Speed Twin Eggy Pudding.

Yeah, I wonder the same thing myself. Back in the day when everything wasn't stupid expensive I would always get the best of everything but now ... I just bought OEM accessories for a long trip I am planning on my T-120, a full sized wind screen, two fancy Ace Cafe shirts and a comfort seat. These four items cost me a thousand US bucks! The seat that came on the T-120 was always the most comfortable seat I have used on a Triumph anyway. The new seat is perhaps a little more plush but not much of a difference. As for suspensions, I have never had a bad incident happen to me that I could attribute to a stock suspension (and I have spent many hours with a sanding block in hand sanding off my chicken strips, so I know about aggressive riding!) Plus, Gold? Who wants gold shocks and forks? If they don't come in black forget it. The one recent thing I have changed is when I replaced my Thruxton shocks with a pair of T-120's, just because I like for my feet to touch the road when I come to a stop. My sense of balance is good, but it's not that good! That's my two cents.

 

Many riders will willingly pay a premium for top brand names even though they will never get anywhere near the limit of "lesser" kit and that's fine, it's individual choice. Premium brand names sell bikes. Standard suspension on mass produced bikes it made for an average rider, of average size and weight. The only bike I had any real problems with was a GSXR1100 which I ended up having sorted by Maxton and they'll be my first port of call if I ever need suspension help. The Harris Magnum I built up in 1985 had suspension setup specifically for my 230lb bulk and as you'd expect, it handled like a dream. Setting a bike up for racing or track days will probably find weaknesses in standard suspension but track use is a completely different ball game. JMO

 

i upgraded the standard suspension on y 2022 speed twin 900 because im a portly chap and my mrs isnt as lithe as she was and i found 2 up it was terribly under damped and rises and dips in the road would result in several bounces before the shocks settled i tried upping the pre load to max but that just made it harsh .to be honest if i only ever rode on my own it wasnt to bad and i could have lived with it but thats not the case .i never went overboard on fancy names with remote gas canisters ect i stuck with traditional looking hagon 2820 rears black springs with stainless body and a pair of hagon progressive fork springs and im more than happy much more control fitted myself in under an hour (i have a centre stand ) and all under £500

 

I know this is an old thread but it seems like the best place for my questions. I have a 2023 (US) Speed Twin 1200 that I have about 1000 miles on - just broken in . I have a couple of questions based on this thread and some other reading.

1. I see fitment for Ohlins up to 2019 on their us site. Has anyone put them on a 2023?
2. I see references to using the rear shocks from the Thruxton but some think those are a few milimeters higher. Has anyone observed if it makes a real difference when standing at light? I could not find the Thruxton but the TR 923 shocks seem close though they are for the 2019 model.
3. Perhaps most important. People have said how much they improve the ride. Handling, comfort, ????

 

I went from TEC rear shocks to YSS and the adjustability range is just so much more for two up riding in particular.
Under damped rear rebound is quite wild at times, and whilst maybe not totally dangerous its certainly disconcerting mid bend.
Up front I have the YSS fork kit installed.
I didn't like the recommended 20w oil as the rebound damping, thats all the oil affects, felt excessive and numb. I removed that after a test ride and put my original gut instinct 10w in.

As a side note 10w, 20w etc is all misleading and far better to consider the centistokes values.
20w YSS oil is 99 cSt
10w Motul, that I used above is only 36 cSt if I recall correctly.

Remember nothing in suspension is cast in stone, weight, speed, personal preference all play a big part.

Additional confusion now enters due to Triumph changing the names to both models being speed twin; are we talking 900cc here or 1200cc?

 

I'm finding the rear shocks on my 2024 Speed Twin perfectly fine, but I only weigh just under 11 stone. I do have a pair of K-Tech rear shocks that I took off my wrecked 2018 Thruxton S that will be going on the Speed Twin, but that's just because I have them spare. K-Tech told me the shocks will fit and that they are the same shocks for both models and manufacturing years. They are on their shortest setting but are still about half an inch longer than the stock ones. The Speed Twin feels a tiny bit higher than my Thruxton did with the K-Techs and a low comnfort seat, so I'm hoping it won't make the seat height a problem. The K-Techs are set up for mey weight and I had them serviced as well, so will see if I notice any real difference.

 

A lot depends on how hard you ride it as well, but if relatively sedate, and at your weight, then they may be quite acceptable.

When pushing on, and two up, which puts us easily over twice your weight, the factory offerings are quite poor.

 

I'm still running it in but ride it quite hard, difficult to judge really. I don't ride 2 up though anymore and believe more weight would have a marked impact.

 

I could not use the best brakes I have had on the standard forks cos of the dive. Wallowing understeer braaaaping out of corners, using that great engine and nippy gearing. Went with K-Tech Trackers and Razors after a few months owning the bike. Properly damped kit (and springs for my weight...15st in my civvies for reference.)
You could tell the potential for having a sweet handling bike was there. Deffo Triumph skimped on the suspension. Feels now, like a supercharged Bros650 I used to have.
Also cannot afford to run it on RossoIII's (hilarious amounts of grip,) rear every 2k. Changed to Michelin Road5's, keep their shape better, decent mileage and not a great drop off in grip (feel) and run nearly recommended pressures.

 

I've had my K-Tech rear shocks on for a couple of hundred miles now, can't say I notice a big difference yet, feel the rear is a bit more settled, but that might just be the feel good factor in knowing they are there. I'm still running the Speed Twin in and have a dodgy wrist so taking things relatively easy.

 

Nothing stopping you, as I have done, retaining your old parts and when the time comes to sell then you offer it in two versions, with or without.
Either way, some expense is recovered and you've had a nicer ride previously

 

I find for solo, street riding the stock suspension is fine. If I was riding 2 up on my ST900 I would look into upgrading the front & rear.

On a lot of motorcycles that I've owned I've taken out whatever the stock fork springs are and installed linear springs based on my weight. Makes a big difference and I likely will do the same on this bike. I find that the rears for the way I ride can usually be made to work with the stock adjustment range.

As with most things motorcycle related, each to their own when it comes to some of this stuff.