2023 Triumph Street Triple RS: Track Ride Review

The Visuals

Aesthetically, the Street Triple has always been more of a svelte athlete than a jacked-up bodybuilder, and this trait has intensified in the 2023 iteration. While the bug eye-like headlamp stays, it has been chiselled to look sharper. Also, the radiator cowl, fuel tank, and extensions have been redesigned to look sleeker and more aggressive. Adding to its minimalism is a tiny front cowl which replaces a taller windscreen while the tail gets a plastic cladding as standard. Amongst the three colour options it comes in, I couldn’t take my eyes off the new Cosmic Yellow shade which looks much more conspicuous than Silver Ice and Carnival Red.

The Package

The revisions in the new Street Triple RS go way beyond the skin. The most significant update has been executed in its 765cc, inline triple motor which now gets a more optimised combustion chamber, and increased compression ratio along with revised internals. The gear ratios and final drive have also been revised for punchier acceleration from the second gear onwards. As a result of these tweaks, the power and torque outputs have shot up to 129bhp and 80Nm, respectively.

On the hardware front, the 2023 Street Triple RS now comes equipped with top-notch Brembo Stylema calipers up front while the rear continues with the Brembo M50s. Moreover, Triumph has steepened the rake and raised the tail to make it more nimble and responsive.

Electronically, the RS has become more accomplished with the new customisable riding mode called 'Rider' which joins the preset Rain, Road, Sport, and Track modes. The throttle response and electronic intervention vary as per the selected mode, and in the Rain mode, the power delivery goes down to 99bhp with all the safety aids working in full swing. Other changes include the inclusion of cruise control, wheelie control (which works in tandem with TC), and better optimisation of traction control and cornering ABS for smoother and less intrusive functioning.

The rest of the bike largely remains untouched. It rides on 17-inch Marchesini wheels that are shod with Pirelli Supercorsa tyres and suspended by Showa big piston forks up front and Ohlins at the rear, both being fully adjustable. All the parameters of the bike can be monitored and tweaked on a five-inch TFT screen. Other features include heated grips, a bi-directional quick shifter as standard, and adjustable levers.

The Ride

As I rolled out of the pits, I could sense the bike’s welcoming character in terms of throttle response and steering feel. It is not intimidating if you want to go easy. But after a few warm-up laps, I started pushing, only to be greeted by the hooligan it beautifully masks. The Street Triple RS allows you to attack corners recklessly while maintaining sheer composure. Once tipped in, holding a desired line, adding more speed, or correcting your line are all surprisingly seamless. And at the exit, if you go gung-ho with the throttle, the front leaves the ground, drops back, and carries on — all without twitching whatsoever. Despite being a novice track rider, I could add more lean angle with every consecutive lap while being aware that I wasn't even close to the limit of its handling envelope.

Another mind-boggling characteristic of the RS is its sweet-sounding, addictive, and potent in-line triple motor. It is truly an engineering gem which not only feels smooth and tractable but can also unleash a ferocious beast when you want it to. In the first session, I started in Road mode, which offers slightly milder throttle response and more electronic intervention than most other modes, except for Rain. The initial laps saw me taking a lot of second- or third-gear corners in fourth or fifth cogs but the drive out of bends never felt lethargic. The torque delivery, even from 3,000rpm, is astonishing. On the straights, I could go as recklessly as touching 200kmph in fifth gear, without the engine feeling stressed.

I mustered all the courage in the second session and put the bike in Track mode which offers the least electronic intervention and sharpest throttle response amongst the other preset modes. It was only after scarily sliding my rear due to jerky throttle input while coming out of a tight corner that I realised Track mode is less forgiving than the Road mode. However, once I familiarised myself with it, I went on taking the corners in the right gear, redlining the engine at times, with noob wheelies being a bonus.

Complementing the wholesome motor is the slick and crisp quickshifter. Before every corner, the auto-blipper allowed me to stomp down the gears hastily without missing the shifts ever. And clutchless upshifting while picking up speed felt equally seamless.

Another star of the show was the Brembo brakes which offer unbelievably strong bite! I kept shocking myself in the initial laps by applying more pressure on the lever than needed. Eventually, as my judgement about the bite and feel improved, I could confidently brake way too late into the corners. Adding to its braking prowess were the Pirelli rubbers which, for me, delivered a level of grip and feedback that were far off my capabilities to find the limit of.

Triumph had set up the suspension of these test bikes specifically for track use, and this Ohlin-Showa combo felt remarkably taut and perfectly damped for the track. Even under profoundly hard braking, the nose dive was minimal and the setup never responded sloppily under clumsy acceleration or steering inputs.

The ergonomics, too, felt perfect for my 5’11’’ stature. The handlebar of the 2023 edition is 12mm wider which offers a more commanding riding position. Then, thanks to the long seat, sitting at the rear end of it to grip the tank wasn’t a task. Although 836mm saddle height allows for effortless saddling, Triumph has optional seat and suspension lowering provisions for shorter riders.

The only challenge was fighting the extreme wind blast which would rise to fatigue-inducing levels from as low as 120-130kmph of speeds. After a few minutes, this hurt my shoulder and arms quite a bit. Also, the layout of information visible on the TFT screen is slightly difficult to read. At times, I was struggling to spot the tachometer to see the revs I was riding at, due to its small font size and complicated placement. Moreover, if you’re a rider skilled enough to be wanting to ride the bike with ABS ‘completely off’, there’s no provision for that.

Conclusion

The Street Triple RS is a track-ready weapon straight out of the box. With fully-adjustable suspension and Pirelli Supercorsa tyres, it doesn't demand a trip to the garage before setting some hot laps. And the overall hardware package, especially the chassis, is engineered with utmost precision. You have to be doing something extremely foolish to upset it around corners. The engine, meanwhile, not only breaks all hell loose around fast circuits in experienced hands but it can also be amiable if the need be. One can enjoy all of this with the assurance that the electronics and Brembos have their back. Except for a few shortcomings like excessive windblast and illegible tachometer, the 2023 Street Triple RS was a dream to ride around Circuito De Jerez. Now, if Triumph can price the motorcycle under Rs 12 lakh (ex-showroom), its desirability will be unmatched. We’ll find that out soon.

Photography by Triumph