hello all, well, i recently passed my bike test, well, 5 days ago actually. im completely new to bikes of any sort...never ridden till i did my direct access. Anyway, today i took out a 2018 street twin on demo from my local dealer,for a couple of hours.a mate came along on his yamaha r1 just to keep me company.. i absolutely loved it. i've been researching etc for months, youtube videos have taken up a big portion of my life recently..lol. i passed my test on a kawasaki z650, so its the only bike i have ridden to compare the ST to. the triumph was by far the more comfortable, mature ,best sounding and relaxed ride. i have a few questions about the bike tho. 1. i see the bike has adjustable clutch,brake levers. what does it actually adjust? i assumed it would move the levers closer/further away from the handlebar grip for long/short fingers.. but the clutch lever didn't seem to move at all, but the biting point was within the last 2cm of lever travel. ? 2. im really loving the look of the matte black colour, but what are they like in the real world to look after? is it really any different from a gloss paint? 3.brakes..... now whilst they were adequate, they were nowhere near as good as the z650(it has twin discs). what is the easiest way to get a stronger bite...new pads/brake hoses?? 4. that's it.....everything else was spot on... i haven't ordered one yet, i promised my friend id try a yamaha mt07 next week..but i think in my heart, the street twin is the perfect match for me, my style of riding and for what i will use it for, and so easy for a new rider... trouble is i like alot of different styles of bike, but i cant have them all... has anyone had their street twin for a year or 2 and gotten bored of it? i doubt i would , but just wanted to ask.. Anyway, cheers for any input you can give... safe riding all... lee.
Cable adjusters take the slack out of the cable so you get maximum action but not so tight as to induce clutch slip (like riding the pedal in a car). The levers can also be adjusted for gape to better suit your hands. There is little practical difference in the care regime between Matt and Gloss finishes. You just use the appropriate product after the same wash! Brakes. These are not sports bikes so OEM brakes are ‘adequate’ rather than spectacular. Built down to a price rather than up to a specification. They can be upgraded with aftermarket discs and pads. Simples.......
I had a matte black Daytona, the best cleaner” not soap and water “ is brake cleaner believe it or not
I only used Halfords spray brake cleaner, it’s not corrosive, although I don’t know any that are. I had the bike three years and cleaned it every week, no paint was removed! The bike is for sale at Jack Lilly Romford if anyone wants to inspect it
No worries, the trouble with the mat paint even slight amounts of soap cause a shine, I’ve done it, whereas the brake cleaner evaporates as your removing the debris from your paint and I then rub over with a dry clean microfibre cloth. Job done
@Edbanger you really need some crap cheapie bikes under your belt as you probably won’t appreciate this one your after. Having bikes is like being in a sweet shop. It’s not like car buying where common sense rules mostly but it’s an aura your trying to get and live. As your very new to bike riding do you really know it’s this type you want to ride? It’s a lot of money if your not happy with that sort of ride!
And like it or not most of us learned to ride on older bikes and youre probably going to have more than one "off" in the porocess of learning to ride and learning what we really want and can live with ...... That can get very expensive with a new bike.
I am minded to agree. You could do a lot worse than cut your teeth on a £3k 650 Versys for 12 months while you refine your thoughts and skills about what you truly want from your wheels.
I have a new 2018 Street Twin and love it. Looking at your basic questions, the stock bike works great. Breaks are fine, plenty of power and torque. And the lever adjusters are so you can adjust due to the size of your hand. I have small hands and set to maximum.Works great. I also like the larger wind screen and bags. The larger screen makes the ride effortless. See my ride below.
Edbanger. Welcome to the Family. I won't add to your question as it has been covered well by all the peeps here and explained very well.. Just take it easy till your choice of bike talks to you then you will be ready. Regards Joe.
I also passed my test this year and I bought a Street Twin, I actually took delivery 7 weeks before I passed my test. Whilst I have nothing other than the Susuki SV650 on which I done my training to compare the ST to I love the Street Twin, plenty fast enough for me, stops okay, looks awesome, turns heads. That said I rode a Street Scrambler and prefer the riding position. There are some good deals to be had Jack Lilly Ashford had a couple new ST with over £1200 off, as you'll know an updated version is in the showrooms Feb (UK), given these are expected to be £500 or more more expensive, the deals could save you £1700-2000 over the cost of the updated version. Also if you like to tinker there are hundreds of accessories and mods you can do. I've done a fair amount of mods, seat, indicators, mirrors, saddlebag, blacked-out, the three best are new tyres, new shocks, raised handlebars, next year new paint, de-cat. Enjoy....
Some will disagree but having a newer bike with ABS brakes makes a world of difference the moment you have to have an emergency stop without having the experience under your belt. Id rather you spend more for safety features with the possibility of downing that bike than have someone brand new to riding try to "remember" what to do in a situation like that. Your bones and possibly life are worth more than the difference between a cheap learner bike and a more expensive learner bike equipped with ABS and Traction Control. Once you get more time you can upgrade to more power if you want but don't let anyone dissuade you from Safety based technology and the cost of it.
You are a lot less likely to bin a Street Twin than say a Z650. They are as easy to ride as a pushbike. ABS is a lifesaver whether you are a new rider or an old lag and traction control will save you if you hit a slippery ford unexpectedly! (Speaks experience) There are also a million mods you can do to a Street to make it your bike and different to everyone else's. Only problem - riding modern classic Triumph - beard oil, open face helmet, lumberjacket - compulsory.