VOL. 53 ISSUE 13 APRIL 5, 2016 P47
when you thumb the starter
button is decidedly stirring,
muscular even, in a traditional
kind of way. Although thanks
to the slipper clutch, there's
no need to blip the throttle on
downshifts, I repeatedly caught
myself doing so just to hear that
great-sounding exhaust note.
Thanks to the perfect primary
balance of the 270° crank, as
well as the twin counterbalanc-
ers, there's no hint of undue
vibration at any revs—in spite of
which this is an invigorating and
involving motorcycle to ride, not
a pseudo-electric one. It's pretty
torquey yet essentially a revver
thanks to the lighter crankshaft—
eager to build revs, yet depend-
able if you choose to ride the
torque curve. Unlike the T120,
duo are in retro terms—these
are essentially modern motor-
cycles wearing period dress,
an authentic blend of tradition
and topicality.
TWIST THE THROTTLE AND SMILE
There's nothing old-fashioned
about the Thruxton R's perfor-
mance—though the bark from
the Euro 4-compliant exhaust
