Power to the wheels

September 14, 2016 03:40 pm | Updated November 01, 2016 06:28 pm IST - Bengaluru

Is the Triumph Thruxton R more than just a gorgeous poser?

15bgmTriumph1

15bgmTriumph1

Café racers are supposed to be road bikes, aren’t they? But staring down an empty pit lane, leading into the Madras Motor Race Track in Chennai, with the slim, gorgeous tank of a Thruxton R nestled between my legs, I can’t help but wonder if this experience is going to be as satisfying as I imagine it to be. Time to find out just how much ‘racer’ is in this café racer then…

From the word go, it’s clear that speed is one thing this bike certainly isn’t lacking. The 1,200cc parallel twin motor might be almost identical to that from the more laid-back Bonneville T120, but the difference between the two is quite stark. While the T120’s engine carries the ‘High Torque’ badge, the Thruxton’s screams ‘High Power’. Open the taps and the twin upswept reverse cone megaphone exhausts sound like a heavy metal drum solo. But you don’t get too much time to appreciate that when on the track, as the next corner approaches much quicker than can be anticipated.

And the rate at which the Thruxton R shortens any straightaway will leave you wondering, ‘Wait! What? How is this just 97hp?’ Granted that it’s not supersport-fast by any means, but because the motor makes more than 100Nm of torque right from 2,000rpm, the acceleration in any gear is surprisingly quick. In fact, you’ll be glad that there’s a fairly competent electronics package providing the bike with traction control, wheelie control and even three riding modes – Road, Rain and Sport.

But with an entire race track to play around on, it’s best to leave it on Sport. However, get a little bold and turn the traction control off, and on occasions, you’ll find the front wheel reaching for the sky if you get too happy with your right wrist.

Better keep the traction control on then. There are some situations on the track which bring out the shortcomings of this motor. It’s quick to rev, but there is a fairly sharp drop in pulling power when you cross 6,000rpm. Honestly speaking though, the motor that’s mostly impressive isn’t even the bike’s strongest suit. It’s the bike’s agility that can match a trained ballerina.

The Thruxton R’s handling prowess doesn’t come as a surprise. After all, it’s wearing kit that’ll leave even some sports bikes jealous. At the front, it gets fully-adjustable 43mm upside-down Showa Big Piston Forks (BPF) and suspension duties at the rear are handled by a pair of phenomenal Ohlins shocks, which are adjustable for preload, rebound and damping settings as well. Not to forget the Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa rubber on those gorgeous wire-spoke wheels that gives the bike an unmatched ability to corner.

Despite its dry weight of 203kg, the Thruxton R feels light and nimble. It’s shocking just how flickable it feels through the tight turns at the MMRT. This is likely down to its aggressive 22.8deg rake angle and short 1,415mm wheelbase. But there’s more to the Thruxton than what the numbers suggest. Thanks to the pliant suspension set-up, it can handle the odd bumps or undulations on the tarmac quite easily too. Additionally, the bike’s brakes – twin Brembo 310mm floating discs with Brembo four-pot radial monobloc calipers up front – offer exceptional feel and bite. One of the highlights of the Thruxton R is that unless you are trying to set lap records, the bike feels very unintimidating to ride on a track. This is largely down to the bike’s relaxed ergonomics. While the posture is on the sportier side, you’re never in an extreme hunched-over position. However, this comfortable, somewhat upright position quickly turns awkward when barrelling down a long straight at very high speeds.

But as much fun as it is to thrash around at the MMRT, to judge the Triumph Thruxton R purely on the basis of lap times would be doing it gross injustice. It’s a motorcycle that works brilliantly on the road and will keep you thoroughly entertained on a twisty mountain road, or occasionally on a race track. And to top it off, it has the looks to melt the heart of even the most jaded bike enthusiasts. An ex-showroom price of Rs. 11 lakh might seem a bit much for what at first glance looks like a nostalgia trip. But under that facade is a motorcycle with a surprising depth of character and some ability that shines even on the race track.

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