2016 TRIUMPH STREET TWIN
FIRST RIDE
P86
I suspect Wood & Co. wanted
to maximize low-speed pickup
and acceleration via some quite
aggressive engine mapping. For
while the single throttle body's
butterfly delivers a super-light
throttle action that's also untir-
ing, the quite brusque pickup
bordering on jerkiness from a
closed throttle in second gear is
the only real dynamic criticism
that I have of the Street Twin. It's
almost certainly a fuelling issue
that should be addressed-the
Ducati Scrambler has a similar
problem-especially if Triumph
produces the 48bhp A2 learner-
legal Euro-version of the bike
they're intending to develop as
the entry level model to its entire
range, after cancelling its 250cc
single that was going to be built
in India. There'll be some rela-
tively inexperienced riders who'll
be put off by this abrupt second
gear throttle pickup, while for the
more experienced, it just spoils
the otherwise smoothly respon-
sive nature of the new engine.
BANKING BENDS
The Street Twin's handling is
capable and confidence inspir-
ing, and much improved over
the outgoing model thanks to
its considerably tighter steering
geometry, and especially the
two-inch shorter wheelbase.
The low center of gravity helps
it ride bumps well on the angle,
and it's extremely agile in flicking
from side to side in a succes-
sion of curves, like on the road
from Dos Aguas to Millares
inland from Valencia. And in
spite of asking just a single
310mm front disc and 255mm
rear, each gripped by a twin-
piston Nissin caliper, to stop a
bike weighing 435 pounds dry
from relatively high speed, I can
confirm that the Street Twin's
braking package will do the busi-
ness when called upon to stop
in panic mode¾and the single
disc not only reduces cost and
speeds up the steering thanks
to a reduced gyroscopic effect,
it also enhances suspension
response, because of the reduc-
tion in unsprung weight.
Indeed, the biggest dynamic
improvement in handling terms
of the Street Twin over the old
cast-wheel Bonneville T100 is
in many ways in the suspen-
Black never goes out of style, does it?
There's plenty of bark from
those Euro 4-compliant mufflers.
