Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127978
Riding Impression 1999 Triumph Speed Triple (Left) Shenanigans and antics are all part of the repertoire of 1999 Triumph Speed Triple. Sure, you can be a demon on any bike, but It probably won't be as fun. (Above) The '99 Speed Triple has stili got the look, thanks to the huge makeover that the 1998 model received. The blk~'s ovalized-alumlnum Daytona-knockoff chassis utilizes the engine as a stressed member for weight savings. By Scott Rousseau Photos by Kinney Jones f ever there was a motorcycle that was designed for the single-handed dastardly purpose of perpetrating heinously horrifying acts of highway menace by motorcycling's mischievous malcontents, then this is it. Why, this III thing could scare the devil ou t of a I!II Hell's Angel, for goodness' sake. What was Triumph thinking? ~ Whatever it was, all we can say is: Q n\ank you. Thank you very much. • Our last excursion aboard Triumph's §! answer to the high-performance naked _ bike came around 1996, and while that ... version won the approval of our staff, it ~ wa hardly an unforgettable experience. Swept into the streetfighter craze that il began to run rampant on the cobble... stones of Europe soon after, Triumph 20 offered up a retooled version of the II I Ii II 2 I machine for the '98 model year. With its new, ovalized, Daytona-inspired cha sis, single-sided swingarm and funkylooking frame-mounted dual headlights, the T509 Speed Triple, as it was then badged, was a real looker, and handling was greatly improved. Yet the speed in the Speed Triple was noticeably ab ent, as Triumph elected to stay with the detuned version of the Daytona engine. But hey, at least the T509 sported electronic fuel injection, Signaling that the British motorcycle firm was stepping forward with the model. Well, guess what? The '99 version of the Triumph Speed Triple is a quantum leap in the right direction. The T509 prefix has been left belUnd, but thank to a new incarnation of Triumph's snarling, DOHC three-cylinder powerplant, this year's Speed Triple offers the type of tire-smokin', wheelie-pullin', doughnutspinnin' performance that exceed the bounds of good taste in the politically correct '90s. Thank God, then, that the '90s are almost over, because for $10,195 you can have an apocalyptic musclebike for the 21st century. You can credit most of the step-up in performance to the heart of the beast. The aluminum, liquid-cooled, fuelinjected tri-cylinder motor boast a 70cc increase in capacity, bringing it on par with Triumph's headlining sporty, the 955i Daytona - at least in terms of displacement - thanks to a bore that is 3mm larger than the T509's 76mm holes. Stroke remains 65mm. And the Speed Triple has again been subject to a bit of retuning to set it apart from the 955i, and far ahead of the old T509. Although the cylinder liners are steel instead of coated aluminum such as those found on the 955i, the Speed Triple does benefit from slightly higher-compression pistons and revised camshafts, as well as a remapped engine system that significantly boosts tile midrllnge power and flattens the torque curve. The cylinderhead porting specs were engineered by Lotus. Triumph's numbers indicate that the new Speed Triple outputs 108 bhp at 9200 rpm with a peak torque figure of 72 ft.-Ibs. of torque at 5800 rpm. By way of comparison, the T509 version offered up 2 less bhp and 9 fewer ft.-lbs. of torque at those same engine speeds. Just upstream from the intake tracts, the Speed Triple also features updated throttle bodies, which now utilize 5degree butterflies instead of the old 12degree units. The change was made to improve throttle precision and response at smaller openings, thus enhancing low-speed riding. This change, along witl\ the revised engine management, is said to improve fuel economy. Triumph also sought to improve idle quality by adding a new stepper motor to the air-bypass system. According to Triumph, the new system eliminates hunting at idle. In order to satisfy the cooling requirement of the new engine, a new, increased-capacity radiator is housed in front of the Speed Triple's cylinder bank. It has al 0 been made narrower to reduce the frontal profile, thus cutting down on wind resistance. Also fitted to the new engine is a n~w et of header pipes. The further that you move away from the engine, the fewer changes you will find, as the aluminum-alloy perimeter chassis that was found on the T509 remains in place, albeit with a new gunmetal finished that ha been applied for improved looks. The chassis uses the engine as a stressed member to reduce weight significantly; the weight of the tubes is a mere 26 pounds. The airbox housed in that chassis has also been redesigned and is now constructed of components that-have been screwed together rather than welded, to improve quality and ea e of maintenance. The new Speed Triple sports rerouted electrical wiring, to simplify diagnostics and maintenance. The Speed Triple's brakes, wheels, tires and suspension remain un.changed but have been speed to hold up to the bike's abundant power output. In front, Triumph offers up the Speed Triple with