British bikemaker Triumph takes on two big American marques – Harley-Davidson and Indian – with the Speedmaster. The motorcycle is based on the Bonneville Bobber, however, unlike the Bobber it is a traditional cruiser and features curved back handlebars and forward-set pegs for a comfortable riding posture. Thanks to this and its twin-cylinder, 1,200cc motor, it locks horns with the Harley-Davidson 1200 Custom and the Indian Scout. Let’s see how the three cruisers fare on paper.
DESIGN & FEATURES
All three cruisers take a different approach in terms of styling; the Speedmaster carries its own distinct identity (just like the Bobber) despite the more traditional flavour it exudes. The proportions are spot-on and it has a lot of chrome. Then there is the 1200 Custom from Harley, it has classic styling with a good mix of black and chrome finish all over the bike. The 1200 Custom also features a retro-looking graphic on the tank. The Scout is a classic cruiser. From its shape to the chrome treatment, there’s no mistaking its traditional cruiser soul. The tapering down of the design as you move rearwards is inspired from the Scouts of the 1920s.
All three motorcycle feature single-pod, digi-analogue instrument clusters. The analogue gauge displays the speed while the smaller digital screen shows a variety of information. The Speedmaster has a far more informative screen that displays info like the odometer, trip metre, gear position indicator, fuel gauge, distance-to-empty, service indicator, current and average fuel consumption and traction control settings. The screens on both, the Harley and Indian, only display basic information like an odometer, trip metre, low fuel light and other warning lights. Talking about electronics, the Speedmaster features two power modes (Road and Rain), traction control, ride-by-wire, and is also the first Bonneville motorcycle to get cruise control. All three bikes come equipped with ABS.
ENGINE & TRANSMISSION
The Triumph Speedmaster is powered by a parallel-twin motor while the Indian and Harley use a V-twin motor. All three motorcycle engines are fuel-injected though the Triumph is the one with the most torque.
Even though all three motorcycles are on par in terms of capacity and output figures (Harley-Davidson doesn’t reveal peak power), the six-speed gearbox on the Triumph should aid its highway cruising ability. The 1200 Custom and Scout use a five-speed gearbox that is belt-driven, while the six-speed unit on the Speedmaster is chain driven.
PRICE & DEALER NETWORK
The recently launched Triumph Bonneville Speedmaster is priced at Rs 11.12 lakh (ex-showroom, India), which puts it in between the Harley and the Indian. The Harley-Davidson 1200 Custom is the most affordable of the three, with a price tag of Rs 9.79 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). The Indian Scout is currently priced at around Rs 14 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) however; this price is set to fall thanks to the revision in CBU import duties. On paper, it’s the Harley that looks to be the most value-for-money but, the Triumph does offer a lot more tech, such as rider modes, cruise control and traction control, for a slight premium.
In terms of dealer network, Harley-Davidson and Triumph have 13 dealerships across the country while Indian only has nine.
Vishal Venugopal
Ved Janve
Azaman Chothia
