2017 Triumph Street Triple RS

A power-packed street fighter with top-level kit. This motorcyle is an absolute treat!

- Rishabh Bhaskar

It's always difficult to make something better than what's already good. The Triumph Street Triple 675 set a new benchmark for middleweight sport nakeds, when it redefined accessible performance and practicality. When I rode the 2017 Triumph Street Triple S, it didn't feel like a big step up from the old Street Triple 675. The Street Triple RS however, has left me with a perpetual grin on my face.

DESIGN AND FEATURES 

The moment you look at the Street Triple RS, the word unique pops up in your head. Yes, it does borrow a few design cues from its elder sibling, the 2016 Speed Triple, but on the whole, there's nothing quite like it. The characteristic bug-eyed headlamps grab your attention at once and may also polarise opinion, but in my books it gives the Street Triple a distinct character. I'd certainly like my motorcycle to have some of that, wouldn't you? The RS' stunning, aluminium matte grey paintwork looks special, while the contrasting red and white stripes accentuate the lines on the bike. The tank looks substantial in the entire scheme of things and the reprofiled rear is as sleek as a bullet.

The party piece on the RS is the crisp, 5-inch TFT display, a major upgrade from the LCD instrumentation in the S model. It offers two themes and three styles per theme, each offering a different layout for the speedo, gear indicator and rev counter. I particularly like the big fonts for the speedo and gear position, making it easier to steal a quick glance, especially at high speeds.

The cluster also displays coolant temperature, lap time, distance to empty, riding mode selected and lots more. Is the RS built to a cost? From the switches to the aluminium side stand and forged pillion foot peg brackets, everything oozes quality, giving you a sense of having got your money's worth.