Triumph Thruxton R review, test ride

The new Thruxton R looks like a cross between a classic café racer and a modern sportbike. But does it really offer the best of both worlds? We find out…

Published on Mar 14, 2016 09:45:00 AM

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And even when you need to bring it to a stop, the twin 310mm floating discs with Brembo four-piston monobloc calipers combined with a single 220mm with a Nissin caliper do a fantastic job. My only concern was that the initial bit from the front Brembos was a bit vague, but as you clamp down further on the lever, there is plenty of braking force available. You also get ABS which works quite well and can even be switched off if you find yourself on a race track.

The other concern that I had with the Thruxton R has to do with the riding position. Don’t get me wrong, it’s quite comfortable and not stupidly aggressive. But under braking, it was almost impossible for me to grip the tank with my knees unless I slid all the way back in the seat and got on my tip toes on the pegs. All the Indian journalists (of varying heights and weights) faced the same problem on this ride. So I think this is one compromise where style (of the tank design) seems to have overcome practical considerations.

Chequered flag

In a time when classic-designed motorcycles are making a serious comeback, Triumph seems to have poised itself to be at the head of this movement. The entire new Bonneville range is rather special and the Thruxton R, especially so. It offers oodles of old-world charm, performance and handling that’ll even put a few modern sportsbikes to shame, and also endless customisation options. Triumph hasn’t announced pricing for the bike yet, but we expect it to be somewhere around the Rs 10.50 lakh mark. Does that make this bike good value for the performance it offers? Of course not! But you can’t just look at the Thruxton R through purely practical glasses. What it is, is a big heart decision with a big dose of speed and fun as a reward.

Priyadarshan Bawikar