The Triumph Speed Triple turns 31 this year. In those three-plus decades, it has evolved in leaps and bounds and built an unrivaled cult following. Scores of riders love it for its unapologetic looks, sharp handling, and characterful triple-cylinder engine—this writer included.
The new Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RS takes everything good about the newest incarnation of the Speed Triple and cranks it up another notch. Visually, there’s not much to distinguish the 2025 Speed Triple 1200 RS from the outgoing model—but although the updates are subtle, they’re also impactful.
To be fair, last year’s Speed Triple hardly needed a refresh. First released in 2021, it boasted a new 1,160 cc engine and a lightweight, razor-sharp build that made it handle better than bikes half its weight. For 2025, Triumph has simply tweaked its existing formula to tick the few boxes that were still empty.
The Speed Triple’s revised triple-cylinder engine maintains its 1,160 cc capacity, but it now ekes out 3 PS and 3 Nm more, bringing its output to 183 PS [180,5 hp] and 128 Nm. Torque peaks slightly lower than before, at 8,750 rpm. Going deeper, Triumph changed their dynamic crankshaft balancing method, to refine the already responsive motor even further.
The bike gets a new free-flowing exhaust system too, with a burly Akrapovič silencer available as an optional extra. The aftermarket can comes with a carbon fiber end cap and a titanium bracket.
The biggest, and most welcomed, addition to the 2025 Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RS is its new Öhlins SmartEC3 semi-active electronic suspension. Utilizing the clumsily-named Öhlins Objective Based Tuning Interface, it monitors and adjusts the front and rear suspension’s damping characteristics in real-time, continually adapting to the road conditions and your riding style.
It sounds like snake oil, but I can report from personal experience that’s the real deal. I’ve sampled the café racer-styled Speed Triple 1200 RR, which uses the previous version of the Öhlins system, and it works eerily well, creating a magic carpet-like feel, particularly under hard cornering. The fact that Triumph has transferred this tech to the Speed Triple 1200 RS is a fantastic omen.
The system can be fine-tuned via the Speed Triple’s TFT display, which sports a new electronics package for 2025. The full list includes cornering ABS and traction control, switchable rider modes, a quick-shifter, cruise control, a Bluetooth connectivity suite, plus fully adjustable front wheel lift, engine braking control, and brake slide assist systems (some of which are only available in track mode).
The new Speed Triple 1200 RS also sports wider and higher handlebars, a steering damper, and an updated top yoke to accommodate those changes. Brembo Stylema calipers and Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP V3 tires help keep things in check, while a new Lithium-ion battery helps shave weight. Regardless, the new Speed Triple weighs a kilo more than before, clocking in at a still respectable 199 kg [438.7 lbs].
If you’re already a fan of the outgoing Speed Triple’s often-polarizing aesthetic, rest assured that the new model looks just as wild. Triumph has retained the sharp insectoid twin headlight and sculpted bodywork, refining the overall look with a new rear cowl. A low-slung exhaust, sporty alloy hoops, and a gorgeous single-sided swingarm stylishly complement the bike’s signature twin-spar frame.
The fact that the Speed Triple helped define the streetfighter genre is clearly not lost on Triumph’s designers—nor their engineers. This new iteration of the marque’s beloved hooligan machine hits every note, making it the motorcycle that I’m most excited to ride in 2025.
Source: Triumph Motorcycles
