Can you believe what you read? (Triumph Speed Four)

Member Name: Roni

Product:	Triumph Speed Four
Date:	01/06/09 (85 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Handling with performace that will embarrass bigger capacity bikes

Disadvantages: Fueling and would be nice to have a fuel gauge

I've owned my blue 06' S4 for 6 months now and have covered a fair distance. With everything from weekly 2 + hour rides down the motorway, to a good hour scratching around on A & B roads on countless occasions.

These reviews to a large degree helped me decide it was the bike for me. Primarily because I wanted to buy from a private seller and most of the reviews are glowing. After shopping about I found a typical saving of about 33% verses a dealer. (I paid just over 2k for mine)

In my experience I've found it to be a lovely piece of kit and quite the weapon when wound up for what it is. Sure a big gixer would wipe the floor with it in a straight line. In the real world though, on the roads it does more than I dare ask of it in most situations. Added to which, I wanted something a bit different than the masses have. The handling is the best I've ever come across, it's really confidence boosting and doesn't punish you if you go in a bit hot.

However, I would not agree with some of the reports of faultlessness. It does run hot; this hasn't caused any real problems. The fuelling is really not great below 3k rpm, wanting to be heard on the motorway I fitted a triumph race can. This predictably made the fuelling slightly worse. Conversely, it does sound awesome - even gets a nod from the screaming eagle folk. I'm prepared to look like a bit of a novice kangarooing around town for the slight increase in middle range power and noise / feeling of safety on the motorway.

I wouldn't recommend this bike if you lived in a city and didn't plan to ride out much though. With the clip on bars and slightly heavy clutch it would get uncomfortable fairly quickly, you then start noticing things like the heat. At this point it occurs to you that the bike is definitely made for the open road. When the road does allow, the bike is genuinely 'in a class of it's own' you can believe that much.

Without a fairing you get satisfaction out of relatively much lower speeds and this can only be a good thing for the road, surely. Having said that, I've not had any problems with wind or buffeting from traffic at 3 figure speeds (on the track obviously).

Changing up under hard acceleration does require a bit of clutch, even when backing off a fraction to help it in the lower gears. Again though, for me this wouldn't be a deal breaker if I was still looking to buy one and discovered it. Mainly because everything else positive that I've experience has been as I'd read or hoped.

Summary: I'd buy one again and not because I have one and feel I have to say that.

Processing/Quality:
Reliability:
Driving comfort:
on skiddy terrain:
on dry terrain: