Featured 765 It's Here!

Okay, a bit of an update for this week, then...

I popped up to Motorcycles Live at the NEC with a mate on Tuesday. I was interested to learn whether there would be anything there that might make me think there was a better bike for me than the Street Triple. There were certainly some amazing bikes, but nothing that made me question my decision to stick with Triumph. Came away with a discounted Abba stand too!

Late in the day I got a call to say that my bike would be ready to collect the next day (Wednesday), which was a day earlier than we'd planned. It transpired that I didn't actually ride it away from the dealership until about 5.30, as they were having problems seeing the bank transfer that I'd made the previous evening. That meant an immediate two miles of filtering in the dark and in very hairy traffic as a first ride, but in any event I got it home safely and have put some miles on it today. Tomorrow morning I'll be riding out to Chesham, where it'll get an ACF-50 treatment.

First thoughts? Well, it's definitely a more aggressive riding position than the Twin, but I'm already getting used to it and I'm not feeling any strain at all on my wrists. I'd also say that it's much more unforgiving, in that if you get anything wrong (particularly with the throttle) you certainly know about it. It's probably a good thing that I'm limited to 5000 rpm for the first 300 miles, and then 6000 rpm for the next 300. It produces peak torque somewhat higher than that, so by the time i get to test that I'll be properly used to the handling.

Anyway, I love the bike, and whilst giving up the retro loveliness of the Twin caused a pang or two, I'm certain that it would have happened sooner or later, and sooner was a whole lot cheaper. And I LOVE the Triple.
Some quick and dirties from my iPhone...









There are a few upgrades/extras that I'm thinking about now, including a Yoshimura exhaust (they sound fantastic, and the baffle pops out very easily). However, for now I had the following bits fitted before I picked it up:

Flyscreen



Frame protectors





Heated grips



Paddock stand bobbins (now somewhat redundant, having bought an Abba stand!)



And a tail tidy (which I had shortened a bit, and to which I've fitted a small show plate)

 

Yes, the motor is a beauty. Thank you

 

Cheers Andy!

 

Thank you

 

Thanks very much

 

Cheers

 

The SC Project is very much on my radar, Rich, as is the belly pan (in red). I’m not sure that I want the quickshifter right now, but I expect at some stage it’ll get added.

 

So, I rode out to Chesham today for my local AYB rep to give the bike an ACF-50 treatment... about 25 miles each way, although sadly the weather was pretty grotty. Anyway, I learnt two things.

Firstly, if you wear laced boots on the bike, ALWAYS tie a double knot, FFS. I went to put my right foot down after realising I'd stopped at a roundabout in 2nd gear, and found that the lace had loosened and wrapped itself around the brake lever. It was sheer luck that I had enough play in it to put my foot down but for a moment I was pretty sure that the bike was going over, with my leg trapped underneath it. A simple lesson, but an important one - it could so easily have been a different story.

Secondly, I realised something about the relative characteristics of the Twin and Triple after I got back home. Because I'm running the Triple in, I'm restricted to 5000rpm which will get me to 60mph on a flat road in 6th gear. Despite that, it seemed to just eat up the miles - I can't think of another way to put it. On the Twin, I always felt that on motorways and fast A roads it was being taken out of its comfort zone. Somehow, it was a bit of a strain, and only really felt "right" when I was back on slower roads, or poodling along in traffic.

The two bikes really couldn't be more different, and I'm finding it fascinating!

 

Good point

 

I'd have loved to keep both, Rich, if I could. That said, I think the stock tyres on the Twin are sh*te!

BTW, I watched the vid in your signature - superb!

 

Thank you!