Another great review Capt., never feel pressured to post something because you feel you must, it's worth the wait for a quality presentation. Your family comes first, and we all know what a missus scorned can be like (shiver). I am a bit surprised that your de-Lambdaerisation (technical term there) hasn't dropped your fuel mileage a noticeable amount. Without the probe leaning the engine back your are sitting on Triumphs default 'power map' in the ECM all the time. The added smoothness is the engine not hesitating as it falls from the Lambda lean burn mode onto the power map settings when you wring the throttle out. All the best and enjoy your kids, they are great fun when young and you only get one shot at it, mine (two girls) have just hit teenage years and are way too sophisticated to be seen with dad anymore. Best of, Ray
Thank you for explaining that so well that even a pilot could understand! Engineers, don't let us anywhere near their aircraft... Thank you for the congrats, and yes, enjoying them to the full... Thank you and Tally Bally Ho!
Thank you Captain, excellent as we expect from you. Done 6.600 km now since March ‘17. Good to hear that with some issues you still love the TTR. I just put on the handle bar riser ‘superbike kit’ from abm which helped with lingering wrist issues, but more than anything improved overall control tremendously! Congratulations on your newborn 2nd son!
Thank you Jan. Yes, that wouldn't definitely make it more comfortable, and I suppose more controllable as you have added to the height of the levers... Thanks for watching and for the excellent input!
...well the fogging instruments are a bit of a pain too aren't they....such a bummer when the one you love turns out not to be perfect after all!! - like discovering the hot little floozy you've had your eye on wears tights rather than stockings, dashed disappointing!
...and with two young lads and a day job I don't think you're gonna catch me :0) No rush, you have plenty of time!! Great stuff as ever - one day we'll get to do that "collab"!
I have greatly missed your videos! I obviously became depressed by your absence as I sold my Tiger and Thruxton and bought a R1200GS!!!! Please keep the reviews coming. PS I have also retired from flying! Quite a few life changes. All the best.
Oh my goodness Trevor! What on earth has happened in my absence?! I will promptly chastise myself thoroughly and look to an alternative career in flower arranging. If you're retired, then I'm sure the GS will do well, but the Thruxton will lure you back!
In addition to your addition, You have recently cost me in excess of 12K! Because of your posts in the 1 year of ownership, I am now a fully fledged Triumph owner and pick up my Tiger Sport on 16th of Oct. And, I've just bought a ticket for the Triumph factory tour in November.....I think I deserve some compensation! You are a bad influence Sir! ;-)
That is wonderful sir! Superb to hear... A Tiger Sport eh? Sounds like I've been rather convincing in my reviews! ;-) Definitely the best all rounder Triumph in my opinion at the moment... :-)
Welcome back sir. Congratulations on your second son, mine are both in their 40s now but still as much fun/hassle as always. :-) Keep the videos coming. Tim
Hello Capt R, just thought I'd add a comment regarding the remark you had addressed to you on the stalling. I have just fitted the Arrow (lamda probeless and cat bypass) headers and Remus exhausts. Obviously with all that the tuning would be thrown out of kilter. Therefore I had a PCV fitted with multiple dyno runs to perfect the tune. On the dyno prior to having anything fitted it clearly showed how lean the engine runs on the factory map - this would account for the odd stall at low revs. My thruxton r now runs like a dream, everything being better than it was. Best part of all with the baffles removed it isn't that loud and sounds like Heaven! Nice review by the way! Big fan. M
Had mine for exactly a year and 4.5K miles now and it still feels like a magic carpet (mine's red, so it will probably be faster than yours....) It's not perfect and we shouldn't have to put up with quality issues, but I'm not sure I can be bothered with all the grief of taking it back to the dealers. I like Stuart's analogy of the beautiful ex-girlfriend on his review of the T120 (although all my ex-girlfriends just had the bad breath and daft laugh). My key fob left marks on the top clamp too - I used Brasso, which worked a treat!
Brasso?! Awesome. We have some of that! Yes, it isn't perfect but what a bike. And yes, red IS faster... But only if I'm riding it! ;-) Thanks for watching and for the advice!
About bloody time you posted a new video 😉. We've missed you Cap! I don't agree that Triumph is the worse Robert, I think their attention to detail and general build quality is great. I do think for the price they should start fitting more things as standard i.e. heated grips and quick shifter, though some models are starting to get there now. I really must introduce my Speedy R to your neck of the woods and visit Ivinghoe Beacon. It's on the list.
Great honest review, i love watching your videos though my wife wonders what the heck is going on with your Laugh!!! Watching from Alberta Canada though originally from Yorkshire. Going for the last ride today as Winter is about to arrive... Keep up the great videos love watching England go by with yourself, MissendFlyer and Stuart Fillingham whom commented below. Ride safe!!!!
Great to see you posting again man :-), it is always a good day when the Captain takes us all for a ride. All the best to you and yours man, Thanks for sharing.
My son Jeff bought some sort of special Thruxton and he mostly leaves it in the garage and rides his Tiger. The Tiger is his second one. The Thruxton is his first and it has all Olins suspension. He says it is a work of art. Yours looks the business and is handsome with the cosmetic changes and changes with the guards to protect the machine in case of emergency. Good job on the review.
I had much worse corrosion and warranty claims on the 3 BMWs I owned. Like with all bikes you have to clean and protect after every winter ride if you want to keep it like new.Condensation in the clocks is a design fault, hope Triumph sort that out. Good to see you back.
Thanks for the info! I have loads of people telling me the bike is crap and that triumphs are much worse, but you have instilled more confidence in the brand in me... Thanks for wathing and Happy New Year!
I Just came up on your post as I have just purchased a 2016 Thruxton 1200 std which was dropped by its previous owner on our awful roads here in a new Zealand! Potholes and loose gravel in the corners just to catch you out. So I am trying to find repair parts at present So I can get the frame re aligned and get it road legal. Watching your video has me wanting to get the bike on the road ASAP to soak up the spirited a ride. 😎👍
Excellent review sir very fair and she looks lovely! Try GT85 on the engine in summer enough protection for use in summer months without breaking the bank!
It also makes the engine look even sexier sir and stops dirt sticking to it as much, a squirt on those carb covers will stop them getting any worse too! It always a treat when you upload a video please try to do it more often!
cool review captain 👍🏻👍🏻 I have my R for a month now and love it to bits , just had its 500 mile service and waiting for my Vance & Hines slip - ons (us) ,,, can't wait 😊 keep your reviews coming sir , BANG ON 👍🏻👍🏻
Funny quick story about the 1200's. I bought my 900 Thruxton 3 months before Triumph released info of the new 1200's. None the less I love my 900, and your 1200 is absolutely stunning! Cheers man!
Yes, the 900 was lovely too! I had the black and gold one and did quite a bit with that.. Remove the Secondary Air Injection and put on British Custom Predator Pipes for an excellent sound!
I almost went for the black one, but then I saw the green with the gold and she just sang to me. I bet those Predators sound amazing! Almost went for those too! Instead I did the Airbox removal and installed the BC Slash cut TT exhaust.
Now THAT would be even more amazing... Mine sounded like this: ruclips.net/video/5NFjSK6qtH4/видео.html Go to 7:50 and have a listen. I would love my new one to sound like this... Thanks again for watching! :-)
Wowzers!!! She sounds amazing!!! Music to my ears! I bet the 1200 would be even more beefy! I actually haven't done a exhaust sample yet of mine, I should definitely do one! You're very welcome! You have an excellent Channel sir! Looking forward for more of the entertainment!
Happy to see another upload Captain! Also happy that you’re still pleased with your Thruxton R. You remind me of part James May and part Steve Matchett (an English F1 commentator here in the states). They are 2 of my favorites.
Captain- Despite your absence from regular posting of videos, your works still pop up at intervals on the RUclips. So I will comment that I finally was able to take a test ride on the Thruxton 1200R due to a large motorcycle festival in my area. Also I rode the new Triumph Speed Twin. Both are lovely bikes indeed and I hope you were able to keep ownership of your Thruxton since this 1 year ownership review was published. I slightly preferred the Thruxton to the Speed Twin but they are quite close in their performance and in riding fun. What was very interesting to me was also comparing these machines to my own 2006 carbureted 865cc. Thruxton (which has a TOR exhaust and the rejetting/intake changes to go with it). The new bikes are definitely more powerful and have a lot of fancy features, yet I am not convinced of any real need to replace the old one; it is still a great bike too. So much for a long comment on an old video, hopefully you'll make more new ones! Bob
What a great review. Rode my new Thruxton R down south of Western Australia on the weekend in a variety of weather; rain, shine, road debris, etc and found it to be a very forgiving bike. We have some great roads and some not so great roads. The bumpier roads felt much better on the new Thruxton in comparison to my 2004 Thruxton (which I still love). I have taken notes on your upgrades and will pick them off my list. Much appreciated mate.
Excellent! Happy you're back! But, I must say, you've just confirmed what I'd always suspected about these bikes. So much for Triumph's build quality, I guess. I've got a Suzuki V-Strom that's almost one year old, and it doesn't show it at all.
It is true that it isn't as good as advertised, but my friend's BMW corroded on the fixings... At least none of the bolts or spokes are going. These spokes are standing up better than the ones on my old Thruxton so at least they are moving in the right direction. Thanks for watching and for the input!
Hi Captain R! It's the first time I think of buying something that is not Japanese and is not a On-Off bike. I am 48 years old and now I have a small and lightweight 250cc adventure bike that covers my off-road routes. I started thinking about buying another bike, this time a road bike (for the first time in my life). I saw the Thraxton R and I fell in love with at first glance, but... I am disappointed with a report about a recall that concerned rider safety issues since the engine can unexpectedly go off while driving at high speed. it would be very important for me to have your own position on the subject. Did you have any problem? You went to upgrade the software? In Greece, the delegation is not the best but the machine is literally loveable! Thank you!
Greatto have you back Good Sir! Well done on the husbandry stuff! Re. the discoloured header pipes...have you removed/plugged the secondary air injection (if there is one these bikes!)? That will create much more heat in the headers as residual fuel gets burned in there with the air injection operating. On the air cooled bikes, removing/plugging SAI stops pipe bluing completely, You cna return pipes to original appearance with several products like "BlueJob" (careful how you google for that one!!!) and using some cotton rag strips wrapped around and bowstringed back & forth...takes 30-40 min per side to get the blue off.
That all happened with my old air cooled pipes but I haven't removed the SAI on this bike. There doesn't seem to be the same set up on this one as there isn't the extra tube entering the cylinder head by the spark plug like on the 900. So no, I haven't removed any SAI on this bike. It is still only single skinned steel, so I'm not concerned about the discolouration. I quite like it as it looks used... If it becomes more than discolouration and looks more like corrosion, then I will clean it all up! Thanks for watching and for the input! :-)
Thanks for that captain. I'm new to your particular brand of video but, g'day from Oz! Couple of things, firstly I think Auto Suggestion a better term rather than Psychosomatic in these instances which would suggest your mind had caused a real change whereas with auto suggestion you are hoping for the change so you see it even if it's not real. Secondly down here we use metric so we'd divide your figures by 2.828 to get km/l but they sound fairly decent. My Thunderbird 900 triple would struggle to do 50mpg but then it doesn't run fuel injection! I'll be over your way next July so I'll keep an eye out for you, TMF and that funny sounding Yorkshireman.
Good to see you back in the saddle Cap'n. If the rear suspender black internal caps rub and get scuffed by the springs then you can get them replaced under warranty. Worked for me at the wonderful Vauxhall dealership where they fitted the 'non rubby' 2017 units. Am tempted by the x pipe de cat, but fear fitting by the dealer may be excessively salty! What else, well, if next year's version came with a quickshifter and cornering ABS then I’d definitely trade in.
Interesting video as I'm just about to buy a 1200 R. I notice from the start of your video that apparently you are landing at London City. Bit of a connection here as I am retired AIrline Pilot - mainly operating from Heathrow and Gatwick and flying all sorts - mainly Boeings but also the Bus. My youngest Son is a LAME as I was back in the mists of time - but we share a common interest in motorcycles - hence buying the 1200R. Well I'm buying it actually - which is a useful economic principle we all learn when it comes to parents and children! We currently both drive my 50 year old Norton Commando 850 but are both looking forward to driving the 1200R - Ride by wire eh - very reminicent of the Bus (I didn't much like it) and the 777 (I did quite like it!). Nothing like a 737-200 mind where the thrust levers contolled the noise and not much else. I'm looking forward to the 1200R on Thursday and will let you know what I think of it. Kind regards.
I still say a fly screen looks good, not abusive, and deflects a decent amount of wind up over your head. But you're not running the R anymore. Happy New Year Capt.
Glad you're getting on with Thrusty. I have been on the HD Roadster for about 6 months, needed a rear tire at 1K, since it went flat. Other than that, still pretty stock, and I ride it mostly in town. About 1.5K miles on it now, but work is only 10 miles from the house now, instead of 30. Hopefully, you'll get a chance to review the new Speedmaster when it comes out. Bike looks great from the pix I have seen. A bit smaller than the Tbird, but probably more than enough power, and the handling should be spot on, being based on the bobber. We'll have to wait and see, in early 2018. Glad to hear that all is well with the little ones. Family comes first.
Great review of a lovely bike! I agree with you - your warranty issue has resulted in you having a better looking bike - the blacked out look with the Tr embellishers just looks brilliant! Sounds fab too.
Huzzah, a long awaited video! Good to see you are still loving it. Looking forward to our next jaunt Sir. @29:48 I recognise that bridge hahah I still haven't got around to doing my 1 year ownership review, but now I'm "back" it's the first thing on my list of videos to do.
Thanks for watching! :-) Was lovely to see you the other weekend! Yes, that bridge is very famous in certain circles... Hope you had a nice week off.... See you soon for another collaboration... Still trying to get to Loomies on a bike night soon... Tomorrow night might be too soon to organise... TBH!
Hello buddy, long time no see, how ya diddlin? pleased to hear your still in love with the thrustie, love the look of the black crank case etc, so much better, I tend to go through a back tyre per year had 3 back tyre to 1 front in four years but the back tyres getting low again, apparently it wears down because I pull away aggressively all the time, I beg to differ, lol, RSM8.
Thanks Skeggy! As always, honoured by your presence! You don't ride aggressively enough! :-) You need to get it down to 5 back tyres for every front! :-)
Great long-term review! I am curious if you did any kind of reflash of the ECU with the change in the air cleaner, exhaust and DeCat exercise? Also, your seat looks like it is the stock seat, and I've wondered if you find it comfortable for a longer ride? I've watched other videos where they have complained about seat comfort. You are not the first to complain about condensation in the instruments, and I must say I don't understand Triumph's thinking on those unprotected side cases. These are not cheap motorcycles. How much would it have cost them to clear coat the damn things! Thanks for the terrific update, and ride safe!
Good job on this video. Your thruxton is looking sharp. I ordered the O2 sensor delete for my T120. I’m looking forward to seeing if it makes it a little quicker.
Excellent follow up review, nice to see you back on board captain no matter how long its been, quite understandable. l also prefer the look of the black engine cases with embellishments, wonder if Triumph will do anything to fix this issue?
They haven't changed anything for their Bobbers or T120s, so I can only assume that rather than fix the issue, they are just going to continue to rely on the dealers explaining to new owners the importance of treating the aluminium to some sort of protection...
Not at all. The new ECUs are supposed to 'learn' the differences accordingly... So far so good anyway... There ARE maps available though if you are worried that the ECU won't cope or the bike isn't idling correctly? Hope this helps. Thanks Dave.
Good to have you back Captain. Very objective review. Shame on Triumph for their attitude towards the engine case finish. If something is going to corrode at the first sign of bad weather, surely it's not fit for purpose. Congratulations on son number 2. Are you starting to assemble your own squadron??
Careful with that stick Captain. My lady is a lecturer in the UEL ! She's a beauty and no mistake. The bike I mean! I have to say the black cases look better than the brushed aluminium. They should make them out of duralumin ! That would stop the rot. I'll do one of these in about a month ;-). Has it been a year already ? Great review. And good to see you. PS - If you've got a second son you're not doing it right ;-)
Afternoon, Captain. I'd like to ask about the ergonomics and comfort of your Thruxton, compared with the Street Twin you tried out. For the feet position, you said the Street Twin had the pegs a bit too tucked up underneath you; the Truxton has them a little further behind. If the Street Twin had it's seat raised, do you think you'd find it a little more comfortable? My motivation is that I'm a new rider, and I want to make my Street Twin as comfortable for long distance as possible, whilst keeping it suitable for bimbles round town. Since I have no reference, being the aforementioned new rider, I wanted to ask your opinion on foot position relative to seat hight. I am a little shorter than you, 5ft9 and my legs are quite a bit shorter. I love the Street Twin, but I'm wondering if I'm missing out on an even better set up.
I think that you'd be fine for the street twin, but if you are concerned and want a bit more room and even easier handling, try the street scrambler... the 900... so much better and more fun than the street twin for some reason... Hope that this helps..
@@CaptainRambunctious thanks, Cap'n! You're too late though, I've already got my Street Twin, and it's lovely! I do have the TEC rear shocks for it, so I could raise the back end up, and lift the front with a new spacer, to make it ride a bit more like the Scrambler. Maybe fit some wider bars too. But I'll ride it round as it is for a bit - I've already got a bunch of upgrades for it as well as the new suspension.
Does the leather strap hold moisture at all? I take delivery soon and am not too sure about having that fitted wrt to potential rust issues. Agreed on the fairing, looks a bit long with it. Great video :-)
Great video, Great bike....I'm envious! I must mention that your rear plate looks visually obstructed, surprised if the fuzz has not mentioned it to you.
Hi captain, your videos are just brilliant, got to say to that start with! I find myself with a dilemma. Having a Thruxton 900, but wanting something a bit more comfortable and powerful over long distances, mods are one way, but the R is maybe more cost effective. How have you found this compared to the 900, is this better on motorways and flowing roads, particularly in winter. I'm tempted by a thunderbird for distance and keep the 900 for fun country rides, or maybe swap it all for something practical like a spring or tiger , but that might be a bit boring. Can you ride a R all day without being in pain? I'd try one but triumph don't seem keen with not being riding long
The 1200R Is SO different from the 900. It was and is everything that I wanted my 900 to be but even better! I cold have spent another £2000 on my 900, but this is perfect out of the box. I have ridden all day long easily. There are also different seats, but also so easy in corners and motorways. A LOT better than the 900 in both respects and more then enough performance. It beats the older 2013 Street Triple for example! And still looks gorgeous. The one thing that I would say is watch my comparison between the 1200R and the standard 1200 Thruxton. The standard might suit you well and without the need for the extra cash! See what you think. If you have the money, the upgrade from the 900 is astonishing. Happy New Year and Tally Bally HO!
Thanks for that, I think that review of the two back to back was very helpful, the summary of if your having one bike probably go for the R was I think right. Went to a dealer today, and ended up buying a Thunderbrid Storm ... So that went to plan!
Hopefull will love it,don't get it until next week. Hoping it copes with bad weather better than the thruxton that seems to like corroding as soon as it gets wet!
Very smart, like the short sumptieness look sounds great! Congrats too the new little one as well, jacket never noticed! time to polish and lacquer your head-stock plenty off Selvo Autosol
Nice to hear your voice again, and can't wait for the colb...cobbla...calob.... tie up with TheMissendenFlyer. Maybe you could do a joint review on the new Speedmaster, now that's a bike I'd like to own.
Like the black engine cases! Living in a dry climate, the cases on my T120 are still looking bright. The small Union flag on the front mudguard looks great. Where can one be purchased? Thanks!
tsmgguy yes, no issues if no salt! I got the sticker of eBay. Loads of stuff with union flags can be found. I put one on the front mudguard of all my Triumphs but not getting one for a while! 😉
Looks like great fun fella, Have you not considered a Dino session? You might find a better ECU mapping for it, be even better, Pop out a spark plug, see how she running, could be too Lean. Ps any issue with engine light? After cat and lamba sensor removed,
No issue with the engine light after decat, and the lambda sensor removal kit came with resistor plugs to fool the ECU so no engine management light... :-) Will dino one day when have the time and money. There are some good people near me who do it... Will see! :-)
You do seem to have kept this one a very long time. A case of when you find the bike that fits you don't want to give it up? Baffles? What are they? Looking very nice. Not sure about those pipes where they've discoloured. Not a fan of chrome but I think it would look good (or even wrapped?) Disappointing on the aluminium, though I think the black looks better. Unprotected metal seems daft, especially in blighty. Surely a bit of lacquer could have been used! Maybe with that and the condensation they expected the bike to live in the south of France? Those gloves are nice but they ruin the lines of the front tyre. 60mpg! Wow!
Mine is exactly as stock. I felt it was fine until I lost a bit of weight. Now it is probably a bit firmer than I'd like but I'm not riding it enough to truly experiment with it. When I am riding it more again, I;ll tinker, but right now, I won't be able to tell if I've improved it at all... Good point though! Thank you for commenting!
Thank you. Do you mean when riding? Nothing special… just make sure the mic is well insulated in the helmet with a good chin curtain. If you mean when I do the walk around, it’s using my phone to video the sound near the exhaust.
My TDM 900 stalled a lot when I put my after market pipes on , then I had to get a power commander and k&n hi flow air cleaner and dyno tune and now all good , but a lot of work to get it where it is now, after about three remaps new soft wear and put the baffles back in to get a better tune.
Hoover that’s what I would have loved to have done to my older Thruxton... that would have made it run so much better... Thanks for he comment and for watching!
How much engine vibration is there? Does it hate being flogged at high RPM? How does it feel at 60mph? Is the gearing too short? Does it have a proper high gear ratio in 6th gear? Is it counterbalanced? Do the vibes cause buzzing?
Not much at all. It loves to go to the rev limiter. It feels great at 60mph. You're doing 75mph in 6th at 4000 rpm. Goes up to 132mph. The gearing is spot on... Not too short. The 6th gear as mentioned is a proper high ratio, certainly enough to have mpg of around 52mpg! There are vibes at around 5000rpm but that tends to be a transitionary rev speed so never noticed it at all being bad. Hope that helps!
Thanks Captain for the interesting video. A few comments from a fellow Thruxton R ownerI have suffered the same corrosion to the engine cases and to a lesser extent the fake monoblocs. I picked up my bike in June 2016 and like you I was not informed by my dealer about their vulnerability. The old Beezers and triumphs had unprotected engine cases but I believe a different aluminium alloy was used. They could be left a couple of years in all weathers and buff up with metal polish with no pitting. Triumph are obviously using a soft alloy. I don't intend haranguing my dealer or getting the cases enameled - some careful 1200 grade wet and dry used wet and vigorous buffing with Aotosol gets rid of the minor surface pitting. Rimwax on casings for summer ok and afc for winter required but what a pain! I wonder if the reason why Triumph use this grade of aluminium alloy for these casings is because they are formed by die casting rather than sand casting which was used by the British motorcycle industry generallyI have not had any probs with water vapour in the clocks. I have however experienced this problem on other bikes using Smiths Chrono's and MZ clocks. Remedy was to take clocks off and put them in the airing cupboard, When clear wipe top and bottom of bezel with RTV silicon sealant and wipe off excess with meths. Works every time and lastsYou are probably aware Triumph put out a recall for the remapping to solve any stalling from tick over under full fist throttle useThe mods you have employed were interesting. Tail tidy, engine tuning and the bling of no interest to me but that's a personal thing. It occurs to me however some protection plates/ bobbins good idea so will be implementing these. My only prob I have experienced with the Thruxton was taking it on a run without checking the tyre pressures. Needed cycle clips after a fast corner - all my fault. I notice however tyres do deflate rather quickly so if left for a week I check pressures. Call me lazy but I have had few bikes with tubeless tyres and none that deflate so quicklyThis is a great bike. I don't class it as a sports bike so improving its performance is not on my agenda. I think of the Thruxton as a modern Triton but with none of the probs. Thanks again for an excellent review
Thanks Bob for the excellent advice! Glad I got them powder coated as when I get home, I rarely have time to clean the bike immediately due to family commitments! Your advice should also be helpful to those who want to mend their own cases... Thanks for watching and taking the time to write such a eloquent reposte... TBH!
Hello! Looking into purchasing one of these bikes and want to be aware of the pitfalls. One of the reviews I watched mentioned a lot of heat in the crotch area... have you noticed this?
Nice bike. I have the standard version and I love it. I was under the impression the exhaust has a dual wall. Maybe not? That discoloration is not present on my bike. I am an American who longs to ride my bike in the English countryside. Beautiful. Enjoy!
I don't think that it can, due to the discolouration, but also the fact that the Triumph dual wall pipes do tend to be a lot thicker... However, it might be? If you like the English countryside you'll like my latest video that will be live in a week, it's a little trip with the chaps down to Cornwall in the SW tip of the UK. Stunning... It's taking a lot of editing and will be a 3 parter!! Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment... TBH!
I saw a review suggesting the R Nine T (Sport) corners better (sharper)? Have you ridden both ... If so, interested in your take on that suggestion ... ? I still love everything else better about the Thruxton R ... (even if it does have slightly less power/top end than the Jerry 😉).
Kieren Moore I’m afraid that I don’t know as I STILL haven’t ridden the RnineT. I can believe that it may feel a bit lighter due to the low down weight / nature of the boxer engine but the ground clearance is less on the BMW due to the cylinder heads and I can’t get over the looks of it... much prefer the Thruxton and it did all I wanted from it... so much fun and more than scared me sometimes in how fast I could go... It would be down to cost in the end I think but I still prefer the Thruxton...
Haha! I remember the comment about the gloves- the accusation was that you were being 'too arty' I believe. Looking brilliant as it is, agree about the black..it really sets it off. Is it possible to spray the exhaust? Or is it not possible with the heat.. Shame to hear about the warranty dispute though. With a years experience, would you still go for the EU/ UK slip on over the US version? Would consideration for neighbours override the decision? Head over heart and all that. Appreciate your videos, I'm learning about bikes a bit every day. Think I may have watched all of your reviews now. Congrats on baba no.2 btw. And I shall look out for you on twatter
Dave Spencer good evening Dave. Yes it does, and you don’t have the heat from it heating up the underneath of the engine... it also feels like less heat on your legs but that could just be psychosomatic... It also makes the bike a bit more wheelie happy due to that weight being removed...
Another question Captain: your comments about your mirror replacements and how they lowered the overall profile made me realize how much higher your clip on’s are compared to mine. I still have the round stock mirrors and the top of the mirror is equal to the triple tree middle bolt. I test rode an R and a standard and they both had the lowered clip on’s. It’s not something my dealer did because they called me in when my bike arrived in a wooden crate so I could be there for the unboxing (I insisted on the silver). Perhaps it’s US models? Maybe 2017 model vs 2016? Curious.
Very strange. The stock round mirrors that were on mine were definitely taller and stuck out more for filtering, hence why I changed.... Maybe they have to be a specified height and width for the EU market and yours are smaller as stock? I might have to ask Triumph the question... Interesting...
Captain Rambunctious I believe it’s the clip on’s bars themselves as opposed to the stock mirrors. Yours bars have about a 2” rise, where mine are equal to the top of the fork. I thought it was curious when you mentions your comfort timeframe. Anything longer than an hour and a half and I pay the price the next day. My riding position is almost as aggressive as my gsx-r.
Yes, I don't have the lower clip ons... They have the built in risers as you say... :-) Normally the lower bars are for the faired version... I suppose that I could lower it even more with those, but as you say, it's less comfortable... Very happy with the position right now! :-) Great spot though! :-)
Fairly simple. Lift the tank. Pull back a few inches. Rest it back down again. Then locate where the sensors clip into the loom and unclip them... Clip in the dummy resistors that should come with the blanking plugs and reverse it and thats the electrics sorted. Removing the lambda sensors themselves is easy enough but you can easily strip the nuts as they end to weld themselves in. Use plenty of lube. Be careful when using a ratchet as the handle can hit the tank... However, I wouldn't do it again. When the bike was recalled and had another map put on it, the bike couldn't automatically recalibrate and ran awfully so I had to put them back in... Now it's fine. It really did make an improvement removing them, but if you make any changes to the exhaust, air flow or map, you need them in to recalibrate the ECU... Thats a little annoying. Wish I'd known that before I removed them, but you live and learn! So up to you... If you are happy with your set up and aren't planning to change the exhaust, air flow or have a remap, then go for it! :-)
I use Wurth Dry Lube. I find it's excellent with no fling, but you do have to apply it after any rain or every 200 miles or so... But my chains have always lasted a long time with it and look brand new too... Very pleased with it... Definitely worth buying a paddock stand to raise the rear wheel up or an axle stand... Makes everything so much easier. Thanks for watching Matthew and for the question!
Firstly..good to see ya back.. Secondly....unless you are going to polish and maintain the bike especially with the exposed ally...then powdercoat black is the eay to go....looks better on the thruxton anyhow.. Never used Acf50 or anything else but am toying with it on the bandit streetfighter as this primarily will be used throughout the winter... You are also up against the fact that you keep yours under a cover i believe...condensation bags...even the expensive ones... Still the Thrux.....is still hotting the mark and thats wots most important.. Keep it safe fella...
Thanks Weggy. I do prefer the black powder coat anyway! True about the condensation under the cover, but whilst I can still get the gauges replaced under warranty I am not going to complain! It is indeed still hitting the mark! Very pleased with it still... Thanks for watching!
the Drift HD, not the S, so it's 1080p at 3 frames per second but I find the light is good whereas my friend with the S gets quite washed out footage. I'm sure that he just needs to adjust it but still very happy with mine. Also, as it doesn't take up so much space on the card, it is quicker to edit and render as well... Thanks for watching!
the changes you made all look very well. love it. cant believe you have the sticker on the fender up front off center....shame on you hahahahahah nice vid thanks for posting it
Congratulations to yourself and good lady on the birth of your second child. Good to see you back on the tube.
Thanks Darren...
Another great review Capt., never feel pressured to post something because you feel you must, it's worth the wait for a quality presentation. Your family comes first, and we all know what a missus scorned can be like (shiver). I am a bit surprised that your de-Lambdaerisation (technical term there) hasn't dropped your fuel mileage a noticeable amount. Without the probe leaning the engine back your are sitting on Triumphs default 'power map' in the ECM all the time. The added smoothness is the engine not hesitating as it falls from the Lambda lean burn mode onto the power map settings when you wring the throttle out.
All the best and enjoy your kids, they are great fun when young and you only get one shot at it, mine (two girls) have just hit teenage years and are way too sophisticated to be seen with dad anymore.
Best of,
Ray
Thank you for explaining that so well that even a pilot could understand! Engineers, don't let us anywhere near their aircraft...
Thank you for the congrats, and yes, enjoying them to the full...
Thank you and Tally Bally Ho!
Congratulations on the new baby boy! Wishing good health to you and yours.
Thank you very much. To you too!
Great to see you back with a good review after over a year of riding this fantastic machine 👊😎👍
Thank you and thank you for watching!
I love your laugh..I just got my Thruxton R 3 days ago and still can't get the smile off my face mate :-)
hi pal,,,,could you tell me if this bike heat up too much the legs and/or our ass LOL?
I'm a British guy. Meaning I'm 5'5 165 lbs can i handle the 1200 cc r thruxyon i really love this model that classic cafe racer
Thank you Captain, excellent as we expect from you. Done 6.600 km now since March ‘17. Good to hear that with some issues you still love the TTR. I just put on the handle bar riser ‘superbike kit’ from abm which helped with lingering wrist issues, but more than anything improved overall control tremendously! Congratulations on your newborn 2nd son!
Thank you Jan. Yes, that wouldn't definitely make it more comfortable, and I suppose more controllable as you have added to the height of the levers...
Thanks for watching and for the excellent input!
He's back! Tally bally Harrah!!!! Bad news on those engine cases corroding, but I agree, the black look suits the bike, nice one sir!
Thank you for watching TMF honoured as always!
If they are the only main things I'm to be upset about, I'm more than happy! :-)
Tally Bally Huzzah! I've got to try to keep up with you and your plethora of reviews! ;-)
...well the fogging instruments are a bit of a pain too aren't they....such a bummer when the one you love turns out not to be perfect after all!! - like discovering the hot little floozy you've had your eye on wears tights rather than stockings, dashed disappointing!
...and with two young lads and a day job I don't think you're gonna catch me :0) No rush, you have plenty of time!! Great stuff as ever - one day we'll get to do that "collab"!
TheMissendenFlyer Now that would be entertainment..
Probably the best looking Thruxton I've seen till now! Sounds absolutely amazing as well
Thank you! Glad you like it! :-) And thank you for watching as well! :-)
I have greatly missed your videos! I obviously became depressed by your absence as I sold my Tiger and Thruxton and bought a R1200GS!!!! Please keep the reviews coming. PS I have also retired from flying! Quite a few life changes. All the best.
Oh my goodness Trevor! What on earth has happened in my absence?! I will promptly chastise myself thoroughly and look to an alternative career in flower arranging.
If you're retired, then I'm sure the GS will do well, but the Thruxton will lure you back!
Good to see you back kind sir,tally bally ho young man,enjoyed this video,happy riding
Thank you Greg! :-) Thanks for watching!
In addition to your addition, You have recently cost me in excess of 12K! Because of your posts in the 1 year of ownership, I am now a fully fledged Triumph owner and pick up my Tiger Sport on 16th of Oct. And, I've just bought a ticket for the Triumph factory tour in November.....I think I deserve some compensation! You are a bad influence Sir! ;-)
That is wonderful sir! Superb to hear... A Tiger Sport eh? Sounds like I've been rather convincing in my reviews! ;-) Definitely the best all rounder Triumph in my opinion at the moment... :-)
Welcome back sir. Congratulations on your second son, mine are both in their 40s now but still as much fun/hassle as always. :-) Keep the videos coming. Tim
Thank you Tim! Gosh, you do wear well! :-)
Hello Capt R,
just thought I'd add a comment regarding the remark you had addressed to you on the stalling.
I have just fitted the Arrow (lamda probeless and cat bypass) headers and Remus exhausts. Obviously with all that the tuning would be thrown out of kilter. Therefore I had a PCV fitted with multiple dyno runs to perfect the tune. On the dyno prior to having anything fitted it clearly showed how lean the engine runs on the factory map - this would account for the odd stall at low revs. My thruxton r now runs like a dream, everything being better than it was. Best part of all with the baffles removed it isn't that loud and sounds like Heaven! Nice review by the way! Big fan. M
Good to see you still having fun with it from the day you got it.
Thanks Spikey! It's why I know that it's the one! :-)
its been a long time good to see ya back
Thank you sir! Glad to be back. Will try to post more often again... Lots to talk about as ever!
Captain great job as usual. You don't owe us an explanation most know the family comes first.
Thank you Jerry!
Had mine for exactly a year and 4.5K miles now and it still feels like a magic carpet (mine's red, so it will probably be faster than yours....) It's not perfect and we shouldn't have to put up with quality issues, but I'm not sure I can be bothered with all the grief of taking it back to the dealers. I like Stuart's analogy of the beautiful ex-girlfriend on his review of the T120 (although all my ex-girlfriends just had the bad breath and daft laugh). My key fob left marks on the top clamp too - I used Brasso, which worked a treat!
Brasso?! Awesome. We have some of that!
Yes, it isn't perfect but what a bike. And yes, red IS faster... But only if I'm riding it! ;-)
Thanks for watching and for the advice!
About bloody time you posted a new video 😉. We've missed you Cap! I don't agree that Triumph is the worse Robert, I think their attention to detail and general build quality is great. I do think for the price they should start fitting more things as standard i.e. heated grips and quick shifter, though some models are starting to get there now. I really must introduce my Speedy R to your neck of the woods and visit Ivinghoe Beacon. It's on the list.
Fantastic stuff Dougie and well said...
Great honest review, i love watching your videos though my wife wonders what the heck is going on with your Laugh!!! Watching from Alberta Canada though originally from Yorkshire. Going for the last ride today as Winter is about to arrive... Keep up the great videos love watching England go by with yourself, MissendFlyer and Stuart Fillingham whom commented below.
Ride safe!!!!
Great to see you posting again man :-), it is always a good day when the Captain takes us all for a ride. All the best to you and yours man, Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for watching Darrell... Lovely to see you here again
My son Jeff bought some sort of special Thruxton and he mostly leaves it in the garage and rides his Tiger. The Tiger is his second one. The Thruxton is his first and it has all Olins suspension. He says it is a work of art. Yours looks the business and is handsome with the cosmetic changes and changes with the guards to protect the machine in case of emergency. Good job on the review.
I had much worse corrosion and warranty claims on the 3 BMWs I owned. Like with all bikes you have to clean and protect after every winter ride if you want to keep it like new.Condensation in the clocks is a design fault, hope Triumph sort that out. Good to see you back.
Thanks for the info! I have loads of people telling me the bike is crap and that triumphs are much worse, but you have instilled more confidence in the brand in me...
Thanks for wathing and Happy New Year!
I Just came up on your post as I have just purchased a 2016 Thruxton 1200 std which was dropped by its previous owner on our awful roads here in a new Zealand! Potholes and loose gravel in the corners just to catch you out.
So I am trying to find repair parts at present
So I can get the frame re aligned and get it road legal. Watching your video has me wanting to get the bike on the road ASAP to soak up the spirited a ride.
😎👍
Excellent review sir very fair and she looks lovely! Try GT85 on the engine in summer enough protection for use in summer months without breaking the bank!
Thank you for the advice Stuart! I put GT85 on the wheel and spokes, does very nicely...
Honoured by your watching and thank you for the comment!
It also makes the engine look even sexier sir and stops dirt sticking to it as much, a squirt on those carb covers will stop them getting any worse too! It always a treat when you upload a video please try to do it more often!
Thank you Stuart! I'll endeavour to!
cool review captain 👍🏻👍🏻 I have my R for a month now and love it to bits , just had its 500 mile service and waiting for my Vance & Hines slip - ons (us) ,,, can't wait 😊 keep your reviews coming sir , BANG ON 👍🏻👍🏻
The US ones eh?! Awesome! They should sound nice. Please remove the baffles... ;-)
Funny quick story about the 1200's. I bought my 900 Thruxton 3 months before Triumph released info of the new 1200's. None the less I love my 900, and your 1200 is absolutely stunning! Cheers man!
Yes, the 900 was lovely too! I had the black and gold one and did quite a bit with that.. Remove the Secondary Air Injection and put on British Custom Predator Pipes for an excellent sound!
I almost went for the black one, but then I saw the green with the gold and she just sang to me. I bet those Predators sound amazing! Almost went for those too! Instead I did the Airbox removal and installed the BC Slash cut TT exhaust.
Now THAT would be even more amazing... Mine sounded like this: ruclips.net/video/5NFjSK6qtH4/видео.html Go to 7:50 and have a listen. I would love my new one to sound like this...
Thanks again for watching! :-)
Wowzers!!! She sounds amazing!!! Music to my ears! I bet the 1200 would be even more beefy! I actually haven't done a exhaust sample yet of mine, I should definitely do one!
You're very welcome! You have an excellent Channel sir! Looking forward for more of the entertainment!
Hi Captain there is a fix now for the clocks ,my third set are spot on
Cafe Racer awesome! Glad they fixed it! Or maybe just the 3rd set works a charm’
Great yearly review of thrusty cap. Good to see you back on two wheels. Also congratulations on your lates arrival. Hope all is going well 🏍.
Thank you Ian on both counts! :-) All is well... Just uber busy... Actually, are you allowed to say Uber in London now?
Captain Rambunctious yeah think you can still say Uber still. Glad all is well👍.
Happy to see another upload Captain! Also happy that you’re still pleased with your Thruxton R. You remind me of part James May and part Steve Matchett (an English F1 commentator here in the states). They are 2 of my favorites.
In that case I am truly honoured! :-) Thank you.
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment!
Captain- Despite your absence from regular posting of videos, your works still pop up at intervals on the RUclips. So I will comment that I finally was able to take a test ride on the Thruxton 1200R due to a large motorcycle festival in my area. Also I rode the new Triumph Speed Twin. Both are lovely bikes indeed and I hope you were able to keep ownership of your Thruxton since this 1 year ownership review was published. I slightly preferred the Thruxton to the Speed Twin but they are quite close in their performance and in riding fun. What was very interesting to me was also comparing these machines to my own 2006 carbureted 865cc. Thruxton (which has a TOR exhaust and the rejetting/intake changes to go with it). The new bikes are definitely more powerful and have a lot of fancy features, yet I am not convinced of any real need to replace the old one; it is still a great bike too. So much for a long comment on an old video, hopefully you'll make more new ones! Bob
What a great review. Rode my new Thruxton R down south of Western Australia on the weekend in a variety of weather; rain, shine, road debris, etc and found it to be a very forgiving bike. We have some great roads and some not so great roads. The bumpier roads felt much better on the new Thruxton in comparison to my 2004 Thruxton (which I still love). I have taken notes on your upgrades and will pick them off my list. Much appreciated mate.
Excellent! Happy you're back! But, I must say, you've just confirmed what I'd always suspected about these bikes. So much for Triumph's
build quality, I guess. I've got a Suzuki V-Strom that's almost one year
old, and it doesn't show it at all.
It is true that it isn't as good as advertised, but my friend's BMW corroded on the fixings... At least none of the bolts or spokes are going. These spokes are standing up better than the ones on my old Thruxton so at least they are moving in the right direction. Thanks for watching and for the input!
Congratulations on the birth of your second son! Wonderful!
Thank you very much!
Hi Captain R! It's the first time I think of buying something that is not Japanese and is not a On-Off bike. I am 48 years old and now I have a small and lightweight 250cc adventure bike that covers my off-road routes. I started thinking about buying another bike, this time a road bike (for the first time in my life). I saw the Thraxton R and I fell in love with at first glance, but... I am disappointed with a report about a recall that concerned rider safety issues since the engine can unexpectedly go off while driving at high speed. it would be very important for me to have your own position on the subject. Did you have any problem? You went to upgrade the software? In Greece, the delegation is not the best but the machine is literally loveable! Thank you!
Greatto have you back Good Sir! Well done on the husbandry stuff!
Re. the discoloured header pipes...have you removed/plugged the secondary air injection (if there is one these bikes!)? That will create much more heat in the headers as residual fuel gets burned in there with the air injection operating. On the air cooled bikes, removing/plugging SAI stops pipe bluing completely, You cna return pipes to original appearance with several products like "BlueJob" (careful how you google for that one!!!) and using some cotton rag strips wrapped around and bowstringed back & forth...takes 30-40 min per side to get the blue off.
That all happened with my old air cooled pipes but I haven't removed the SAI on this bike. There doesn't seem to be the same set up on this one as there isn't the extra tube entering the cylinder head by the spark plug like on the 900. So no, I haven't removed any SAI on this bike. It is still only single skinned steel, so I'm not concerned about the discolouration. I quite like it as it looks used... If it becomes more than discolouration and looks more like corrosion, then I will clean it all up!
Thanks for watching and for the input! :-)
Nice review. I like how you tell us a little about the village as you are passing through
Great video thankyou. Love all that you’ve done to your Thruxton but especially the tank strap it looks awesome!
Thanks for that captain. I'm new to your particular brand of video but, g'day from Oz! Couple of things, firstly I think Auto Suggestion a better term rather than Psychosomatic in these instances which would suggest your mind had caused a real change whereas with auto suggestion you are hoping for the change so you see it even if it's not real. Secondly down here we use metric so we'd divide your figures by 2.828 to get km/l but they sound fairly decent. My Thunderbird 900 triple would struggle to do 50mpg but then it doesn't run fuel injection! I'll be over your way next July so I'll keep an eye out for you, TMF and that funny sounding Yorkshireman.
Good to see you back in the saddle Cap'n. If the rear suspender black internal caps rub and get scuffed by the springs then you can get them replaced under warranty. Worked for me at the wonderful Vauxhall dealership where they fitted the 'non rubby' 2017 units. Am tempted by the x pipe de cat, but fear fitting by the dealer may be excessively salty! What else, well, if next year's version came with a quickshifter and cornering ABS then I’d definitely trade in.
It's good to see you bloging
Interesting video as I'm just about to buy a 1200 R. I notice from the start of your video that apparently you are landing at London City. Bit of a connection here as I am retired AIrline Pilot - mainly operating from Heathrow and Gatwick and flying all sorts - mainly Boeings but also the Bus. My youngest Son is a LAME as I was back in the mists of time - but we share a common interest in motorcycles - hence buying the 1200R. Well I'm buying it actually - which is a useful economic principle we all learn when it comes to parents and children! We currently both drive my 50 year old Norton Commando 850 but are both looking forward to driving the 1200R - Ride by wire eh - very reminicent of the Bus (I didn't much like it) and the 777 (I did quite like it!). Nothing like a 737-200 mind where the thrust levers contolled the noise and not much else. I'm looking forward to the 1200R on Thursday and will let you know what I think of it. Kind regards.
nice to see you back Sir and conratulations on the addition to your family ;-)
Thank you and thank you for the stickers! :-)
I still say a fly screen looks good, not abusive, and deflects a decent amount of wind up over your head. But you're not running the R anymore.
Happy New Year Capt.
Your videos are the best period! I have loved Triumph from the early 70's and never blinked. My first car was a brand new 74 Spitfire 1500.
TTRGuy, I had a NEW '73 MGB when I was IN THE ARMY. JS
Excellent review, we can see you love your bike!
Glad to see you back and I know about not getting out with little one or in your case 2 in the family! 😡
Thank you Cotti! Yes, I try to get out when I can... But a lot of the time it's to just ride rather than record...
Glad you're getting on with Thrusty. I have been on the HD Roadster for about 6 months, needed a rear tire at 1K, since it went flat. Other than that, still pretty stock, and I ride it mostly in town. About 1.5K miles on it now, but work is only 10 miles from the house now, instead of 30.
Hopefully, you'll get a chance to review the new Speedmaster when it comes out. Bike looks great from the pix I have seen. A bit smaller than the Tbird, but probably more than enough power, and the handling should be spot on, being based on the bobber. We'll have to wait and see, in early 2018.
Glad to hear that all is well with the little ones. Family comes first.
Great review of a lovely bike! I agree with you - your warranty issue has resulted in you having a better looking bike - the blacked out look with the Tr embellishers just looks brilliant! Sounds fab too.
Thank you Andrew... Yes, all worked out for the best! Woo!
Thank you for watching!
Huzzah, a long awaited video! Good to see you are still loving it. Looking forward to our next jaunt Sir.
@29:48 I recognise that bridge hahah
I still haven't got around to doing my 1 year ownership review, but now I'm "back" it's the first thing on my list of videos to do.
Thanks for watching! :-) Was lovely to see you the other weekend!
Yes, that bridge is very famous in certain circles...
Hope you had a nice week off.... See you soon for another collaboration... Still trying to get to Loomies on a bike night soon... Tomorrow night might be too soon to organise...
TBH!
Captain Rambunctious The weather for tomorrow looks a bit rubbish. But maybe next week or something. If I can get a half day that would be good.
Definitely try!
As a wise short thing once said, "Do or do not, there is no try" :p
Hello buddy, long time no see, how ya diddlin? pleased to hear your still in love with the thrustie, love the look of the black crank case etc, so much better, I tend to go through a back tyre per year had 3 back tyre to 1 front in four years but the back tyres getting low again, apparently it wears down because I pull away aggressively all the time, I beg to differ, lol, RSM8.
Thanks Skeggy! As always, honoured by your presence!
You don't ride aggressively enough! :-) You need to get it down to 5 back tyres for every front! :-)
Great long-term review! I am curious if you did any kind of reflash of the ECU with the change in the air cleaner, exhaust and DeCat exercise? Also, your seat looks like it is the stock seat, and I've wondered if you find it comfortable for a longer ride? I've watched other videos where they have complained about seat comfort. You are not the first to complain about condensation in the instruments, and I must say I don't understand Triumph's thinking on those unprotected side cases. These are not cheap motorcycles. How much would it have cost them to clear coat the damn things! Thanks for the terrific update, and ride safe!
About time too Captain!
Sorry Neil!
Good to see another CR video, was beginning to worry. I'm sure that speedo should have been covered at some points!
All analogue speedometers over read. It's a common trait with the springs inside...
Good job on this video. Your thruxton is looking sharp. I ordered the O2 sensor delete for my T120. I’m looking forward to seeing if it makes it a little quicker.
Thank you. As I say in this video, I think that it does... Makes the engine seem throatier and faster to spin up if that helps?
Excellent follow up review, nice to see you back on board captain no matter how long its been, quite understandable.
l also prefer the look of the black engine cases with embellishments, wonder if Triumph will do anything to fix this issue?
They haven't changed anything for their Bobbers or T120s, so I can only assume that rather than fix the issue, they are just going to continue to rely on the dealers explaining to new owners the importance of treating the aluminium to some sort of protection...
Great to see you again sir 😎😎
Thank you sir! Thank you for watching! :-)
Honoured as always! :-)
How's beastie?
Another good review, look forward to the next one thanks. I fully get the family stuff, been there got the Tee shirt.
Thanks Bob! And thank you for watching!
Great to see you back, congrats on the new addition! did you have to re-map the bike when you did the de cat and lambda removals?
Not at all. The new ECUs are supposed to 'learn' the differences accordingly... So far so good anyway... There ARE maps available though if you are worried that the ECU won't cope or the bike isn't idling correctly?
Hope this helps. Thanks Dave.
Good to have you back Captain.
Very objective review. Shame on Triumph for their attitude towards the engine case finish. If something is going to corrode at the first sign of bad weather, surely it's not fit for purpose.
Congratulations on son number 2. Are you starting to assemble your own squadron??
Thank you very much... That's it for this squadron but people are more than welcome to join the bike squadron any time!
Your reviews get me excited! Will you be reviewing the new 2018 Speedmaster when a demo is available!?
Jool definitely will... probably around December? Weather won’t be great though!
OMG!!! Those Vance and Hines pipes have the perfect rumble!
They do indeed! I dallied with different pipes recently but I've gone back to the V&H pipes for now... ;-)
Thanks for watching! :-)
Careful with that stick Captain. My lady is a lecturer in the UEL !
She's a beauty and no mistake. The bike I mean! I have to say the black cases look better than the brushed aluminium. They should make them out of duralumin ! That would stop the rot. I'll do one of these in about a month ;-). Has it been a year already ?
Great review. And good to see you.
PS - If you've got a second son you're not doing it right ;-)
Ha ha! Obviously not... But one must have a spare to the heir...
I apologise about the stick! ;-)
Afternoon, Captain. I'd like to ask about the ergonomics and comfort of your Thruxton, compared with the Street Twin you tried out. For the feet position, you said the Street Twin had the pegs a bit too tucked up underneath you; the Truxton has them a little further behind. If the Street Twin had it's seat raised, do you think you'd find it a little more comfortable?
My motivation is that I'm a new rider, and I want to make my Street Twin as comfortable for long distance as possible, whilst keeping it suitable for bimbles round town. Since I have no reference, being the aforementioned new rider, I wanted to ask your opinion on foot position relative to seat hight.
I am a little shorter than you, 5ft9 and my legs are quite a bit shorter. I love the Street Twin, but I'm wondering if I'm missing out on an even better set up.
I think that you'd be fine for the street twin, but if you are concerned and want a bit more room and even easier handling, try the street scrambler... the 900... so much better and more fun than the street twin for some reason...
Hope that this helps..
@@CaptainRambunctious thanks, Cap'n! You're too late though, I've already got my Street Twin, and it's lovely! I do have the TEC rear shocks for it, so I could raise the back end up, and lift the front with a new spacer, to make it ride a bit more like the Scrambler. Maybe fit some wider bars too.
But I'll ride it round as it is for a bit - I've already got a bunch of upgrades for it as well as the new suspension.
Haha….awesome. What kind of seat are you using for the back? I am about to buy a Thruxton but I want to strap my girl onto it sometimes :]
I used the comfort solo seat but the comfort dual seat for luggage or people! It was good!
Does the leather strap hold moisture at all? I take delivery soon and am not too sure about having that fitted wrt to potential rust issues. Agreed on the fairing, looks a bit long with it. Great video :-)
Doesn't appear to. Going through its second winter so far with no ill effects or wear...
Great video, Great bike....I'm envious! I must mention that your rear plate looks visually obstructed, surprised if the fuzz has not mentioned it to you.
Never had an issue. Obstructed by what?
Anyway, I now have a Speedmaster 1200!
Hi captain, your videos are just brilliant, got to say to that start with! I find myself with a dilemma. Having a Thruxton 900, but wanting something a bit more comfortable and powerful over long distances, mods are one way, but the R is maybe more cost effective. How have you found this compared to the 900, is this better on motorways and flowing roads, particularly in winter. I'm tempted by a thunderbird for distance and keep the 900 for fun country rides, or maybe swap it all for something practical like a spring or tiger , but that might be a bit boring. Can you ride a R all day without being in pain? I'd try one but triumph don't seem keen with not being riding long
The 1200R Is SO different from the 900. It was and is everything that I wanted my 900 to be but even better! I cold have spent another £2000 on my 900, but this is perfect out of the box.
I have ridden all day long easily. There are also different seats, but also so easy in corners and motorways. A LOT better than the 900 in both respects and more then enough performance. It beats the older 2013 Street Triple for example! And still looks gorgeous. The one thing that I would say is watch my comparison between the 1200R and the standard 1200 Thruxton. The standard might suit you well and without the need for the extra cash!
See what you think. If you have the money, the upgrade from the 900 is astonishing.
Happy New Year and Tally Bally HO!
Thanks for that, I think that review of the two back to back was very helpful, the summary of if your having one bike probably go for the R was I think right. Went to a dealer today, and ended up buying a Thunderbrid Storm ... So that went to plan!
Ha ha! Nice one. Well I loved mine... Just ended up with lower back trouble because I couldn't resist hooning everywhere with that torque! :-)
Hopefull will love it,don't get it until next week. Hoping it copes with bad weather better than the thruxton that seems to like corroding as soon as it gets wet!
Very smart, like the short sumptieness look sounds great! Congrats too the new little one as well, jacket never noticed! time to polish and lacquer your head-stock plenty off Selvo Autosol
vince halls yes I know, but at least it looks like I use it! 😉
Looks much better with the black casings and extra embellishments I think! :D Such a stunning bike. I still miss your ol' greeny meany machiny too.
I know, they were all great fun! :-) Thank you for watching lovely one...
Nice to hear your voice again, and can't wait for the colb...cobbla...calob.... tie up with TheMissendenFlyer. Maybe you could do a joint review on the new Speedmaster, now that's a bike I'd like to own.
Ooh! That would be quite a ride! :-) I'm sure he'd be up for that!
Like the black engine cases! Living in a dry climate, the cases on my T120 are still looking bright. The small Union flag on the front mudguard looks great. Where can one be purchased? Thanks!
tsmgguy yes, no issues if no salt!
I got the sticker of eBay. Loads of stuff with union flags can be found. I put one on the front mudguard of all my Triumphs but not getting one for a while! 😉
Looks like great fun fella, Have you not considered a Dino session? You might find a better ECU mapping for it, be even better, Pop out a spark plug, see how she running, could be too Lean. Ps any issue with engine light? After cat and lamba sensor removed,
No issue with the engine light after decat, and the lambda sensor removal kit came with resistor plugs to fool the ECU so no engine management light... :-)
Will dino one day when have the time and money. There are some good people near me who do it... Will see! :-)
Hey! What about maintenance/issue/problems you have had with the bike? Is it something with fiability?
You do seem to have kept this one a very long time. A case of when you find the bike that fits you don't want to give it up?
Baffles? What are they?
Looking very nice. Not sure about those pipes where they've discoloured. Not a fan of chrome but I think it would look good (or even wrapped?)
Disappointing on the aluminium, though I think the black looks better. Unprotected metal seems daft, especially in blighty. Surely a bit of lacquer could have been used! Maybe with that and the condensation they expected the bike to live in the south of France?
Those gloves are nice but they ruin the lines of the front tyre.
60mpg! Wow!
That aluminium headstock is a top yoke!
John T thank you! I’d forgotten in the heat of recording! I think I call it that in other videos!
How have you set your suspension after one year? I have softened the front a little and the rear is pretty stock...would love to hear your thoughts!
Mine is exactly as stock. I felt it was fine until I lost a bit of weight. Now it is probably a bit firmer than I'd like but I'm not riding it enough to truly experiment with it. When I am riding it more again, I;ll tinker, but right now, I won't be able to tell if I've improved it at all...
Good point though! Thank you for commenting!
How do you get your audio of the bike engine sound? I usually have wind drowning out the engine. Cool video!
Thank you. Do you mean when riding? Nothing special… just make sure the mic is well insulated in the helmet with a good chin curtain.
If you mean when I do the walk around, it’s using my phone to video the sound near the exhaust.
It's a beautiful bike for sure, especially with the added tinkerage.
I'm a bit late to the party but congratulations on child no 2. All the best - B
Thank you very much! Glad you like it and thank you for the congratulations!
My TDM 900 stalled a lot when I put my after market pipes on , then I had to get a power commander and k&n hi flow air cleaner and dyno tune and now all good , but a lot of work to get it where it is now, after about three remaps new soft wear and put the baffles back in to get a better tune.
Hoover that’s what I would have loved to have done to my older Thruxton... that would have made it run so much better...
Thanks for he comment and for watching!
How much engine vibration is there? Does it hate being flogged at high RPM? How does it feel at 60mph? Is the gearing too short? Does it have a proper high gear ratio in 6th gear? Is it counterbalanced? Do the vibes cause buzzing?
Not much at all. It loves to go to the rev limiter. It feels great at 60mph. You're doing 75mph in 6th at 4000 rpm. Goes up to 132mph.
The gearing is spot on... Not too short. The 6th gear as mentioned is a proper high ratio, certainly enough to have mpg of around 52mpg!
There are vibes at around 5000rpm but that tends to be a transitionary rev speed so never noticed it at all being bad.
Hope that helps!
Shame about the aluminium bits being a bit corrosion prone, but the black engine cases do look quite sharp as well.
Thank you. Yes, initially I was rather upset but I do prefer the black now! :-)
Thanks Captain for the interesting video. A few comments from a fellow Thruxton R ownerI have suffered the same corrosion to the engine cases and to a lesser extent the fake monoblocs. I picked up my bike in June 2016 and like you I was not informed by my dealer about their vulnerability. The old Beezers and triumphs had unprotected engine cases but I believe a different aluminium alloy was used. They could be left a couple of years in all weathers and buff up with metal polish with no pitting. Triumph are obviously using a soft alloy. I don't intend haranguing my dealer or getting the cases enameled - some careful 1200 grade wet and dry used wet and vigorous buffing with Aotosol gets rid of the minor surface pitting. Rimwax on casings for summer ok and afc for winter required but what a pain! I wonder if the reason why Triumph use this grade of aluminium alloy for these casings is because they are formed by die casting rather than sand casting which was used by the British motorcycle industry generallyI have not had any probs with water vapour in the clocks. I have however experienced this problem on other bikes using Smiths Chrono's and MZ clocks. Remedy was to take clocks off and put them in the airing cupboard, When clear wipe top and bottom of bezel with RTV silicon sealant and wipe off excess with meths. Works every time and lastsYou are probably aware Triumph put out a recall for the remapping to solve any stalling from tick over under full fist throttle useThe mods you have employed were interesting. Tail tidy, engine tuning and the bling of no interest to me but that's a personal thing. It occurs to me however some protection plates/ bobbins good idea so will be implementing these. My only prob I have experienced with the Thruxton was taking it on a run without checking the tyre pressures. Needed cycle clips after a fast corner - all my fault. I notice however tyres do deflate rather quickly so if left for a week I check pressures. Call me lazy but I have had few bikes with tubeless tyres and none that deflate so quicklyThis is a great bike. I don't class it as a sports bike so improving its performance is not on my agenda. I think of the Thruxton as a modern Triton but with none of the probs. Thanks again for an excellent review
Thanks Bob for the excellent advice! Glad I got them powder coated as when I get home, I rarely have time to clean the bike immediately due to family commitments!
Your advice should also be helpful to those who want to mend their own cases...
Thanks for watching and taking the time to write such a eloquent reposte...
TBH!
Hello! Looking into purchasing one of these bikes and want to be aware of the pitfalls. One of the reviews I watched mentioned a lot of heat in the crotch area... have you noticed this?
Nice bike. I have the standard version and I love it. I was under the impression the exhaust has a dual wall. Maybe not? That discoloration is not present on my bike. I am an American who longs to ride my bike in the English countryside. Beautiful. Enjoy!
I don't think that it can, due to the discolouration, but also the fact that the Triumph dual wall pipes do tend to be a lot thicker... However, it might be?
If you like the English countryside you'll like my latest video that will be live in a week, it's a little trip with the chaps down to Cornwall in the SW tip of the UK. Stunning... It's taking a lot of editing and will be a 3 parter!!
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment...
TBH!
Hey Cap, just watched this video again and my opinion is.. do it for what makes you happy. It's your machine. Ride on bro.
I’m a pilot too! Hopefully I’ll get a thruxton this year
I saw a review suggesting the R Nine T (Sport) corners better (sharper)? Have you ridden both ... If so, interested in your take on that suggestion ... ? I still love everything else better about the Thruxton R ... (even if it does have slightly less power/top end than the Jerry 😉).
Kieren Moore I’m afraid that I don’t know as I STILL haven’t ridden the RnineT. I can believe that it may feel a bit lighter due to the low down weight / nature of the boxer engine but the ground clearance is less on the BMW due to the cylinder heads and I can’t get over the looks of it... much prefer the Thruxton and it did all I wanted from it... so much fun and more than scared me sometimes in how fast I could go...
It would be down to cost in the end I think but I still prefer the Thruxton...
In a long term review of the T120 he also mentioned the water in the clocks. I wonder if Triumph has fixed this problem on the new year models???
One hopes so! Thanks for watching!
Haha! I remember the comment about the gloves- the accusation was that you were being 'too arty' I believe.
Looking brilliant as it is, agree about the black..it really sets it off. Is it possible to spray the exhaust? Or is it not possible with the heat.. Shame to hear about the warranty dispute though.
With a years experience, would you still go for the EU/ UK slip on over the US version? Would consideration for neighbours override the decision? Head over heart and all that.
Appreciate your videos, I'm learning about bikes a bit every day. Think I may have watched all of your reviews now.
Congrats on baba no.2 btw. And I shall look out for you on twatter
Yo Captain, fellow R owner here, does the bike run cooler with the cat removed?
Dave Spencer good evening Dave. Yes it does, and you don’t have the heat from it heating up the underneath of the engine... it also feels like less heat on your legs but that could just be psychosomatic...
It also makes the bike a bit more wheelie happy due to that weight being removed...
Another question Captain: your comments about your mirror replacements and how they lowered the overall profile made me realize how much higher your clip on’s are compared to mine. I still have the round stock mirrors and the top of the mirror is equal to the triple tree middle bolt. I test rode an R and a standard and they both had the lowered clip on’s. It’s not something my dealer did because they called me in when my bike arrived in a wooden crate so I could be there for the unboxing (I insisted on the silver). Perhaps it’s US models? Maybe 2017 model vs 2016? Curious.
Very strange. The stock round mirrors that were on mine were definitely taller and stuck out more for filtering, hence why I changed.... Maybe they have to be a specified height and width for the EU market and yours are smaller as stock?
I might have to ask Triumph the question... Interesting...
Captain Rambunctious I believe it’s the clip on’s bars themselves as opposed to the stock mirrors. Yours bars have about a 2” rise, where mine are equal to the top of the fork. I thought it was curious when you mentions your comfort timeframe. Anything longer than an hour and a half and I pay the price the next day. My riding position is almost as aggressive as my gsx-r.
Yes, I don't have the lower clip ons... They have the built in risers as you say... :-) Normally the lower bars are for the faired version...
I suppose that I could lower it even more with those, but as you say, it's less comfortable... Very happy with the position right now! :-)
Great spot though! :-)
Love my Thruxton 900. I do want the 1200 R now though ;) Great looking bike!
Was the Lamda Sensor removal a huge deal...or fairly simple??? Thanks Dennis
Fairly simple. Lift the tank. Pull back a few inches. Rest it back down again. Then locate where the sensors clip into the loom and unclip them... Clip in the dummy resistors that should come with the blanking plugs and reverse it and thats the electrics sorted. Removing the lambda sensors themselves is easy enough but you can easily strip the nuts as they end to weld themselves in. Use plenty of lube. Be careful when using a ratchet as the handle can hit the tank...
However, I wouldn't do it again. When the bike was recalled and had another map put on it, the bike couldn't automatically recalibrate and ran awfully so I had to put them back in... Now it's fine. It really did make an improvement removing them, but if you make any changes to the exhaust, air flow or map, you need them in to recalibrate the ECU... Thats a little annoying. Wish I'd known that before I removed them, but you live and learn!
So up to you... If you are happy with your set up and aren't planning to change the exhaust, air flow or have a remap, then go for it! :-)
thank you sir....
What are you using for chain lube? I currently have a belt but, am looking at the new Speedmaster, which unfortunately has a chain.
I use Wurth Dry Lube. I find it's excellent with no fling, but you do have to apply it after any rain or every 200 miles or so... But my chains have always lasted a long time with it and look brand new too... Very pleased with it... Definitely worth buying a paddock stand to raise the rear wheel up or an axle stand... Makes everything so much easier.
Thanks for watching Matthew and for the question!
Thank you sir, now I want one even more :')
You're most welcome! Thank you for watching and for taking the time to comment!
Firstly..good to see ya back..
Secondly....unless you are going to polish and maintain the bike especially with the exposed ally...then powdercoat black is the eay to go....looks better on the thruxton anyhow..
Never used Acf50 or anything else but am toying with it on the bandit streetfighter as this primarily will be used throughout the winter...
You are also up against the fact that you keep yours under a cover i believe...condensation bags...even the expensive ones...
Still the Thrux.....is still hotting the mark and thats wots most important..
Keep it safe fella...
Thanks Weggy. I do prefer the black powder coat anyway! True about the condensation under the cover, but whilst I can still get the gauges replaced under warranty I am not going to complain!
It is indeed still hitting the mark! Very pleased with it still... Thanks for watching!
Why did you remove the lambda sensors and did you just decide to do that off your own back or did someone tell you it was a good idea and why?
Love the video, very informative. What helmet cam are you using?
the Drift HD, not the S, so it's 1080p at 3 frames per second but I find the light is good whereas my friend with the S gets quite washed out footage. I'm sure that he just needs to adjust it but still very happy with mine. Also, as it doesn't take up so much space on the card, it is quicker to edit and render as well...
Thanks for watching!
@@CaptainRambunctious Thank you.
the changes you made all look very well. love it. cant believe you have the sticker on the fender up front off center....shame on you hahahahahah nice vid thanks for posting it
Crikey?! Is it off centre?! Maybe it was the camera angle? Please only be the camera angle..
hahahaha :)
Glad to see you finally made an honest girl out of one! ; ) Congrats on the anniversary plus!
Thank you very much! :-)
What do you think about this bike for a first time rider? assuming as in my case I am 6'3 and around 200lbs... thanks!
Fine, no problems... I'm 6'1 and have been 200lbs... All fine...