Hi,

Litte off topic but i'll add my comparison of BB to Speed Twin 1200.
After riding 30 000 km with two summers with BB, went to 30k service and never brought it back. Got offer for trade in and for speed twin.
After riding first 1000 km with speed twin, here are my initial feelings feelings:
*) BB appearance i like a lot more
(and basically only good point of bobber)
*) BB engine is like a tractor, compared to speed twin. When accelerating, BB is like towing something, speed twin is like flying with ease compared to it.
*) BB shocks on not ideal road try to shake bike and you apart … on speed twin standard shocks these roads are not problematic anymore.
*) Speed twin riding position is more relaxed than BB.
*) Speed twin barakes are so much better, but probably lightweight front rim and -45kg less total weight play the role here.
(During 30k service and between speed twin arriving dealer gave me standard bobber, i almost crashed it into front car. Standard bobber brakes were unexpectedly so much worse than BB. Currently BB -> speed twin feels same way)

The only bad design of speed twin is that it's missing rear swing arm splash guard. Wet road will throw up all road dirt: back seat, jacket and even reaches helmet. BB never had such problems.

Who drives a lot, speed twin is much comfortable choice, a good touring bike.

I will return back to bobber if they fix shocks design, use more aluminum making it lighter(<= 210 kg) and add 1200HP version engine option.
1200 HP engine so much responsive and SMOOTHER.

My final personal opinion is: speed twin is a way better in all aspects other than appearance

A lot of bikes are so much better than the Bobber in the handling department.....especially suspension and braking.The engine has a lot of torque, but is meant to be used in a relaxed way I find.
Looks-wise and feel good factor while riding the Bobber are hard to beat , though.

Personally I found the speed twin to be too small and cramped, but still a lovely bike. Definitely not a tourer, though.

I definitely wish the Bobber were about 30-40 lbs lighter..

675 I agree with almost all of your observations, on my speedytwin I have fitted adjustable footpegs , for distance seat could be improved & I am going to move the H/bars 1"higher & 1" further back.
E is correct it does feel small, but is very nimble, capable of some pretty spirited riding.

I rode the Speedtwin on a long test ride earlier this year. I didn't like it. The front end felt odd to me, and I was disappointed. I had ridden a Thruxton R which I loved and hoped the Speedtwin would be a bit like that, but it was harder on the wrists... given more money, my Speedmaster would have a Thruxton R as a garage mate...

With first week i rode 1000km, can't distinguish front end odd. Normal bobber feels not firm as BB, BB can handle crazy high speed curves.

Only thing i forgot to say comparison, with speed twin you sit very high compared to bobber. I have Jeep and Volvo sedan, speed twin like sitting in Jeep, while BB was like sitting in Volvo.

I had a speed twin for a day. It's probably better in a specification and numbers way, but I found it a bit bland and boring. I only had it for a day, as I said, so perhaps I needed to push it a bit more or needed to spend more time with it to get the full benefit.


The looks don't really do anything for me either. It just looks like another in Triumph's long line of identikit retro bikes, bonniville, street twin, street scrambler etc.


I had a Thruxton for the day the week before and, like Guzzilazz, thought that was a much more enjoyable bike than the Speed Twin.

WTF Triumph makes bikes that have better performance and are more practical than the Bobber! Holy crap you'll be telling me next that they make 'em with better brakes too...oh you have!!!

Joking a part, I love the Bobber because it's more FUN than it's got any right to be. It's not for everyone I get that but it's like the old saying if you have to ask you wouldn't understand.

Good luck with the Speed Twin, I'm sure it'll be awesome but be careful next time you take it into the shop. If they give you a Street Triple lone bike you might be swapping once again as that IMHO beats the Speed Twin in every measurable way.

Speed Triple R = amazing.
But the BMW s1000r has it beaten in every conceivable way.
However performance aside, The triple engine has something (character?) that the inline 4 is missing. But oh my is the 1000r good ! Made my K1200r feel like a lethargic elephant...despite the K being a VERY fast bike.

I had Daytona 675 (rode 40 000 km with it), i don't like high reving bikes any more, getting older and like classic look and feel.
I considered BMW, but less classic look and i don't like boxer engine(i had several solo Urals).