2014 Triumph Thruxton: Review

It’s a modern classic – and Triumph has styled it well. Clubman handlebar, rearset footpegs and upswept megaphone exhausts take the Thruxton back to an era when the café racer concept originated in the 1960s. Back then, British twin cylinder motorcycles were extensively modified by their owners for higher speeds and sharper handling. What was essentially a street racing motorcycle culture has evolved into an altogether separate genre of classic motorcycles.

The Triumph Thruxton plays the café racer part to the T and is a good looking motorcycle from most angles. And ours in the Brooklands Green colour with the period sport stripes looks stunning; it truly harks back to the ‘60s retro design. The Thruxton looks like a single seater at first glance, but the rear cowl can be removed to accommodate a willing passenger as well.

The twin instrument pods comprise basic analog dials, providing a speedometer, tachometer, and digital trip and odometer. A fuel gauge is sorely missed, although the instrumentation sports a low fuel warning light. I swing a leg over the motorcycle and familiarise myself with the seating position, tucked in forward on the low handlebar, and legs bent in a feet-behind position on the rear set footpegs.

The 41mm front shocks end in a wire-spoked aluminium alloy 18 inch front wheel. The rear wheel is a 17 incher with chromed adjustable rear shocks. Braking on the Thruxton includes a strong 320mm single front disc with plenty of feedback and at the rear is another disc, offering lots of confidence in shaving off triple digit speeds.

I thumb the starter and the motorcycle comes to life with no hesitation and settles into a nice murmuring idle and warm exhaust note.

I take it out on to the main road and am almost immediately hit with reality – this isn’t the ‘60s and rush hour bumper to bumper traffic isn’t something you’d enjoy on the Thruxton. Crawling through first gear stop-go traffic is difficult and the motorcycle makes its 200-plus kilogram weight felt, my predicament compounded by the overly rear set foot pegs. Moreover, the heat from the twin cylinder air-cooled engine make matters even more uncomfortable in the muggy heat of the city.

Once the traffic starts moving however, the Thruxton settles in comfortably and has easy manoeuvrability slicing through traffic within the city streets. Out of stop lights, acceleration is brisk and impressive, and is complemented by the sweet sound of the engine whine. The five gears slot easily, and finding neutral is effortless, although the first cog is clunky while setting off from standstill.

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The Thruxton’s design is based on street racers, but compared to contemporary street bikes, this is no record breaker. If adrenalin-pumping acceleration and high speeds is what one needs, it would be unfair to expect track side bragging figures from this Triumph. The Thruxton’s engine is the same motor as the Bonneville’s – a 865cc parallel twin which makes a healthy 69PS with 69Nm torque at its peak, with plenty available at low revs. Indeed, fifth gear is good enough to potter around town at 50kmph, and it can take you to 180kmph if more speed is desired.

From the outside, the engine looks like a unit from the ‘60s; in fact it’s everything but. The fuel injection has been shrouded to give the appearance of a pair of carburettors. And what looks like a pushrod tube, houses double overhead camshafts. Out in the open road, the Thruxton is a joy to ride. The sporty riding position and excellent handling offers plenty of confidence within respectable highway speeds and upwards in the range of triple digit speeds. 

On an empty, unrestricted private section of road, I could easily hit 160kmph in top gear before the road ran out. And the Triumph carves through corners in a sporty manner too. It leans into a curve willingly and the Thruxton then holds its line, even over slight imperfections on the road surface. Even on a slightly gravelly curve, the Thruxton provides ample confidence and the Metzeler tyres with their awesome grip make carving corners seem easy.

The Thruxton’s sporty position and the rear set footpegs (a little too rear set for my 5’ 9” frame) left me in doubts whether I would be able to enjoy riding it for some length of time. As the day wore on however, I got more and more used to the motorcycle and began appreciating it for all its qualities. A motorcycle with mind-numbing acceleration may be thrilling for a short burst or even a day. But the well-behaved mannerisms of the parallel twin left me with a smile on my face. Long after I finished the ride and parked the motorcycle, I kept glancing at it from a distance, admiring its classic looks as much as the enjoyable ride it gave me.

At Rs 6.7 lakh ex-showroom Delhi, the Thruxton is within reach for many motorcycle enthusiasts aspiring for a higher displacement motorcycle. And it has qualities that will lure them too. It has classic styling; a motor that provides enough power and low end grunt for a daily commute or for an occasional burst of excitement; great riding dynamics to take on a twisty mountain road; and to climb up several thousand feet up a mountain.

But to get to those mountains, one will need to ride for at least 8-9 hours on a highway and maybe through a few small towns with crawling traffic. And this is where the Thruxton doesn't feel as great. Riding 50 kilometres non-stop was tiring for me, not because of anything else, but for that overtly sporty riding posture. It may look retro cool, but it’s just too aggressive and impractical to make it a comfortable motorcycle to tour on for an extended ride over a couple of hours or more.

But, if you want a motorcycle to make a statement with; a motorcycle that puts a smile on your face every time you lay your eyes on it; and a motorcycle that's retro and fun to ride - even if it is for short bursts - the Triumph Thruxton works very well.