Triumph Sprint RS reviews

I have 6500 miles on the ST since mid June and have realy enjoyed the bike a lot. I bought the ST so that I would have a bike lighter, quicker and better handling then my two other bikes, with good comfort. The ST easaly fit my needs. I was very surprised at the leval of prformance the ST's engine and chasis was capable of. I know that there are bikes out there that are quicker, faster etc. But the ST allows me to ride as hard as I want to and do so without complaint. The torque the engine delivers is great, no need to shift constantly to have good power, just turn the throttle and go. Before buying the ST I had considerd the trophy, I road one before I got the ST but after the summer on the ST I road my friends Trophy and was glad that I went with the ST. The Trophy is a little more comfortable but much heavyer and the weight is higher so the bike just was a lot more work to ride. The Trophy definetly has it's place but it is not for me. As you can tell, I am very happy with the bike why the four star rating. Well the only disipointments I have are with the quality controle at Triumph. I have ridden Hondas for 25 years and I am used to the turn the key and forget it ride style. With the ST I have had several little things to deal with and all could have bean avoided. some of the things are: loose hoes clamps causing coolant leeks. Wire connectors not securely connected, causing the turn signals not ot work. headlights not ajusted at all. Mostly things like that but it bugged me that I had to work on the bike the day after I got it home. After a couple weeks of that stuff it has bean ridding bliss ever since. So if you are looking for a bike that handles and goes very wel. And that you can put a lot of miles on in a day, My wife and I run 300 to 400 miles in a day on our bikes, the ST is a good choice. And the reasonable insurance and 50+ mpg fuel econonomy are just a bonus. And you won't see one at the pump every time that you fill up. Show less

My knowledge of Triumph motorcycles was non-existent until the recent demise of my six month old Honda 919. She was a total loss in an unfortunate crash in West Virginia. I purchased a Honda because quality would not be a question. The 919 offered my nearly crippled old body great comfort and outstanding handling. A fine bike! Never entered my mind not to replace it with the same until I became aware of the Sprint RS and Triumph's fine reputation. As well as, it's something other than Japanese. A real option that is priced just as reasonable. Even with my bad back and myriad of other ailments, this bike is incredibly comfortable with stock riding position. The bars are fine "as is" and the saddle is awesome for the longer rides I do. Handling is neutral and stable. The revised engine is quiet. Power is deceptive with such a linear powerband. The gearbox is smooooth! The gearing is higher, great torque. No so much on-off as my Honda. The bike does not fatigue me. I have ridden it 5 times for a total of just over 1000 miles. Triumph seems to have a reputation for long break-in periods. I guess so with running spec'd Mobil 1. Large fuel tank and 45-50 mpg make for great range. I'm going to buy the saddle bags as I will definitely be touring with this bike. I added the factory painted bellypan and the hugger fender as well as some other do-dads. A truely fine bike with no flaws that I can recognize. My 2002 model was out the door for $7900 in October. Show less

I got the bike in 1999 and it now has 15000 miles on it. It was one of the earlier ones to arrive in the shops. It has been subject to battery recall and clutch cable recalls. The left hand side switch block blinker failed and has been replaced. The front valve stem tube needed replacing (persistent leak). I optioned the heated grips but have found that if cruising around with the headlights on at night time using the heated handgrips that the charging system struggles to keep the battery charged (it's fine if both aren't going or if one is travelling on highways... but stop start city traffic at night is an issue). The paint work seems not to have held it's finish as well as my previous bikes... it's looks older than it should. The optional panniers work well, but the right one suffers a slight leak in heavy rain. The handling is ok, but nothing spectacular... the engine feels wonderful. A freind of mine has a 2001 and has suffered none of these problems, so it seems mine is suffering from the woes that early production examples of lots of things suffer from. Never the less one should excercise caution if purchasing 2nd hand... the later the model the better (other things being equal). Show less

I bought my ST new in 1999 have 21,000 on it with no issues other than new tires & oil changes. Runs strong can't imagine the newer engine with even more power as it's as much as I need. the onlt problem is that it is difficult to ride........under 80mph. The sweet spot is 80-100mph! Buy one you'll love it. Show less

According to "THE LIST" in motorcyclist magazine the sprint R/Sis "Half faired version of the s/t:still looking for a niche"phooooey! Lets see, a motorcycle that has a 5.6 gallon tank that will let me ride 225-250 miles with out stopping and affords me the comfort to do so. Excelent handling on the street and with little work the track too ! Factory touring acessories,as well as after market. And a soul grabbing growl from the triple that rivals the sound of a Ducati.Its not a cruiser,not a sport cruiser or a power cruiser. not a sport bike or a standard.not a naked bike........enough! One thing for sure if Motorcyclist magazine finds a name for this "NICHE" you'll be seeing alot more of them on the road. But for now the few of us will have to enjoy riding the R/S while the rest of the world waits for a name from motorcyclist magazine for this phenominal "NICHE" Show less

I've been riding for 30 years, starting in the dirt and then adding street about 20 years ago. I do o.k. in A class hare scrambles. I've been abusing my 89 hawk gt for a decade. It's fun to slide and chatter around on but it won't haul 2 people very well. I'm a little biased since I was the service manager for a Triumph dealer in the mid 90s. (but we also sold BMW and Yamaha) The good- The RS is a very stable bike that is also very precise and easy to point. The brakes aren't as powerful as some but provide excellent feedback and are great in the real world. The suspension is firm but keeps the tires on rough roads even when leaned over. The engine is so perfect for what I do! It has gotten 47-54 mpg so far. The throttle response is so very nice, as good as a set of carbs I'd fiddled with for months. The powerband is very linear from 3 grand to redline. It comes with a DID xring chain, the best there is and it is geared for the real world, not the quarter mile. The bad- The tranny isn't as slick as most Japenese bikes. The bars are too low for my old body. Too much time on dirt bikes and in the gym focusing on forearms in my youth might be a factor here. The clutch pull is stiffer than most modern bikes, but the modulation is nice and progressive. I appreciate a quiet bike, but this thing doesn't have nearly the semi truck sound at idle the 885 triples did. It also doesn't have the wailing Paul Rodgers sound at high revs. I'd be interested in hearing from people about bar risers (wish LSL made a top triple clamp for 7/8 bars). I am also interested in a still social but more emotional sounding exhaust. The bottom line is I am very critical and this one is going to stay with me. I should also add that I only paid $6600 for it brand new! My Dad's zrx1200 ain't bad but it just doesn't have soul. Jeff Show less

I may be a tad prejudiced in my feelings being that I've always been a "Triumph" guy but in all honesty this is the most well rounded bike I've ever ridden. It may not be the fastest, most comfortable, smoothest, or best handling but it certainly comes close in all categories. After 18 years of owning my big-brothers' hand me down '73 Bonnie I stepped up to an '01 Legend TT. Instantly if it wasn't under 40 degrees and raining I was on the thing. Shopping, errands, or whatever and the next thing I knew there are 13,000 mi on it in just over a year. I kissed it goodbye last week in favor of a new leftover '01 Sprint RS (hey, at 7500 US how could I say no =D) Saturday afternoon I left the dealership, with the salesman saying "See ya in a few weeks", Wed. on my lunch break I'm dropping it off for the "500 mi service" with 560 on it. This bike is a total dream. It handles awesome, acceleration is a non-issue, and the looks? No worries there. I ride 80 mi a day round trip to work, almost all highway and it's plenty comfy at 85/90 mph on the Pa. T/P. Twisties? Pick a road, any road. I know it could be the novelty of a new machine, my love for the name, or just plain insanity talking here but if this bike is as reliable as the Legend was I may just have it longer then that ratty old Lukens Electric plagued Bonnie that rattled my nads for such a long time. Show less

I bought my 01 RS from North County Yamaha June 12, 2002. After not having ridden for 26 years, I was apprehensive for this bike might be too big for me. I lived about 20 minutes away from Mt. Palomar and is considered as one of the prime location for biking the twisties. The bike was very responsive and yet forgiving. I followed a co-worker who was quite adept in two wheeling and in a matter of days, I was comfortable negotiating hairpin turns on the south grade of Mt. Palomar. The bike is a joy to ride and own. I wonder how much more fun factor I would have if I had the performance of the 02 engine. Show less

In 12/01, at age 49, realizing after 35 years of wanting a Triumph that my ability to do so and ride one was rapidly fading, I bought a yellow 2000 RS at a good discount. My first motorcycle, any problems I have had are my limitations, not the bike's. It looks great, runs well, and is waiting patiently for me to gain the skills to allow it freedom. I will never sell this motorcycle. I hope to own more in my dwindling future, a Tiger, maybe a Speed Triple, a Ducati or Moto Guzzi also. Right now, this bike is perfect. It does all I want it to do and tells me more is out there. Enough of the poetry. All Sprint RS owners should get a hold of the August 2002 Motorcyclist. The Sprint RS.S is coming. It is a beautiful motorcycle designed by Triumph's Italian connection. It seems to be creeping in on the area left wanting by those who want the best Of the Daytona, RS, and Speed Triple. John Bloor and company are doing a fabulous job of responding to those who love the British motorcycle industry, without which none of us would have any idea of what a motorcycle should look like and be. If there are any faults with the new Triumphs it is the same problem that Rip Van Winkle had. He slept awhile, but he woke up, and he caught up. Peace to all, ride safely. JIm Show less

I have 10,000 k and one year on my red 2001. The ergonomics are superb, the motor is sublime but the stock suspension is just not up to a 200 pound rider, let alone a passenger. With a new .95 kg/mm spring and cartridge emulators from Race Tech and a 25mm hike in the rear preload after a static sag test, it handles like a Honda 600 F4i. The suspension change also cured the high speed sweeper and crosswind weave which this bike is prone to. Show less