It's a shame you didn't get a suspension set up done when you had your STR, it's made a big difference to mine! They're set up for pillion use out of the box, that why in the owners manual it says too just adjust the shock dampening and not the pre-load (spring) unlike Honda when carrying a pillion meaning they are are a bit stiff and bouncy in stock setting! I'm 14st with my gear on so if you are say 9 or 10st it would be a problem! Saying all that I still love my STR warts and all
I'm gonna get my springs changed out at some point as its a compromise just now. The rear shock is set as a weird rising rate which means if you are too heavy then when it compresses it literally fires you back out of the seat. Flux plates change this a little for the better but the spring needs swapping for a heavier one as I don't take a pillion anyway. Fork springs need lightening though. Strange way to set up a bike eh? One end under damped and one end over damped!
I didn't have the R model; and I mean left/right balance rather than forwards/backwards balance. I can ride the blade without hands and sit upright, couldn't do it on the stripple it wanted to fall over.
Ah I see! Well you know I'm gonna have to try that out tomorrow! The Blade done have amazing balance everywhere but especially in slow traffic creeping along with feet up only touching when you actually stop.
Just draggin' this thread back up for winter... Had a demo on a 16 plate street triple today...what a hoot ! Cracking chassis and handling, lovely balance too. Easy to hustle around, not so easy keeping it legal More than makes up for the slight lack of grunt (compared to the MT 09) as the suspension is that much better... Still thinking about keeping my blade and going for an older triple R but might have to find an MT 10 to try, see if it's any sort of middle ground.
Hi MPJ, I know this is stating the obvious, but we all have different criteria for what we want in a bike. I traded my Blade in for a 2016 Street Triple R. I can not praise that bike enough, it is all you said plus a little bit more. So easy to ride and handles really well. It also goes way past legal speeds and is so easy for everyday use as well as a thrash. Unfortunately for me, after riding it for 1300 odd miles I started to realise I had not been enjoying my rides so much. I was missing the adrenaline of the acceleration and torque of a litre bike. I only got rid of the Blade because of my aches and pains,mainly wrist and arms. The Triple solved that, but it just did not give me that buzz. I think if you are used to litre bikes and then go downwards in power it takes a little bit of adjusting. If I had still had a Litre bike I would have kept the Street and probably ridden it regularly. I did not want to run two bikes though, so I decided to go for something upright but with much more torque, hence I bought a Tuono 1100. I now have the fear back in my life ! So that is my experience for what it is worth. 2017's Street is going to have a bigger engine and it will be interesting to see what that is like.
Thanks exfire, good to hear your experiences. My criteria for a 2nd bike was just to get something fun for around 4k, something not too precious to use in the darker days. I live in the sticks and don't want to punish my blade riding it through the muck and smeggy roads. Also good to keep biking out of the summer months to keep my hand in, I'm still a rookie biker. Love the Tuono, the factory looks bonkers ! I feel the same...don't want to lose that litre bike buzz. I could forget the 2nd bike idea and chop the blade in for a newer bike (mine is an 09) and do some "light" mods to sharpen it up. Or wait a bit till the newer R1s drop to around 10k ish as I have tried one of those and they are epic ! Hence the MT 10 idea, maybe best of both worlds...?
I on the other hand have been a litre rider for almost 20 years inc the 5JJ R1, K3 & K5 Gixer 1000's, 01 Mille R and RR9 Blade and I never thought I'd see myself back on a 600 but I am blown away everytime I ride my 675R. It does all I want. Got it's first MOT this week and I giggle every time I get out on it. Would I have another litre? Yeah, when I feel it's time for a change, then I'll make my choice but for now I'm loving it.
@ MPJ , I live in the sticks as well and ride all year so know what you mean. I have to wrap up a bit more on a naked in the winter and get buffetted around more on windy days. Sports bikes may be a bit too much for my wrists but they are more comfortable in other ways. My Tuono does not like cross winds, something I never had such a problem with on sports bikes. The Tuono has been out in all the mud and wet over the last three weeks, just had two days out on dry roads for a change.
i had a go on one of the street triples today ,due to taking my ducati in for a major service and getting one as a courtesy bike . The suspension on the standard triumph is the best i have ridden on any bike ,it just feels so planted ,even on the greasy ,bumpy , yorkshire roads today. The intake noise and smooth engine were spot on but i still need to keep the blade for that one week per year on the isle of man,where the no speed limit laws are used to the max.
Interesting read, im looking to trade my rr7 for a facelift speed triple , Keeping my 2014 blade for track and odd blast and using the triple for general hooliganism
I'd try the Speed Triple first on roads that you know. I had a 2013 one from nearly new and the ride was very harsh. I had the suspension set up for me - but still not much better. The ride was far worse than the Blade. I had a few issues with mine in the 6000 miles I had it - but maybe I was just unlucky.
Always nice to have a 2nd bike for the winter months, I've also ridden the street triple and think it's a great bike. Only trouble is if your looking at spending around 4K that's only going to get you an early 09/10 model! It's not going to be such a sharp tool as the 16 plate bike you tested. For the money I don't think you could go far wrong with one of the MT models, or go and ride the 10 and perhaps ditch the blade. I rode the MT10 this year and wasn't overly impressed. It does everything well but it's just too much like a superbike with no fairings, I found it extremely uncomfortable and not very ergonomic! Frank still has a demo bike you should go and try one whilst the sun still shining.
You are right Dave (as per) it's a bit apples and oranges comparing a brand spankers street with an 09 R. I did try the MT 07 and the 09, before our R1 test. Didn't like the 07-very agricultural but then they are quite budget. The big boy 09 was fun, but the suspension felt very basic. It would be a great bike to spend money on mods, but that pushes it out of the budget. The street ticked all the boxes, comfy, easy to ride and move about, probably fine for the odd pillion occasion and mostly, fun ! The MT 10 does seem like a good bike, bit fugly to my eyes I do need to try one, just to see if it is anything like my old fz-1naked..a bit heavy, slow to turn but stable at speed ? A bit ungainly at the slow stuff, but that was more down to my height/weight/experience If you can hustle one around like a street then more the better, especially if somebody makes some different headlights !
I tested the 13 Speed back to back with the 15 Street (non R) and was blown away. I found the 1050 Speed too similar to my old 02 955i Speed and thought there was no way I'd part ex the 09 Blade for it but was advised by the salesman to try the 675 and it was really against my own better judgement as my thoughts were that I have been a litre bike rider for so long that a 600 just wouldn't cut it. I was told try it and you'll either be back in 10 mins disappointed and wanting to keep the Blade or back in a hour giggling like a schoolgirl. I found the Speed had no grunt as such as I was trying to ride it like the Blade and hang on to the throttle where it just hit a brick wall at 10.5k where the street was willing to rev to 13k. Thats not to say that the speed it shite, just that you had to ride it by using the torque and short shift it. I'd say try both back to back and you will make the same decision. I was back in an hour giggling like a schoolgirl and the rest as they say is history. If you don't get off on doing 150 everywhere then I don't think you can go wrong. My rides are all between 20 and 70-80 miles so the 675 is ideal on the roads I ride. Everyone who has ridden all of them and compared the MT07 & 09 to the Street, generally favours the Street due to the better build quality, brakes and suspension. I don't see the lack of cubes coming into it, and why buy an inferior bike only to have to pay to upgrade everything to be better than the Street, that gets expensive.
There is no denying the new street is an amazing bike, I rode the 1050 first but had far more fun on the baby 675! What a peach... But I do think I would tire of wringing it's neck on long rides if it was my only bikeonce you have lived with lazy linear litre power for a while it's hard to go back! It would make an excellent 2nd bike along side the blade if money was no object problem is with most of the new super naked bikes is there just too much money especially if your looking for the best cutting edge model.... MT10 to me is just plain ugly bold statement to make as the rest of the bike is superb in its own way! Just not in the way I like it. I don't miss winter riding one little bit and I'm quite happy causing a nuisance on my little Grom... Ooosh
