Three cylinders, that is. Speed Triple's appearance is striking, to say the least. The EFI's black box can also be remapped to match aftermarket performance upgrades an owner may add down the road, such as an exhaust system. Brakes on the T509 were linear and strong, and were voted best among the lot. The quality of the new engine's power delivery is every bit as important as its quantity.
Problem is, it takes lots of revs to find it.
Not so on the Triumph, which has a nice, still pocket of air behind its bikini fairing. Easily-read gauges are creatively laid out. Hop aboard the T509 after jumping off one of the twins, and you're instantly impressed with the comfort of its seating position, by far the best of this bunch for distance riding. Its higher seat height gives tall riders a lot of leg room, and the reach to its flat, tubular handlebars is also suited for longer arms. This Speed Triple loved to be ridden hard, and in twisty background bashing its fully adjustable Showa suspension, grippy Bridgestone BT56 rubber, light, neutral steering and perfect seating position made it the most sport worthy of this bunch for most riders, though our racers on staff preferred the Buell's quick steering and torquey off-corner acceleration.