2017–2019 · Naked Bike · Buyer's Guide
Triple Soul, Corner Ready
The 765 cc triple is what makes this generation of Street Triple worth talking about. It pulls cleanly from low revs and keeps building to 118 hp at 12,000 rpm, so you get usable shove in third gear on a back road and a real reward for chasing the top of the tach. The R sits in the middle of the family and carries adjustable suspension at both ends, a slipper clutch, a TFT display, ABS, traction control and ride modes. That's a properly equipped naked bike, not a stripped one, and at 417 lb wet it stays light on its feet.
It rides like a bike built by people who cared about the details. Steering effort is low, the chassis holds a line without argument, and lean clearance runs deeper than most riders will ever ask for. This is a bike for someone who rides twisty roads on purpose and wants to feel the engine work, not just cover ground. The honest caveat: the 32.5 in seat is on the tall side for shorter riders, and on used examples watch for cold-start niggles, a front fork rattle some owners report, and light oil weeping around engine covers and cam cover bolts.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 118 hp (88 kW) @ 12,000 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 57 lb-ft (77 Nm) @ 9,400 rpm |
| Displacement | 765 cc |
| Engine | Inline-three |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Fork | Upside-down (USD) |
| Front brake | 310 mm |
| Front tire | 120/70-17 |
| Rear tire | 180/55-17 |
| Wheelbase | 55.5 in (1410 mm) |
| Seat height | 32.5 in (825 mm) |
| Wet weight | 417 lb (189 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 4.6 gal (17.4 L) |
| Fuel economy | 45 mpg (US) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Connectivity
Drivetrain
Safety
The first thing that gets you is the noise. Three cylinders make a hard, metallic howl that changes texture as the revs climb, and it's loud enough in the good way that you find excuses to hold a gear longer than you need to. Vibration stays low and even through the bars, so your hands aren't buzzing after an hour. The riding position puts you forward over the front wheel with your elbows out and your knees tucked into a narrow tank, and the whole bike feels small underneath you in a way that makes you braver than you probably should be. At road pace the wind pressure builds early on the chest and shoulders, which keeps the numbers honest without dulling the fun. Feedback through the seat and bars tells you exactly what the tires are doing.
This part of the guide isn't mine. It's put together from what riders have told me over the years: conversations at races and rallies, owners catching me at dealer events, the talk that runs long at a club night, and the steady stream of mail from people who actually own one. For the Street Triple 765 R, the picture those riders paint barely shifts from one telling to the next. The praise arrives fast, and the reservations only surface once the miles pile up.
Ask around and the triple dominates. Riders describe grunt sitting there low in the rev range, a top end that keeps climbing the harder you chase it, and an induction roar that gets its own mention almost every time. The way the bike steers draws nearly as much comment. Owners talk about a machine that falls into a bend with barely any pressure at the bars, holds its line once it's there, and hands back enough information that they end up riding harder than they planned. Involving is the word that keeps coming up.
The hardware gets named specifically, not in general terms. Riders point to suspension they can adjust to taste and radial front calipers that stop hard without ever turning abrupt, with an ABS system that stays out of the way. Plenty of them call that combination unusual at this level. Comfort earns a steady thread too: the upright stance, the wide bars, and a seat shaped well enough that a full day out stays workable.
The most common gripe has nothing to do with how it rides. Riders keep raising fuel stops, with economy landing around 45 mpg and the tank running down quicker than they'd like in town. Then the gearbox: no quickshifter leaves the factory on this one, and anyone who wants it buys it as an accessory afterward. They notice. Seat foam turns up in a quieter but persistent thread, supportive at first and hard work after an hour or two. Highway wind pressure comes from the distance riders, and the taller owners in the conversation say their legs fold up on longer runs.
Left-hand switch block water ingress recall
Water can enter the left-hand combination switch, causing turn signals and headlight to malfunction. Triumph recalled affected 2018 models to replace the switch.
Intermittent cold start issues
A few owners have experienced hard starting or stalling when cold; possibly related to throttle body synchronisation or idle control, often remedied by ECU update.
Front fork rattle/noise
Some owners report that the front forks feel loose or produce a rattling noise, particularly over bumps or under braking. The issue is not universal but is noted in owner communities.
Occasional minor oil leaks from engine covers
Some owners report weeping from engine case covers or loose bolts, a carry-over pattern from earlier Triumph triples, usually resolved with retorqueing or new gaskets.
Minor oil weeps from engine fasteners
Some owners report occasional light oil seepage from cam cover bolts or sump gasket; usually resolved by retorquing or replacing gaskets, not indicative of major failure.
Where this Triumph Street Triple 765 R pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the Street Triple 765 R is actually built for.
This is the bike for your Sunday on Angeles Crest. Light steering, deep lean clearance and a triple that pulls everywhere mean you carry speed without wrestling anything.
Made for Angeles Crest Highway · Coronado Trail / US 191 · Highway 1 / Big Sur
If you ride the Dragon and Cherohala to sharpen technique rather than chase speed, the feedback and low weight here let you feel the mistakes and fix them.
Made for Back of the Dragon · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
Great for a Hill Country loop out of Austin. 45 mpg from a 4.6 gal tank covers real distance, though the bare-naked wind pressure makes long slab stretches a chore.
Made for Austin / Texas Hill Country · Twisted Sisters · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show
If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this Triumph Street Triple 765 R. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
Successor · 2023
Feedback First, Triple Soul
Successor · 2024
Moto2 Soul, Street Triple Weight
Competitor · 2017–2019
Speed With Nothing Wasted
Roughly $1,200 pricier used than this bike at 7 yr
Competitor · 2021
Sharp Corners, Light Hands
Same Platform · 2019
Triple Soul, Shorter Stance
Roughly $800 pricier used than this bike at 7 yr
Similar Character · 2014–2017
Raw Twin, Weightless Handling
About the same used price as this bike at 9 yr