Triumph Sprint RS

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0><script> (function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){ (i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o), m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m) })(window,document,'script','//www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js','ga'); ga('create', 'UA-47423994-1', 'fortunecity.ws'); ga('send', 'pageview'); </script> <center> <br> <div> <script language="javascript" type="text/javascript" src="http://ad.broadcaststation.net/ads/show_ad.php?width=728&height=90"></script> </div> </center> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=168 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" background="128a11c3.gif"> <div> back to  <A HREF="id38.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sports Bikes"><U><B>Sports Bikes</B></U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#99CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Motorbikesforall.Com</B></FONT>     <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#CCCC66" FACE="Arial" >|   <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Motorbikesforall.Com"><U><B>home</B></U></A></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id55.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="R1 GSX750"><U>R1 & GSX750</U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id56.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Ducati 748"><U>Ducati 748</U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id57.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Aprilia Falco"><U>Aprilia Falco</U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id58.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Kawasaki ZX9R"><U>Kawasaki ZX9R</U></A><B>   |   </B><B>Triumph Sprint RS</B><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id81.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Triumph TT600 "><U>Triumph TT600 </U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id77.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Triumph Daytona"><U>Triumph Daytona</U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id76.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Speed Triple"><U>Speed Triple</U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id75.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Triumph Trophy"><U>Triumph Trophy</U></A></div> <div> <IMG SRC="127f4010.gif" border=0 width="500" height="1" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Triumph Sprint RS</div> <div>  </div> <div>  </div> <div>   </div> <div>   </div> <div>   </div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div>  <IMG SRC="325b5880.jpg" border=0 width="181" height="136" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">                 <IMG SRC="29ec8850.jpg" border=0 width="200" height="133" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div>   </div> <div>  </div> <div>    </div> <div>  </div> <div> There comes a point when all manufacturers decide to take a perfectly successful bike and change it into something to fill marketing mans niche. Honda have done it with the Super Blackbird and called it the X11. Ducati have done it with the 900SS and called it the ST2. Anyone can take a successful sports bike and turn it into a mutant sports tourer, muscle bike or cruiser. But it doesn't mean it will be any better than the donor bike it comes from?</div> <bR> <div> So where does Triumph's Sprint RS come into this pattern? Well, it's based on the 955 motor found in a lot of the range. This is always going to happen with a manufacturer who has a modular concept. There is nothing wrong with this per se. It makes good business sense to have one motor and chassis and just change the tune, suspension and styling. But it all starts to go wrong when you make bikes just for the sake of something different. And this is where the RS fits in. </div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div>  </div> <div> Triumph has a perfectly good sports bike in the 955 Daytona. It has arguably the best big cc sports tourer ever built in the Sprint ST. It has capable custom bike and trails bikes, so where the hell does a half faired, wide barred, short geared, all rounder fit in? It doesn't. The Sprint RS is a jack of all trades and masters none of them. </div> <bR> <div> From the moment you get on it you start to make comparisons with other bikes in the range. Wide bars from the old Sprint, fairing like the ST, engine like the Speed Triple, styling like, er, nothing else. Your overriding impression is of a bike that is good in a few areas but average on all others. Take the engine for instance. It's got poke, grunt and good acceleration, but it's let down by some really basic flaws. It seems that the first three gears are close together to get away from the lights quickly. Fine, but the selector can't keep up. Go for it and you will be frustrated by missed gears and bouncing rev limters as you try and get away. </div> <bR> <div>  </div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div>  <IMG SRC="32821c10.jpg" border=0 width="289" height="193" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">                 <IMG SRC="32986c90.jpg" border=0 width="134" height="201" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">   <IMG SRC="32b30ca0.jpg" border=0 width="304" height="202" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> You can lose count how many times you stab at the lever to try and select the next ratio. There is nothing wrong with the gear selection itself, it's fine at lower revs and when you're taking your time, it's when you want to get a hurry on that it can't keep pace. Gear selection aside, the engine pulls in a truly triple way. There is good V twin type torque in the mid-range and lots of power up top. This makes the triple the ideal road engine by having the best of both worlds. Having a lazy day? Then just short shift your way to top and use the torque to pull you through.</div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="152" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 16 WIDTH="148"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="16" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="148" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> Watched some racing on the telly and feel like your hero? Thrash it to redline and ride it hard with the power on tap. Once the speed increases you do notice that the half faring isn't quiet as good as it might seem. Get over 90mph and the windblast gets a little annoying as it hits you in the upper body. The lack of lowers only serves to make the engine dirty. Yeah, so you can see the most part of the motor if that's your thing, but it's not the nicest. The gearbox looks too big and there are no fins - just pipes around the front for the radiator. Exposed engines need to be air-cooled, or at least free of pipe work. </div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="202" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 16 WIDTH="198"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="16" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="198" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> The clutch on this example was very stiff and will remind you of early tuned Z900 engines, or the GS1000, as you will need the arms of a gorilla to keep slipping it in town. Getting the bike out on the open road, or twisty road for that matter, will have you winding the speed up on the straights and hauling it back down again for the corners. Getting on the brakes to scrub speed lets you use the good stoppers - to a point.</div> <div> Like the engine, they work out just fine until you really want to use them hard. You get very good bite initially, but they fade off, and the harder you grab the lever, the less effective they feel. The problem is even worse in the wet, with the lack of feel leaving you wondering how much more you dare use. It seems like a new compound of pad is needed to get the very best from the calipers and discs.</div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="800" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 317 WIDTH="481"><div> With braking done and dusted the next job is getting the bike turned, and the wide bars help you to get the bike into the corner with the least amount of effort, thanks to the bigger leverage. Once leant over the suspension feels fine, giving good feedback from the rear although the front is set a little on the soft side for better comfort. Back with white-faced dials and LCD readout for the speedo, as seems to be the trend nowadays, the clocks try to give a sporty feel to a bike which is essentially a big tourer. </div> <div> Take the bike for a long drive, a combination of fast roads, sweepers, tight turns and motorway and you will come back confused and frustrated. It feels a little too big and heavy in the slow stuff. Too soft and comfy in the fast stuff and a little too uncomfortable thanks to the wind blast in the touring stuff. The Speed Triple is the bike to buy if you want muscle and image. The Sprint ST is the bike to buy if you want the best all rounder and good touring tool. Buy the 955I if you want to go fast and have a good handling machine. </div> <div> Buy the Sprint RS if you really don't know what you want and are as confused as Triumph as to what the bike was designed for. </div> <bR> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="308"><bR> <div> <IMG SRC="2a6c82a0.jpg" border=0 width="200" height="298" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div>  </div> <bR> <div>  </div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="2a72ce40.jpg" border=0 width="300" height="228" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <B>Engine:</B> Liquid-cooled, DOHC, triple-cylinder</div> <div> <B>Bore x stroke:</B> 79 x 65mm </div> <div> <B>Displacement: </B>955cc</div> <div> <B>Compression ratio:</B> 11.2:1</div> <div> <B>Fuel Delivery: </B>Fuel injection </div> <div> <B>Max power:</B> 108bhp @ 9,200 rpm</div> <div> <B>Max torque:</B> 72ft-lb @ 6,200 rpm </div> <div> <B>Final Drive:</B> O ring chain </div> <div> <B>Gear Box:</B> 6 speed </div> <div> <B>Wheelbase:</B> 1470mm (57.9in) </div> <div> <B>Seat height: </B>805mm (31.7in) </div> <div> <B>Rake/Trail:</B> 24.5¤/89mm </div> <div> <B>Frame:</B> Twin spar beam </div> <div> <B>Fuel capacity:</B> 21 litres (4.6 gal UK) </div> <div> <B>Tyres:</B> </div> <div> <B>Front</B> - 120/70 x 17</div> <div> <B>Rear</B> - 180/55 R 17</div> <div> <B>Suspension:</B> </div> <div> <B>Front</B> - 43mm cartridge forks with adjustable preload, compression and rebound damping</div> <div> <B>Rear</B> - Showa Monoshock with adjustable preload, compression and rebound damping</div> <div> <B>Brakes:</B> </div> <div> <B>Front</B> - Single 320mm discs, 4 piston calipers </div> <div> <B>Rear</B> - Single 255mm disc, single piston caliper </div> <div> <B>Dry weight:</B> 199kg (438lb)</div> <div> <B>Colours:</B> Orange/Yellow/Blue </div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>