 40, so now is a good time. Watching your videos, I don't understand 70% of the terminology you use, so reading up on all things related. I have an electric moped at the moment (www.niu.com/en/n-series/) so I think I have balance and confidence in traffic sorted. Regarding the Triumph, have always wanted one - saw one in a film many years ago and decided on that type of motorcycle. Congratulations to the new addition to the family (the baby I mean, not the Street Twin) :) Keep up the excellent videos
Ah cool! Yeah the triumph will be a bit heavier than the scooter but if you’ve got good balance then you’ll be fine. You can always add some accessories like panniers and a screen to make it more distance friendly, then maybe you can have the best of both worlds. Anyway thanks for your kind wishes on the baby and also for your kind words about the vids - much appreciated 🙌🙌🙌
I've had issues with mine. I got it mid-August 2018 and within the first three weeks it has shut off four times while doing speeds above 30 mph and giving it throttle (once almost got ran over). I currently have it at the dealership and they are trying to figure out what's wrong.
Watched couple of your videos. Seems like you are riding in really heavy traffic, small streets. 900 cc street twin is quite a over kill for that. A 150 cc motorcycle should do the job. In India there are many 150 cc motorcycles which would perfectly fit the need. They have fuel economy of about 40 kmpl. Reaches speed of 100kmph too. Not sure if you similar motor cycles there. Check this motorcycle v15.
Arul Baluchami Which is why I don't understand Harley Davidson thinking they will actually sell bikes in Europe. Do they think some dude is going to buy an Electra glide in that traffic?
Harley sell tonnes of bikes in Europe - sales doubled since 2005 in Germany alone. Maybe not Electra Glides but they sell other bikes.@@angry-white-men
Around town the twin is better cos the peak torque is at 3k revs. The er6 was more fun on the B roads etc, but the power comes in at about 7k revs. You don’t really get up to those revs in the city
2019 models are up it comes with bump in hp and with a Brembo brakes what do you think about those. I like ur comments I'm lost between a street twin, the z650 or the street triple. Ride safely.
I made a video about the 2019 Street Twin - check my channel page. Think it looks good, but it still won't be anywhere near as fast as the other two bikes you're looking at. Cos I live in town, the Street Twin is perfect. I love the style, the look, and the torque. But if I lived on the twisty roads, I'd probably go for the Street Triple. I used to have an er-6n, so basically the same as the z650. Such a great bike to ride but I personally don't like the looks so much of the new bike.
cheers bob for the heads up i bought a sv650 & spent a small fortune doing it up when u come to sell it you dont get much back for your expenditure buy the better model or even better get 1 second hand with the mods all ready done ;-) good video cheers
Cheers SS. I get what you’re saying that the mods don’t add value, so I’m planning to keep the original parts and think about putting it back to stock if I come round to selling it. That way I can sell anything like the slip on exhausts separately and get a bit more money back. That said, for me a lot of the fun of having a bike is doing the mods, so I don’t mind losing a bit of cash on it. But I understand what you’re saying, that it’s not the best choice economically speaking
I’ve heard they make a difference but I’m going to just change the pads first as it’s a much easier job and it might solve the problem. Have you tried both? Interested to know which you thinks makes a bigger difference
MOTOBOB I honestly haven’t tried either option on this motorcycle. I’m just going off of what my friends tell me when they make the switch on their bikes.
Hagon shocks seem to be a good upgrade as well as Tec, I think Tec do a rack that's a lot better and cheaper than triumph, so maybe a top box is the way to go. All the 900 Bonneville's seem to suffer with the single disc brakes, triumph should get there act together and put a twin disc setup on as standard like they have with the new bobber black, and while there at it how about a centre stand ,
Centre stand would be useful as there's nowhere to mount bobbins for a paddock stand. Fortunately I've got a paddock stand with little L shaped brackets that just lift from under the swingarm, but it's not the most sturdy unit. TEC seem to be putting out loads of great mods at really reasonable prices compared to the rest. Great to see!
I have the opposite problem on that 700 GS I bought and told you abt. My love for this bike far supersedes anything Ive ever laid eyes on, with the exception of my own child. This said - my only niggle on the bike is the back brakes. Im on 3500 miles and im about to get my 3rd set of break pads ! Very heavy city traffic riding tho. But even with new pads, I still have to ride and constantly anticipate and be aware of the likelihood of sudden breaking. Its something that I am aware of every second I spend moving through traffic. I feel that bigger bikes need to be held to a far higher standard than they are right now. Throwing "ABS" in as a selling point, creates the illusion that you buy a bike which meets a high braking standard, when in reality, it does little to guarantee anything of the sort. As bikers our survival in a crash depends almost entirely on our bike's ability to break effectively. We have no second safety net like a belt or an airbag. Its actually shameful what passes as acceptable brakes on many modern big bikes. It hovers around borderline passable, while consumers lives are put on the line. Its shameful really.
I’d agree that ABS isn’t a good substitute for decent brakes. I can’t imagine how hard I would have to pull the brakes on the street twin to get them to actually lock up. I don’t know if they’re capable in the dry!
On a side note - I see some comments here questioning your choice. It took me a while to love my new bike. Initially - I had sleepless nights because I was convinced I had bought the wrong bike. So many people thought I was crazy to drive an 800cc in Bangkok traffic every day. I completely ignored their pleas knowing that it will be a great choice for what I want to get out of my daily commute. If I wanted something dull, I would take the skytrain or buy a PCX. And I ended up getting so much more than I imagined. Especially now that I know how to ride her. I dont think I will ever buy another bike again. Its a bit like I imagine an arranged marriage to run. You know - you invest so much and dont really know how its going to go in the long run. And you are sort of stuck with one another. Then the thrill and small disappointments as you get used to how all that coital stuff works out between the two of you and how you get on when the going is great and when you almost get run over by a double decker bus. It takes time, sometimes niggles start off as irritations and end up as being something you rather like, precisely because it adds character. You will see... you will just love your bike more and more as time goes by.
Wise words Pierre! I don’t get why people are so averse to riding a big bike in traffic. It’s not like the ST is hard to manoeuvre and it’s so much more fun than a small bike when you do get chance to open it up! You’re so right - if I wanted a boring commute I’d take the bus. 🤘🤘🤘
Hi dave here.. I had a 2012 bonneville good bike but living oop north I travelled quite extensively on Lake land roads etc and to say front brake n suspension was absolute... POO.. is a understament..so obviously its no better now.!!!..recently found your ch..good crack..
Haha cheers Dave! I’ve not had chance to ride the bonnie that preceded it but I’ll try to at some point as I think it would make an interesting comparison. Did you bother changing the pads on your bike to see if it made a difference?
I've got cfmoto Chinese copy of er6 what a brilliant bike better looking than er6 obviously quality lacking in some places but they are good value...still think your street twin be good for London ...cheers dave..
Yeah man the tascam in the pocket with Sony lav mic clipped onto the chin curtain in my helmet. Just have to remember to clap your hands before you start vlogging to make it easier to sync the audio before you edit.
Great review. Test rode the Street Cup loved it. Would have no problem with engine performance or handling. I like the look of the single disc on this bike but would definitely put a 4 piston caliper on. A 900 cc bike can sure be more than just a town bike!
Cheers splodge. Yeah the four pot seems like a good shout. There are a lot of pricey conversion kits out there but wondering if it can be done a bit cheaper with the right parts
Look at the TEC cam videos. Cure the rev die-off and about 20% more power for a few hundred. After market exhaust and air box mods do not do it. Less money than all the other mods mentioned.
No, but I have wrenched plenty of bikes from street to race. This seems to be a simple job as they go. Prolly a couple of hours with care and patience. Nice to have some real top end. The bike just calls for that. Add some aggressive front pads to whoa it down, and I suspect you could catch others unawares :D
Yeah, but over time you'll want a bit more go ... No rush, wait till warranty is done, they play as you wish :) I'll be looking for a nice clean used one in a year or two. My Honda PC800 keeps me and my wife happy for now. But I'll be looking for a "personal" bike down the road. I think a Street Twin or a T100 with some hot rod tweaks will be right up my ally. Assuming I don't score a nice used Enfield 650 for cheap :D
I just purchased a new 2018 T100. Love it. I will use it as commuter and weekend short touring. I also subscribe to Stewart Finnamen. (Not sure of spelling) and he has some excellent modification suggestions.
Great video really enjoying your channel. Love the street twin looks amazing. I’ve just got a Ybr for committing its great saving me lots of money. I’d like to see a video on the gear you wear you boots jackets etc don’t you get cold or wet riding around London. Keep the videos coming.
Cheers FB. Yeah perhaps I’ll do a vid on gear although I don’t use much special in the winter. I tend to just suffer through it with a couple of extra layers
Have put 4000m on my Street Twin since bought in June. I love it, but would not argue with any of your points. Recommend TEC shocks and progressive springs, and get Kreiga 10 to put Almax chain and two disc locks inside. My favourite run is 130mile loop through Wiltshire and Dorset including 85mph over Salisbury plain. Takes 2 1/2hrs. With open face helmet I wouldn't want to go faster. Am considering upgrading to T120, but would lose agility, use more fuel, still need fork springs and shocks, and would have to waste hours polishing poxy spokes on wheel (and run tyres with inner tube). On balance it's a great bike, hope you come to agree
Cheers for the recommendation on the TEC parts Allan - I'm definitely interested but I've seen some bad reports about the shocks failing. How does the build quality seem on yours? Also have you changed the brake pads with any success?
MOTOBOB no complaints with shocks. Instructions suggest tightening Lock nut at bottom of damping rod monthly (fiddly) but I suspect that is where problems arise. Call George at TEC if you have doubts, he was very friendly. I used Hagen for my Triton in 1980s and they are quality, but you will pay a lot more. Procrastinating on brakes since like you I'm under warranty. I did have wiring loom replaced under warranty for fault with odometer. Check kreiga 10 bag to sit on passenger seat. Expensive but we'll made and removable in seconds, and waterproof. Have fun and ride safe
Also one item need be improved as the wiring and cable too short and make some problem in circuit. And hopefully may triumph co will see you clip and many comment here.
MOTOBOB Don t sure that you will get my point. If you see the frame support head lamp in the left hand side. The corner of frame support will be hit and press the main wire once you are turning at the end position. So once always moved as usual daily the wire is will damages.
I had that in mind a little, but it’s not the only reason as the er6n was low miles for its age so I could have ridden it til then and got plenty more use out of it
MOTOBOB it's anonying because my bike is 2006 with low miles as well. But I believe most bikes made in 2006 do meet the Euro 3 requirements, but not sure if TFL care about that as they state any bike before 2007 will face the charge. Need to find out otherwise I'll have to get another bike. Hopefully it's a case of just proving to the DVLA and TFL that my bike is compliment so it's on the system.
I think they’ll just stick to the 2007 rule because it’s simple to enforce unfortunately. Hope for your sake they’ll let you skip the charge tho because it basically means selling your bike if you ride into town every day for work. Would be about £250 a month or something wouldn’t it? You could get a panigale on a pcp deal for that!
MOTOBOB haha yeah you could definitely get a panigale for that. Plus by 2021 the proposed plans are for the whole of London to be affected by Euro 3 I believe... Ah I literally just got this bike as well, so will have to sell it already ffs lol. NC700x in red is my next bike I think.
@@motobob I prefer the Street Twin for ergonomics, but the ER6n was relatively problem free. The Triumph, in 2.5 years, has broken down more times than even my 350 cc Enfield did in 15 years! All sorts of sensors stop working, and given our after sales in Bangalore isn't too reliable, you find yourself looking everywhere for some good service. The Kwacker was waaaaaaaaaaay more reliable. In 32000 kms, not a single thing to complain about.
@@arijitchief Jeepers. You not using it as a surfboard in your leisure hours? 2 years of ownership and no problems whatsoever. Couple of factory recalls, but no breakdowns.
Hey Anurag! I’m really keen to try the XSR so I’ll try to get a test ride some time. But from what I’ve heard it’s much more like a modern bike to ride with some retro looking parts on it. Whereas the street twin feels more like a genuine retro, if a bit slower
Thank you for your reply. XSR is scheduled to be launched here in India somewhere around the month of December 2018 . Hope it lives up to it's expectations. Ride safe buddy !
I have 4000 miles on mine and absolutely no complaints. This is my 52nd year of motorcycling and I consider the one of the best all around bikes Ive ever owned or ridden. I use it for transportation and sprinting around on county roads.
Nice video, thanks. I generally agree with your comments. I've had my 2016 Street Twin for 3 years, and I very much like it. I tried and almost bought the T120, but decided that a little old guy of my size and age (65 kg, 69 years) would be happier on the smaller ST, and I do not regret my decision. To me, the stock ST's biggest deficiency was its poor rear suspension and its lack of adjustability, which gave a very harsh ride on some of our potholed highways here in Wisconsin. I recently replaced the rear shocks with a pair of Fox units, which allow 5 levels of preload and, more importantly, 25 levels of damping. At US$750 they were not cheap, but they are worth the price. I agree that better brakes and a 6th gear would be nice, but I'm still pretty happy with this gorgeous, torquey, nimble bike, and certainly would not trade it for any of my 7 previous bikes..
Hi Guys. i'm in Northwest Arkansas USA. We have some of the best motorcycling roads in the world with almost no traffic. I've got 4200 miles on my 2017 Street Twin. I also have a 1970 Tiger 650, and have had the first Hinckley version as well (the 100th anniversary Bonneville), and many other triumphs in the past including TT models and Tridents. I feel like the Street Twin is the best Triumph I've ever had. Plenty of power, handles great, light, and good looking as hell. I have a Vance and Hines scrambler pipe, no cat, bash plate, fender eliminator, led lights, and it came with a bench seat, but I put a stock one on. I ride all over the hills and curves of the Ozarks with it. Yes, it is small for an interstate bike, but fun as hell for what I do.
Interesting that you swapped the bench seat for the original seat. Did you just find it more comfortable?
Actually I did find the stocker more comfy. it doesn't spread your legs apart as far, also its padded a little more and covers the frame rails on the side. Kinda like it was made for it. The Brown brat seat looks cool when I go hang with the young guys, but I'm in my 60s and like the comfort of the stocker most times.
Interesting - thanks!
brave man mb talking about having to put suspension on max setting when the missus gets on the back lol
Hahah I thought that in the edit. She probably won't watch it anyway...
But seriously she's pretty light but I've ready many reports that you need to jack the preload up to max if you've got anyone of any weight at all on the back.
Pretty light in England is generally pretty lardy.
@@1990-t1j 😂 America too
At least it's not "Sorry it's wobbly, I need to get used to the extra weight" when maneuvering the bike in a parking lot... coincidentally it was our last date so...
I have a 2012 Bonneville SE, didn't come with a TACH so I added an aftermarket TACH because I wanted one. Now that I have it, I have to say that I didn't really need it. It shows me what I already knew. Low end torque, no need to rev the engine. Love your videos and the ride through London!
Brakes: braided lines.
Extremely informative review. The best I've seen about this bike.
I love the London setting. I miss it. I have subscribed. Who the hell gives this a 'thumbs down'?
I have ridden lots of bikes .. I chill , I go fast , I go faster all depending on my mood .. the Street twin does it all without me getting in trouble..... PS an old friend of mine used to out run fireblades on a GN250 .. he was awesome at corners :-)
Not many people can speak so brutally honest about their bikes so, kudos to that!
Cheers SG!
Each bike is made for specific kind of riding.
If your own bike lacks in some things, It is so important to know and recognize it.
As you said... You have bought this bike for a specific purpose. And for you...the good outweigh the bad. THAT is what counts!
There is no such thing as the "perfect motorcycle". And your bike is beautiful!
Ride safe my friend.
Too true! Wise words as always BBW. How's the Road King going?
most important points were resolved in 2019 version - brembo brakes and more engine power :) Triumph listens!
Core nice to know since I’m looking at a 2019...
Thanks for the low-down on the street twin. I loved the ride thru London. Several times I said "hey I've been there!"
I found the same thing with my Thruxton's suspension. Works very well unless I hit a sharp bump. Doesn't even matter how big it is. I think the compression damping locks up a bit when the shock moves too fast. I bought an aftermarket set of shocks and they behave the same way.
Which shocks did you switch to? Are they fully adjustable? Considering an upgrade in the future but not sure if it’s worth it
I went with Wilburs. I did not go with the fully adjustable. They look too modern for the bike. I went with the touring setup as the distributor says the sporty ones are really stiff. The Wiburs are nice and I now don't have to remove the exhausts to change the pre-load when my wife rides, but the ride didn't change much. Both the stock and the Wilburs work great hauling ass around corners or over slower road undulations, but feel exceptionally stiff hitting anything with a sharp edge.
Personally, I can't recommend spending that kinda coin for these, but there maybe something out there that provides that magic carpet ride we all desire. Just may cost an arm and a leg to find it.
Yeah just checked out Wilbers shocks for the street twin and they’re not cheap. They definitely look good tho!
Rock the handle bars when you lock the steering lock to find the sweet spot. I found this to be the case on most bikes.
Fair review of some of the more negative points. The steering lock was fiddly in the first week. Now I do it without thinking, it is very easy. Weakest point of the bike is motorway riding. All the power is down low, after about 60-70, there is lack of strong pull. Great street bike for round town and a hoot on winding country roads, bags of personality. Brakes: Someone else on here said it, this bike has a very effective back break. Use rear break first, then front - it becomes second nature. It could do with a second front disk but more back breaking. Built to a price: I agree and for the money you get a great. Best bits of the bike - the torque, easy handling, styling.
Cheers Christoper. Will give it a bit more of the back brake and see how I get on. At least with the ABS you can give both brakes a good pull without fear of locking up
I've done 8,000 miles on my Street Twin, as for the braking, try reverse braking, putting the rear brake on first, and then the front, also when cornering fast ,apply the rear brake.No worries with having ABS. I've removed the Cat. and had the bike remapped with the Vance H tune for the Scrambler at the dealers, leaving the standard exhaust on, greater sound and better performance, Fitted the front Tec progressive springs and adjusters, slightly lowering the front end, now waiting for the modified camshaft.
Almost certainly will get the decat and v&h tune. How much did the dealer charge for the remap? Thanks for the tip on TEC springs. Seems like good value
The remap was included in the service, they were interested in the outcome, if you don't ask, you don't get. :-))
Ah ok! Good tip. Got the annual service coming up soon so I'll swap my cans before then and see if they'll do it...
If you ever get the opportunity to ride one of the old Bonnies as a comparison, I'd be interested to see what you make of it. That's not the old oil cooled one but the ancient Meriden 70's or 80's type. I had a go on one years back and it was "an experience"..
Regarding the brakes... change the pads for a semi-sintered type, swap the cables for braided and service the pistons and callipers etc. Sometimes just a change of fluid can make a huge difference.
Interesting Christian. I had thought about the fluid as the initial pull seems a bit spongy which could be air in the hoses. I'll try to get round to it soon, but I would have hoped that the dealer gave it a good check before I bought it.
You're right that would be an awesome video to compare the old and new. But I've no idea how to swing myself a ride on an old Bonnie. I think there's a vintage bike club here near where I live but I don't think anyone would lend that sort of bike! I hired an Enfield in India last year - I guess there'd be some similarities?
Excellent points... you could get the little brackets on the subframe for holding disc locks.
Nice to see some proper vlogging... it’s a dying art.
Tbh!
That’s a good point. I’m going to see if my tail tidy opens up a tiny bit of space under the seat as I’ve heard the motone one does. But otherwise might look at options like frame mounts or one of the smaller Kriega bags
MOTOBOB my Kriega R3 bum bag type thingy is very useful...
Ok you’ve proven it’s not a Hayabusa.
@@motobob can we put a bigger tank to our ST ? What bike would you be recomend me for long trips...i'm 5'4" ....a Guzzi V7 has plenty range and 6 gears but its not reliable......yamaha bolt is reliable but a 3.2 fuel tank...im not rich to buy a road king....and not tall enough to buy a used V Strom 1000 cc ....i like classic triumphs and naked.....what do you recomend to me to buy ? Give me please a idea.....thanks for be online and put yours ideas for us
Soggy brakes? - Before throwing money at it, change the brake fluid and bleed it thoroughly. Even if the bike is new the fluid used is often old stock and may have water got into it, and air because it wasn't bled properly. For a bike of that weight, twin discs or 4-pot, you don't need both. Twin pot single will do the job well enough if it is working properly. Change the brake fluid and use a brand new tin.
Really enjoyed the scenes of riding through London.
just put on EBC double H sintered pads , improved the bite of the brakes , got the ABS working in the dry/warm.
Interesting! They’re on the list of things to do but good to hear that they do the job
I am thinking of a Harrison 6 pot caliper , but so far the EBC pads have made the brakes good enough and that with my wife on the back :-)
Update .. now they are well bedded in .. the squeal / grinding from the old pads has gone and they are working really well . Initial bite is nice , apply more power and they are perfect , lots of feel .. can still get the ABS kicking in ...if I pull really hard :-)
Awesome - thanks for letting me know JV. I’ve got some sitting in the garage so will try to get round to fitting them soon
Fair comments, especially about brake - other thing I really don't like is how badly the Street Twin white lines...
Interesting - I spend most of my time on city traffic and it manoeuvres ok for me. What don’t you like about it? Too heavy? Or the balance?
This bike is high on my list for something different, smaller and fun around town. But I’m afraid of buying it and hating it after a week. I’m bored with most naked Japanese offerings now but they might have fewer drawbacks. I don’t know if the Street Twins personality and character is enough to redeem its shortcomings for me.
I guess you just need to test ride it. It’s definitely not the fastest bike. But to me it has character!
Try a Ducati Scrambler - a little less looks but more performance with engine / brakes/ suspension - the 0-80 is like immediate with much less weight .
so one has to be a bit more on notice .
I’ll try to test one at some point for sure!
MOTOBOB - No doubt you won't regret it's a nice ride I thought it was very nice but a bit eager for me at 64 ,it was more comfortable for opening up on a good moving less congested situations. But the suspension and braking // power is outstanding.Looks subjective. Cool runnings !
How about a video on changing the countershaft sprocket on the new Street Twins? The C-shaft is pretty burried on these bikes.
Ah yeah behind all the rear brake gubbins isn’t it? I’ll definitely make a vid if I change the sprocket but might not need to do that for a while...
I know what you mean about the top box but I also don't want to ride with a backpack all the time. I like to have a safety kit and portable tire repair kit. I'll end up going with a diy rack and top box but atleast one that suits the look of the bike.
It's a tough call cos they're so practical and the wife likes something to lean on a little when we've hired bikes with a top box. But I want to keep the bike looking clean and don't mind the backpack too much. Would help if I didn't have to use all those locks everywhere I go...
Excellent footage and commentary, thanks MotoBob. Ok, so cards on the table I haven't even got my full licence yet but did spend yesterday prepping for my Mod1 on a Suzuki SV650 round E London (with an instructor of course! Jason from LMT/Scooterden - simply excellent). I've been fantasty shopping (like one does) for a LONG time and recently had my attention swayed from the much-lauded RE 650s to the Street Twin (of which I would be getting a 2016 dealer bike with the Triumph 1-year warranty, c.£5.5k which seems a very good deal. I prefer the looks overall). Like you I'll be town riding mainly and putting the g/f on the back occasionally (coincidentally her cycle commute follows much of your route above so as and when, I'll give you a nod if I see you en route if chauffeuring!).
I thought the TEC parts, mods and cam conversion video fascinating (must get out more...), particularly the bit hinting Triumph restricts the engine to combat competitiveness over their 1200! Adding the performance mods that bump it up to 70bhp of fuel booster plug, camshaft, Rebel 2-1, DNA filter, front and back shock upgrades comes to £1,072. George TEC mentions doing a video for a front brake upgrade but none I can see and as your dad wisely said, upgrading on the single will wear the disc out quicker but with that extra power it seems a better front brake system would be needed. Aware that this starting to perhaps turn the bike in to Triggers Broom (ruclips.net/video/LsxwLutKyaA/видео.html ) but with the mods taking the spend to £6.5k for a beautifully styled bike with enhanced performance seems an unbeatable and attainable combo. Bimey...that was a waffle! Better crack on with some more training...
Pretty sure Jason taught me too! Good times. Yeah there's plenty you can upgrade... it's fast enough in stock form though for town duties. It mainly feels a bit weak at motorway speeds but if you're not doing much of that, it won't bother you. If you're getting one, just ride it for a few weeks maybe and then decide what mods you think it needs? that said, I love planning mods so I can see why you might get a bit trigger happy :) Good luck with the rest of your learning!
@@motobob Agree about potential for trigger happiness. Spent money on a Scout I had on stuff that didn't fix the fault, in the end, I couldn't fix, it's lack of cornering ability. Should have spent ALL the money on suspension and modifying a 4x4 lift kit so I didn't have to dismount every time I approached a corner. Got a 2016 Street Twin and added x pipe and larger front sprocket, affixed old 70's style badges and knee grips on the tank. Stock pipes so far and had been waiting for the nod from tec for the cam.
You city riders are nuts! I wouldn't try and sneak into those gaps on a pushbike!
Nice video though, thanks for your insights.
Bad point the clutch cable is trapping the wiring harness on the steering head, remove the cable and place behind the harness ,freeing the harness to move
Not noticed this but will keep an eye out
I’m glad to have found your page. I’m currently upgrading my street twin too and all your points are really relevant.
Awesome - glad you like the vids Jann. What upgrades have you made so far?
MOTOBOB I've don't the tail tidy using the NRG led kit, replaced the front indicator lights with the NRG fork leds, painted my tank and replaced the mirrors with lane splitters. Just some basic changes for now. It's become a bit of a hobby though so as you said in your video, I have to be careful not to invest to much that it brings the cost up to a thruxton hehe.
True! Although chances are that if you bought a thruxton you’d be modding that too! The NRC fork indicators look awesome... I’m trying to decide between those and some motogadget m-blaze pins mounted on a radiator bracket
MOTOBOB hahha that's definitely true. Yes the motogadget one looks awesome. We didn't have it available here in Australia though upon the release so I got impatient and bought the NRG.
I think your analysis of the bike was spot on! A capable city bike with nice manners. I think it will prove to be reliable.
Cheers BDB 🍻 enjoying it so far!
Having owned 3 aircooled Bonnevilles and a Scrambler I truly see no advantage to the 900 liquid cooled. It's new, it's the latest but an older 790/865 is brilliant.
I was tempted by the Bonneville SE as there are a good amount knocking about used, but it wasn’t much more to go for the street twin so it didn’t make sense to get the older bike. That said I’ve not ridden the air cooled bikes. What’s better about the motor?
Ok cheers Ray!
water cooling it's something inevitable for years to come, these euro regulations about emissions restrictions are only getting harder and harder to achieve. so i guess it made sense for triumph to just embrace it and do there best to design a cool engine with that vintage look, and they did.
Couldn't agree more, I've got an air cooled Scrambler and they're bomb proof. Fitted a 3 pot Nissin calliper from a Honda on the front and this improves the braking no end. Twin Bitubo shocks on the rear and progressive springs up front, sort out the suspension. Wouldn't part with it for anything.
One advantage I can think of immediately is you can brake a lot harder on loose metal/ wet roads on a street twin than a non ABS bike. I've tested it, going back to non ABS can be tricky initially.
I use the pouch that came with disclock, and attached it to my handlebars. Works great. Don’t need to open the seat to get it. It’s always within reach. You can see it in my videos, or on Instagram.. Cheers!
Nice one Micele. That’s a good shout. Will figure something out I’m sure
Motobob, the guys at tecbikeparts.com said the cam is the most restrictive part. They do suspect it was put in as a more controlled way to take power out than say the ecm. Being that the ecm can only remove so much. Also, they are working on a cam to help give the bike closer to the same power as the 1200 motor. It doesn't require a tune either. I believe to the best of my memory, that with minor bolt ons and the cam the 900 had the same power as the 1200. Now for me, I am a street cup fan. I love the look of it. The thruxton is nice and so is the Bonneville 120. But for me, I'd rather spend a little on the cup and make it the performance I wanted than buy a bike I didn't want. The cam is $350 us dollars. But at tec they said it would be significantly lower when they go to casting the cams instead of fully machined ones. Just something to think about I guess. Thanks for the vids. Keep it up!
Yeah the cams sound super interesting. I think I’ll wait til my bike’s warranty is up and the cast versions are available before I take the leap tho. Thanks for all your thoughts :)
Want to know a little more/ TEC Bike Parts/ how to de-restrict a Triumph Street Twin 😘
Wow i wish i was riding through London right now. Was there for 2 week vacation and just took the tube. Beautiful city
👍🤘
I actually wanted to ride the twin, went to a local Triumph dealership after setting up an appointment, and after I got there, brought all my gear, they would not let me test ride one unless " I was ready to purchase" . Pissed me off. I test rode a Harley and an Indian without any problems. Are all Triumph dealers like that?
That sucks! In my experience the triumph dealers are really accommodating - I’ve tested a street twin, thruxton r, and tiger 800 before I bought the ST and they were totally cool about it each time. Where was the dealer you went to?
www.triumphofcincinnati.com/ Thats in Ohio, USA. I even wore my 500$ Triumph leather jacket
Crazy! Never heard of that before...
I go along with all you say, l’m definitely going for the Tec camshaft for my Street Scrambler but l bought mine as a bit of a project as l preferred the looks of it compared to the T120.
Yeah I prefer the SS and ST to the T100 and T120. Be interested to know how you get on with the cams!
MOTOBOB Tec said the cams should be ready end of this month. I’ve had a chat with the dealer l got my bike from and in principle they couldn’t see a problem fitting it so all being well probably get it done in the spring when bike is due it’s yearly service.
Is it still under warranty? Did the dealer say whether it would still be covered?
MOTOBOB They mentioned warranty it’s just depends on if your prepared to take a chance, many people don’t worry that much about it if they did people like Tec wouldn’t be producing parts like this.
True!
Hi Motobob, felt the same as you about the storage, one solution for the disc locks is there is just enough space behind the side panels for one lock per side, the panels easily pull off. Near side is just above the air intake snorkel on the offside it's just above the rear disc hydraulic chamber, you can string a piece of elastic across the side panel mounting points (top 2) and tuck the disc lock away behind the elastic. I also hate the top box look but have fitted a T120 chrome carrier and grab rail which is good for a small 'bum bag' roll with essential tools and a chain lock. For the front brake try EBC - HH pads as a simple cheap upgrade with more grab and stopping power.
Cheers Nige, PS : I have the cam kit from TEC on order so will see how much extra power it unlocks :-)
That’s a nice tip. I’m already using one side for my tracker tho. So hard to find space to stash stuff. I’m wondering if the tail tidy I’m about to install will give me more space under the pillion seat as I’ve heard some do. Fingers crossed! Would be interested to hear how you get on with the cam. Have they given you a shipping date yet?
No shipping date on the TEC Cam Kit yet, George @ TEC has been on holiday until this week, I am expecting early Jan for delivery.
Another thought, I really like the Triumph and wanted one but the Harley was pretty cheap. I do have some regret.
Ah there’ll always be another bike you could have bought. The harley sounds like a great deal so you may as well enjoy riding it! 🤘👍
Wow, so harsh. I love my ST but mine is a 2021 and I think it got the power boost in between our model years. I take mine on the highway all the time, but I do agree it shines as a city bike. Looks super cool too, especially when lined up against all the plastic Japanese sport bikes.
How have you found the finish on yours? I gave mine a coating of ACF just in case and cannot see rust anywhere body wise. The chain on the other hand has made me up my maintenance game compared to my previous bike (05 SV650). Was a bit disappointed to have it rust so quickly but it was only surface and cleaned up nicely with some tlc. I’m using Muc-off extreme wet weather lube which was fine on the last bike, might change it to a wax base for the summer. What about yourself? Just completed 2 days riding and camping along the south coast-coped fine with everything strapped on and the road speeds there suited it! First day I had it I went from Guildford to Newcastle-but if a trial by fire but so much more comfortable riding position than the last one!
Yeah exactly the same - the chain rusted really quickly in winter. Otherwise the finish is decent. The headers and those little air intake covers have both tarnished quite quickly but should clean up ok. I’m hoping to do a couple of longer trips this summer too - looking forward to riding on some country roads as I’m mainly in the city in the week
Great honest review. Braided brake houses and more poweful brake brake pump?
So as it turns out, I've got a Street Twin I'm going to ride once I pass my test. I've already bought the Free Spirits floating disks and four pot callipers front and rear, as well as the TEC progressive suspension front and rear. I also got the TEC cam whilst I was there, but I won't be fitting this until I get used to the bike.
All of the bits arrived this week, I'm not sure if I should fit them this weekend, or wait till I've ridden it at least once with the stock bits just so I can appreciate the improvements. But then, if it's not much better, I'll cry over how much I've spent on upgrades and not achieved anything! So I might just fit them and live on in blissful ignorance.
EDIT: I should add - if you did buy the T120, your insurance would be more, and then, you'd have a bunch of other mods you'd want to make, so you'd just go and spend just as much on upgrades. The Thruxton probably has everything it needs, but then it's a much more expensive bike that's designed for a Sunday blast rather than an every day bike.
Thanks for your feedback. What about the tires ? Do you trust the Pirelli under the rain? I’ve heard a lot of complains about them. I’m a daily rider in Bruxelles, and the weather is the same as in London...
I have done the Tec suspension upgrade on my 900 scambler, older model, I would strongly recommend it, complete transformation, Nice vlog fella, nice to see someone has done there homework for once.
Thanks for the recommendation on the sus upgrade. Did you do front and back?
I rode an er6n for three months, excellent bike but it just did what it did nicely, has a great growl on acceleration, is light and nimble, just slightly boring.
Did you face any issue with the clutch cable getting cut up by the headlight and Speedo metal mount?
Hey mate, good vid. If you bought the bike new then give those brakes a chance to bed in. I've had a heap of new bikes and the brakes on the all of them were shocking when new, sometimes taking up to 3000 miles before they get good. As for the soft suspension etc, its not a performance bike so you get non-performance bike bits on it. I wouldn't spend big upgrading parts because it simply isn't worth doing. Good luck with it.
Cheers Jamie. Yeah I get what you’re saying about the suspension etc. By the time you’ve spent all that money you could have just bought a thruxton r. I’m definitely gonna spend my money on customising it aesthetically first as most of my riding is in town anyway so can’t really make the most of performance mods
I miss London, one of my favorite cities to visit
@motobob when you went with the dual sport tires, did you have any problems with clearance with the stock mud guard? I’m really digging your vids. Thank you for posting all this stuff.
Great video, have the same bike, I have a couple of MT501 Givi side bags and I can say they are not a bad choice for extra space. Definitely better than a top box.
Do you use a rack with those bags? Or just straight on the bike?
MOTOBOB, you need the givi pannier rack for the street twin
Sorry, final crumb of waffle..luggage. As a cyclist of 30 years + I've never understood why anyone would take any weight when the frame can. Added risks too if/when falling off. I appreciate it may be down to aesthetics but the Olive LHS pannier looks great to me and the fastening rail doesn't hinder also fitting the grab rail which a plus. I also liked the Olive small tank bag but appreciate horses for courses. IMHO just no to a topbox on such a wonderfully styled bike.
Don't go with TEK rear shocks. Look at the Hagon shocks. As for the front, to me the progressive springs are half-arsed. I think Ohlins has a cartridge that fits the new Bonnies. I know I can't get them for my '03 T100 :(
Hagon looks like a decent balance of not super cheap but not ridiculously expensive. Also like that they are subtle in terms of looks
I just bought one like the plate under and advise on them tyres be good 👍
Just need to find out what Japanese bike has a Nissin caliper that fits then buy an as new one from Ebay. I junked useless Kawasaki 6 pots for Suzuki 4 pots some years ago, great result.
Interesting. Plenty of Nissin 4 pots on eBay. Do you reckon you could just swap caliper for caliper with no mods to the rest of the system?
The T100 is what it is. It's a good bike. Good starter bike if your over 5ft
How about final drive gears? I have some of the same issues with my XG750 Harley, but as I bought used and got a great price this allowed me to make reasonable upgrades.
What changes did you make to the harley?
Well, I did add progressive rear shocks that raised the height and smoothed the ride. Plus they are black that looks cool. I went with steel brake lines. I added a slip on muffler, stage 1 intake and a Vance & Hines fuel programmer. The Harley is belt drive, this is my first. I adjusted the belt (too tight) and this smoothed out low speed acceleration. All and all not bad. The bike had 30 miles on a 2017. The first owner paid 8500.00 and sold it to me for 5000.00.
Sounds like a great deal. I’m envious of belt and shaft drives in the winter!
I heard the Street Twin's engine was purposely built to fade in the higher revs so that the T 120 will be more of a stand out. There's been some tweaks with custom cam shafts that make the smaller engine blow away the T 120.
Yeah I saw the TEC Bike Parts video which covers all of this stuff. Will have a look at the cam shafts once they've released them and speak to my dealer about my warranty. Seems like a cheap way to get a lot more power out of the motor though.
I would think the power delivery @ 60 -85 mph on the highway is good and steady on the 865 - on back roads the high tork low HP is more fun though .
You may already have done this, but have you considered Kriega for your luggage requirements? Whilst not cheap, they have a stealthy subtle look that would match the bike and could be stowed in the rucksack when not in use. I'm thinking the 5 or 10 litre rear mounted dry packs which would accommodate your disc locks, chains etc, and are quick to attach/remove. Good luck with the mod dilemmas, (decent brake lines can make more of a difference than is first imagined), enjoying the postings and looking forward to how it unfolds.
Cheers Dyll. I’ll take a look into it - they certainly look the part. But I’ll run into the same problem again when my mrs starts commuting with me again after maternity leave is over. Good shout on the brake lines. Might give it a go
using kriega 20l dry on my street cup works great
On the tank? Or do you remove the pillion seat cover?
straps on the frame and has a grippy mesh on the bottom I just tie it straight onto the cover don't have to take it off.i imagine it would be even better on a twin?......ruclips.net/video/BwHNquYly68/видео.html
Ah, yes, sorry, forgot about your other half. I have used one of Kriega's bag harnesses on the tank, though I would recommend a more dedicated tank bag if you adopt that solution. Arguably, a rear rack may spoil the overall look, but I think Tec Bike parts offer one for the Twin (along with a number of other tempting add ons) which would seemingly meet your needs, personal aesthetic preferences aside.
I really like my Street Twin and have recently been prettying it up with things like black levers and alloy clutch cable bracket etc. I don't have the problem of leaving the bike parked in London but totally agree about carrying heavy chains and disc locks, and yes it would be nice to have a cubby hole on the bike for those things. My son bought me a small top box for Christmas to carry all that stuff, and although it's not bad looking, I haven't fitted it yet and still undecided to be honest. The decision should be entirely practical of course but the nagging doubt is till there....does it look cool, probably not.
Yeah I mean on the one hand you buy the bike because it's a beautiful thing, so you don't want to ruin it with a big plastic box. But on the other hand it ruins the experience of riding a bike to have a huge heavy backpack on. Wish there was a solution!
The solution is probably lock up all the thieving scumbags for 25 years.
True! Been reading on Biker and Bike that the police are making a bit of progress now. Hopefully it continues
Enjoying your videos !! one thing pull me a bit away from Triumph is reliability !! placed in worse after Ducati & BMW ? Did you encounter any issues ?
These bikes had a recall for a new wiring
bracket around the headstock but that’s all. All done gratis of course
I rode an '01 Hinckley, Bonneville. I've been a MCist
for more than 50yrs.
Both "Red Renna" + "The Captain" know my texts. I'm a Grandpa. MCs were my life.
MCs can be VERY important. They still are, to me.
Captain Rambunctious is going to sell "Thruxty."
Go there. Get it. Tell him I sent you.
John Spencer
Long Beach, Ca
USA 😎
Interesting points, I wanted more performance and better brakes so went for the street triple, and although not perfect I absolutely love it. Ps I though that having to push the key before turning it was a fault but obviously not, just a little annoyance!
Haha me too until I read the manual! Yeah I was surprised that the base street triple was near enough the same price as the street twin. Seems like a lot of bike for your money!
i am sure there is or will be either a larger rotor upgrade or perhaps 6piston caliper to upgrade brakes
Yeah perhaps but it's all $$$$
I am not a bike rider. But when you want an easy upgrade for brakes on a car, use braided stainless steel brake flex hoses. They do not expand when the brakes are applied. Relatively cheap and very easy to install. Do not know if a change will invalidate the warranty.
Harder pads can be a way to go, it is not only wear of the extra disc wear to think about. These days there are many types of pads, Non-metallic, Semi-metallic, Ceramic with various gradings of hardness in each type. Some will wear the disc out quicker, some pads will wear quicker. Some pads will take time to get up to working temps, others will not be good in certain weather conditions as others. You should find something that is suitable.
Being a Triumph you have said nothing about the oil leaks yet. Ok I will get mew coat.😉😂
Haha. Hoping leaky triumphs are a thing of the past! Thanks for the advice on the brake lines though. I’ll probably switch them over when the weather’s good enough to get outside for long enough to do it
Nice video. Does your bike buzz through the bars at 70ish? Mine seems to and I’m sure it didn’t when I first got it. Totally agree about the fiddly steering lock!
Cheers! 🍻 yeah the steering lock is a fiddle but easy when you know how. Not noticed the vibration at 70 but I haven’t done much motorway riding. Will keep an eye out for it
Howdy from California! Really liked this review - even though I’ve already bought a Street Cup. But I did that for exactly the reasons re: the lack of tach that you mention. I just wanted one. The storage space problem has yet to be resolved, however, sadly. Anyhow, thanks for a great vid!
Thanks for the kind words on both vids scotty. Street cup looks like a great bike too and it would be great to have the tach. Wonder if it’s possible to put the street cup clocks on the street twin... would assume so!
MOTOBOB Hi again! Still digging your videos! But yeah, from all I’d been able to tell from the forums etc., the headlight unit and mount are totally different on the Twin. This means putting the Cup’s gauge pack on is quite a bother. What I don’t get is why Triumph didn’t just use the Bobber’s gauge? Cost cutting, I suppose. In any case, loving my new bike - but wish I could store a lock :/
For the braking stuff I recently upgraded my single disc Suzuki's front brake with EBC HH pads and the difference is immense, much stronger. Yes your discs may wear quicker but replacement discs are about £125 and it's still going to take a while to wear out so you probably would have that much saved up by the time they need changing and you can upgrade them to another brand of disc when the time comes.
For storage I know RJ used a Kriega Kube to put his disc in and strapped that around a post on his bike. Their tail packs are good I've been using my one for the last 2 years almost everyday and it's showing no sign of wear, still fully waterproof
@1:57 I generally pray lorry and bus drivers don't kill me there, pretty scary when they whoosh past and inch away from your shoulder
I’ll take a look into the pads. Did you do front and back? Or just the front?
Kriega stuff looks great but I’d have to look for somewhere good to mount it. Tbh I’m keen on the battery idea but need to find one that’s not too expensive.
I initially changed the back because the OEM pads ran out quick then the front recently and there's a good bit of difference.
Seems like a cheap option. Ebay looks like £40 for front and back. I guess that’s one benefit of a single disc up front...
Yeah lol I thought it was worth a punt my FZ1 cost £40 just for the front due to 2 sets which was a little pricey but they last ages and work really well even in the wet. You could just try the front to give them a go and buy the rear later.
True! Taking the bike in for custom paint on Monday so might be a couple of weeks before I get chance
With you on the Top Box, very ugly, you should consider a seat bag, that simple straps round the seat, so easy to remove when not needed,. Waiting for someone to come up with a nice brown or karkey retro bag for the classic bike's.
You’re spot on ray - been looking for some retro bags myself but can’t seem to find them. Something like a canvas bag but with modern quality of straps and waterproofing
Ammo cans work great. Water proof and can add locks. Just attach to the saddle bag mounts.
Cool idea - thanks. Will look into it
Great video - have subscribed.
One question - would you recommend this bike for traveling around the country? From city to city?
Thanks
Thanks Nathan - I don’t know if I’d recommend this bike for long distance at speed. Personally I’d opt for something with a screen and a bit more power and gearing. What other bikes did you have in mind?
Thanks for replying.
To be honest, I'm doing my motorcycle lessons now, as I'd always wanted a motorcycle. Have just turned 40, so now is a good time.
Watching your videos, I don't understand 70% of the terminology you use, so reading up on all things related.
I have an electric moped at the moment (www.niu.com/en/n-series/) so I think I have balance and confidence in traffic sorted.
Regarding the Triumph, have always wanted one - saw one in a film many years ago and decided on that type of motorcycle.
Congratulations to the new addition to the family (the baby I mean, not the Street Twin) :)
Keep up the excellent videos
Ah cool! Yeah the triumph will be a bit heavier than the scooter but if you’ve got good balance then you’ll be fine. You can always add some accessories like panniers and a screen to make it more distance friendly, then maybe you can have the best of both worlds. Anyway thanks for your kind wishes on the baby and also for your kind words about the vids - much appreciated 🙌🙌🙌
Quick question. Did you find an engine heat issue? I have a friend of mine saying he had a burn in his knee from the engine.
I've had issues with mine. I got it mid-August 2018 and within the first three weeks it has shut off four times while doing speeds above 30 mph and giving it throttle (once almost got ran over). I currently have it at the dealership and they are trying to figure out what's wrong.
Ah that’s a shame. Did it get fixed yet?
Watched couple of your videos. Seems like you are riding in really heavy traffic, small streets. 900 cc street twin is quite a over kill for that. A 150 cc motorcycle should do the job. In India there are many 150 cc motorcycles which would perfectly fit the need. They have fuel economy of about 40 kmpl. Reaches speed of 100kmph too. Not sure if you similar motor cycles there. Check this motorcycle v15.
Arul! If I wanted fuel economy I’d take the bus! 😂
😂
Arul Baluchami Which is why I don't understand Harley Davidson thinking they will actually sell bikes in Europe. Do they think some dude is going to buy an Electra glide in that traffic?
Harley sell tonnes of bikes in Europe - sales doubled since 2005 in Germany alone. Maybe not Electra Glides but they sell other bikes.@@angry-white-men
It was a nice ride around London city!
Cheers JB! It’s not exactly superbike speed, but you get some nice views 👌
No need for high speed in such a beautiful city.
BTW, I´m a Street Twin owner and I love it.
Ah cool! Where are you based?
I live in Madrid.
Must be nice to be riding the street twin in Madrid weather rather than London weather!
What locks did you end up going with?
How did you find swapping to a less powerful bike from the er6?
Around town the twin is better cos the peak torque is at 3k revs. The er6 was more fun on the B roads etc, but the power comes in at about 7k revs. You don’t really get up to those revs in the city
2019 models are up it comes with bump in hp and with a Brembo brakes what do you think about those. I like ur comments I'm lost between a street twin, the z650 or the street triple. Ride safely.
I made a video about the 2019 Street Twin - check my channel page. Think it looks good, but it still won't be anywhere near as fast as the other two bikes you're looking at. Cos I live in town, the Street Twin is perfect. I love the style, the look, and the torque. But if I lived on the twisty roads, I'd probably go for the Street Triple. I used to have an er-6n, so basically the same as the z650. Such a great bike to ride but I personally don't like the looks so much of the new bike.
cheers bob for the heads up i bought a sv650 & spent a small fortune doing it up when u come to sell it you dont get much back for your expenditure buy the better model or even better get 1 second hand with the mods all ready done ;-) good video cheers
Cheers SS. I get what you’re saying that the mods don’t add value, so I’m planning to keep the original parts and think about putting it back to stock if I come round to selling it. That way I can sell anything like the slip on exhausts separately and get a bit more money back. That said, for me a lot of the fun of having a bike is doing the mods, so I don’t mind losing a bit of cash on it. But I understand what you’re saying, that it’s not the best choice economically speaking
cant knock that motobob as thats my weakspot lol keepsafe ;-)
Steel braided brake lines are your best bet
I’ve heard they make a difference but I’m going to just change the pads first as it’s a much easier job and it might solve the problem. Have you tried both? Interested to know which you thinks makes a bigger difference
MOTOBOB I honestly haven’t tried either option on this motorcycle. I’m just going off of what my friends tell me when they make the switch on their bikes.
Hagon shocks seem to be a good upgrade as well as Tec, I think Tec do a rack that's a lot better and cheaper than triumph, so maybe a top box is the way to go. All the 900 Bonneville's seem to suffer with the single disc brakes, triumph should get there act together and put a twin disc setup on as standard like they have with the new bobber black, and while there at it how about a centre stand ,
Centre stand would be useful as there's nowhere to mount bobbins for a paddock stand. Fortunately I've got a paddock stand with little L shaped brackets that just lift from under the swingarm, but it's not the most sturdy unit.
TEC seem to be putting out loads of great mods at really reasonable prices compared to the rest. Great to see!
I agree, the front brakes are so dangerously underwhelming.
MCN’s review says “The single disc twin-piston Nissin brake set-up has impressive feel and power, too.” - not sure they were riding the same bike...
I have the opposite problem on that 700 GS I bought and told you abt. My love for this bike far supersedes anything Ive ever laid eyes on, with the exception of my own child. This said - my only niggle on the bike is the back brakes. Im on 3500 miles and im about to get my 3rd set of break pads ! Very heavy city traffic riding tho. But even with new pads, I still have to ride and constantly anticipate and be aware of the likelihood of sudden breaking. Its something that I am aware of every second I spend moving through traffic. I feel that bigger bikes need to be held to a far higher standard than they are right now. Throwing "ABS" in as a selling point, creates the illusion that you buy a bike which meets a high braking standard, when in reality, it does little to guarantee anything of the sort. As bikers our survival in a crash depends almost entirely on our bike's ability to break effectively. We have no second safety net like a belt or an airbag. Its actually shameful what passes as acceptable brakes on many modern big bikes. It hovers around borderline passable, while consumers lives are put on the line. Its shameful really.
I’d agree that ABS isn’t a good substitute for decent brakes. I can’t imagine how hard I would have to pull the brakes on the street twin to get them to actually lock up. I don’t know if they’re capable in the dry!
On a side note - I see some comments here questioning your choice. It took me a while to love my new bike. Initially - I had sleepless nights because I was convinced I had bought the wrong bike. So many people thought I was crazy to drive an 800cc in Bangkok traffic every day. I completely ignored their pleas knowing that it will be a great choice for what I want to get out of my daily commute. If I wanted something dull, I would take the skytrain or buy a PCX.
And I ended up getting so much more than I imagined. Especially now that I know how to ride her. I dont think I will ever buy another bike again. Its a bit like I imagine an arranged marriage to run. You know - you invest so much and dont really know how its going to go in the long run. And you are sort of stuck with one another. Then the thrill and small disappointments as you get used to how all that coital stuff works out between the two of you and how you get on when the going is great and when you almost get run over by a double decker bus.
It takes time, sometimes niggles start off as irritations and end up as being something you rather like, precisely because it adds character. You will see... you will just love your bike more and more as time goes by.
Wise words Pierre! I don’t get why people are so averse to riding a big bike in traffic. It’s not like the ST is hard to manoeuvre and it’s so much more fun than a small bike when you do get chance to open it up! You’re so right - if I wanted a boring commute I’d take the bus. 🤘🤘🤘
Hi dave here.. I had a 2012 bonneville good bike but living oop north I travelled quite extensively on Lake land roads etc and to say front brake n suspension was absolute... POO.. is a understament..so obviously its no better now.!!!..recently found your ch..good crack..
Haha cheers Dave! I’ve not had chance to ride the bonnie that preceded it but I’ll try to at some point as I think it would make an interesting comparison. Did you bother changing the pads on your bike to see if it made a difference?
MOTOBOB no never tried other pads so mate
I've got cfmoto Chinese copy of er6 what a brilliant bike better looking than er6 obviously quality lacking in some places but they are good value...still think your street twin be good for London ...cheers dave..
How much do they go for new? Never seen them before but just googled it and it looks decent
When you record your vlogs are you still using the Tascam Audio recorder? Can wait to see the new color on the bike!
Yeah man the tascam in the pocket with Sony lav mic clipped onto the chin curtain in my helmet. Just have to remember to clap your hands before you start vlogging to make it easier to sync the audio before you edit.
MOTOBOB thanks! I’m going to give it a try. ✌🏾
tire you backpack to the back seat?
Yeah I have a Kriega tailpack now but I would still prefer a little space under the saddle for locks when I don’t want to take a bag
Lovely bike! Does anyone know if this new uprated engine will be put into the other 900cc models, such as the T100?
Hello! Does anyone know how much the taxes are per year for this particular bike in the UK? Thanks!
Great review. Test rode the Street Cup loved it. Would have no problem with engine performance or handling. I like the look of the single disc on this bike but would definitely put a 4 piston caliper on. A 900 cc bike can sure be more than just a town bike!
Cheers splodge. Yeah the four pot seems like a good shout. There are a lot of pricey conversion kits out there but wondering if it can be done a bit cheaper with the right parts
I put a bigger front sprocket on for open road comfort, and it doesn't seem to hurt it's usability in town either.
With a fully Brembo kit you'll be fine
Look at the TEC cam videos. Cure the rev die-off and about 20% more power for a few hundred. After market exhaust and air box mods do not do it. Less money than all the other mods mentioned.
I've looked at those. Have you fitted them? Interested to know from someone who has.
No, but I have wrenched plenty of bikes from street to race. This seems to be a simple job as they go. Prolly a couple of hours with care and patience. Nice to have some real top end. The bike just calls for that. Add some aggressive front pads to whoa it down, and I suspect you could catch others unawares :D
I’ve got some EBC pads to go on. Might think about the cams but I usually just ride around town
Yeah, but over time you'll want a bit more go ... No rush, wait till warranty is done, they play as you wish :)
I'll be looking for a nice clean used one in a year or two. My Honda PC800 keeps me and my wife happy for now. But I'll be looking for a "personal" bike down the road. I think a Street Twin or a T100 with some hot rod tweaks will be right up my ally. Assuming I don't score a nice used Enfield 650 for cheap :D
Enfields look alright but they’ll need a lot more hot rodding don’t you think?
I just purchased a new 2018 T100. Love it. I will use it as commuter and weekend short touring. I also subscribe to Stewart Finnamen. (Not sure of spelling) and he has some excellent modification suggestions.
Great video really enjoying your channel. Love the street twin looks amazing. I’ve just got a Ybr for committing its great saving me lots of money. I’d like to see a video on the gear you wear you boots jackets etc don’t you get cold or wet riding around London. Keep the videos coming.
Cheers FB. Yeah perhaps I’ll do a vid on gear although I don’t use much special in the winter. I tend to just suffer through it with a couple of extra layers
Have put 4000m on my Street Twin since bought in June. I love it, but would not argue with any of your points. Recommend TEC shocks and progressive springs, and get Kreiga 10 to put Almax chain and two disc locks inside.
My favourite run is 130mile loop through Wiltshire and Dorset including 85mph over Salisbury plain. Takes 2 1/2hrs. With open face helmet I wouldn't want to go faster. Am considering upgrading to T120, but would lose agility, use more fuel, still need fork springs and shocks, and would have to waste hours polishing poxy spokes on wheel (and run tyres with inner tube).
On balance it's a great bike, hope you come to agree
Cheers for the recommendation on the TEC parts Allan - I'm definitely interested but I've seen some bad reports about the shocks failing. How does the build quality seem on yours? Also have you changed the brake pads with any success?
MOTOBOB no complaints with shocks. Instructions suggest tightening Lock nut at bottom of damping rod monthly (fiddly) but I suspect that is where problems arise. Call George at TEC if you have doubts, he was very friendly. I used Hagen for my Triton in 1980s and they are quality, but you will pay a lot more. Procrastinating on brakes since like you I'm under warranty. I did have wiring loom replaced under warranty for fault with odometer. Check kreiga 10 bag to sit on passenger seat. Expensive but we'll made and removable in seconds, and waterproof. Have fun and ride safe
Awesome. Thanks Allan
Thanks for the video and honest review it helped me to cross it off my list
No prob! What other bikes are you considering?
Also one item need be improved as the wiring and cable too short and make some problem in circuit.
And hopefully may triumph co
will see you clip and many comment here.
What problems did you have?
MOTOBOB
Don t sure that you will get my point. If you see the frame support head lamp in the left hand side. The corner of frame support will be hit and press the main wire once you are turning at the end position. So once always moved as usual daily the wire is will damages.
I miss kawasaki :/ also maybe you could make a video about cold weather driving, slippery roads, tire choices, heavy rain and etc ;)
Good shout G I’ll add it to the list
Was part of the reason you sold your Kawasaki ER6N because of the ULEZ coming in at 2019?
I had that in mind a little, but it’s not the only reason as the er6n was low miles for its age so I could have ridden it til then and got plenty more use out of it
MOTOBOB it's anonying because my bike is 2006 with low miles as well. But I believe most bikes made in 2006 do meet the Euro 3 requirements, but not sure if TFL care about that as they state any bike before 2007 will face the charge. Need to find out otherwise I'll have to get another bike. Hopefully it's a case of just proving to the DVLA and TFL that my bike is compliment so it's on the system.
I think they’ll just stick to the 2007 rule because it’s simple to enforce unfortunately. Hope for your sake they’ll let you skip the charge tho because it basically means selling your bike if you ride into town every day for work. Would be about £250 a month or something wouldn’t it? You could get a panigale on a pcp deal for that!
MOTOBOB haha yeah you could definitely get a panigale for that. Plus by 2021 the proposed plans are for the whole of London to be affected by Euro 3 I believe... Ah I literally just got this bike as well, so will have to sell it already ffs lol. NC700x in red is my next bike I think.
Motone tail tidy has a tray which provides storage!:)
Ahhhhh so you can get storage under the pillion seat? I've already ordered the New Rage Cycles tail tidy... hoping that has a bit more space too.
Is this the new 2019 street twin??
Nope
Magnetic tank bag?
Hagon dampers on the back .. £200 ish .. with Damping adjustment and easy preload .. like you say , the wife on the back :-)
Ah, ER6n to Street Twin... same here :)
Coincidence! Which do you prefer??
@@motobob I prefer the Street Twin for ergonomics, but the ER6n was relatively problem free. The Triumph, in 2.5 years, has broken down more times than even my 350 cc Enfield did in 15 years! All sorts of sensors stop working, and given our after sales in Bangalore isn't too reliable, you find yourself looking everywhere for some good service. The Kwacker was waaaaaaaaaaay more reliable. In 32000 kms, not a single thing to complain about.
@@arijitchief Jeepers. You not using it as a surfboard in your leisure hours? 2 years of ownership and no problems whatsoever. Couple of factory recalls, but no breakdowns.
If it's not too much to ask can you please make a review on XSR 700 and compare it with your Street Twin ?
Hey Anurag! I’m really keen to try the XSR so I’ll try to get a test ride some time. But from what I’ve heard it’s much more like a modern bike to ride with some retro looking parts on it. Whereas the street twin feels more like a genuine retro, if a bit slower
Thank you for your reply. XSR is scheduled to be launched here in India somewhere around the month of December 2018 . Hope it lives up to it's expectations.
Ride safe buddy !