2023 Triumph Street Triple R & RS | Double Triple Threat | First Ride Review

When I got a call from Triumph asking me if I’d like to come down to Jerez and ride the all-new Street Triple RS on a MotoGP track, I’d be daft to decline such a unique opportunity. So without hesitation, I said Yes! And off I was on a 17-hour journey to Spain. For those who don’t know, I own a 2018 Street Triple RS and have done about 30k kilometres on it so far. It’s been nothing but happy miles as I’ve toured across most of South India and Rajasthan on my bike. Needless to say, I was thrilled for this opportunity to take the next iteration of my motorcycle to the track.

Verdict

Both the 2023 Street Triple R & RS are incredible motorcycles with more potential than most riders have the skill to extract. Despite that, I was impressed by how friendly and easygoing they can feel despite being absolute hooligans in the right hands. As much as I was impressed by both motorcycles, I had a few minor gripes to pick from. For starters, the windblast is something one simply cannot get used to, and I’d recommend any rider planning to tour or ride these motorcycles at triple-digit speeds to invest in a good windscreen. Secondly, the suspension on both these motorcycles is competent. Still, one requires the knowledge and dedication to extract the most out of them, whether in terms of comfort or performance.

I’d recommend watching a couple of Dave Moss videos or finding a well-educated mechanic with the knowledge to help you set up the suspension. Otherwise, the high-spec suspension is just wasted potential. Last but not least, if you were planning to buy the RS and ride it on the streets, I’d highly recommend a swap in tyres as the Pirelli’s are just too overqualified for our bad roads and would be a waste for them. Another gripe I have is with the new TFT on the RS. Sure, it’s more sophisticated than before, but it packs a lot more tech than it does functionality to me, and I found myself preferring the more straightforward setup on the R.

Again these aren’t primary deal breakers by any means and just me knit picking at a rather perfect motorcycle. The power is more than sufficient for our roads; in most cases, you’d hardly ever use more than 60% of it. These motorcycles are the best in their class and pose as bigger competition to each other as the rest fall short in some way. The Street Triple R & RS brew a perfect blend of performance and ergonomics, with the RS leaning towards performance and the R a bit more towards ergonomics.

However, after spending two days with these motorcycles, I’ve realised that as good as the RS has become, the R to me has come an even longer way. It exceeded my expectations and performed brilliantly, even when riding alongside the RS. As a Street Triple RS owner, if I had to walk into a Triumph dealership and pick another Street Triple, it would definitely be the R, mainly because I spend more time on the street than on the track. That being said, the R still packs tremendous potential and would very quickly give most litre-class motorcycles a run for their money on the track with a good set of tyres. I cannot wait to ride both these motorcycles once they’re launched back in India, and I intend to make a more detailed comparison between the current generation bike and my RS.