Bringing Retro Back

Cruisers are undoubtedly the coolest of the cool – they’re beautifully crafted, have low slung seats and are great companions for weekend getaways. These classic bikes are also the ultimate expression of freedom.

- Arup Das

Imagine riding under the blue sky on a long stretch of tarmac, surrounded by nature, without a care in the world – a perfect synchronisation between man and machine. Could there be a better image of what it means to be free? Amid all the craze and frenzy of modern and sophisticated motorcycles, I guess on some level we bike lovers are drawn, like moths to a flame, to the idea of retro bikes. And perhaps that’s why we couldn’t help but pit the latest member of the Triumph Bonneville family, the Speed master, against one of our favourite cruisers, the Indian Scout, to find out which of them is the ultimate showstopper.

Served refined

Based on the Bobber, Triumph’s fastest selling motorcycle in their history, the Speed master is powered by the same 76bhp, 1,200cc High Torque parallel-twin heart. The beauty of this torquey parallel-twin engine is that it provides plenty of power at slow speeds, and its tall gearing allows you the freedom from constantly fidgeting with the gears. In terms of refinement and performance, Triumph has managed to hit the sweet spot with this High Torque motor, as it responds instantly and in a linear fashion. We all know how tedious peak traffic can be, but during our test drive, the Speed master patiently negotiated slow moving vehicles without ever pushing me to rev it up. With a healthy 105Nm of torque at our disposal, it showed a lot of spunk around 1,800 to 2,000rpm. All this is thanks to the flawless ride-by-wire throttle. Meanwhile, the engine is mated to a precise and effortless 6-speed transmission, which only adds to the overall smoothness of the ride.