2015–2017 · Naked Bike · Buyer's Guide
Triple That Corners Clean
The RX is the sharp end of the Street Triple family. A 675 cc inline-three making 105 hp at 11,850 rpm and 50 lb-ft at 9,750 rpm, hung in an aluminum beam frame with steep, Daytona-derived steering geometry and a sculpted Daytona subframe. Suspension is fully adjustable at both ends, the front brakes are radial calipers on 310 mm discs, and a quickshifter is fitted from the factory. ABS comes as standard. Red wheels and a more committed seating position are what mark this trim out at a glance.
At 403 lb wet, the weight stops mattering the moment the bike is rolling, and that is the entire point of it. This one rewards riders who actually enjoy working an engine, because both peak figures live high in the rev range and the character keeps building as the tach climbs. It belongs on back roads and canyon runs far more than on interstate mileage. The honest caveat: a 32.3 in (820 mm) seat and a forward-leaning stance ask something of shorter riders and older backs, and the ownership record has a few soft spots worth checking before money changes hands.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 105 hp (78 kW) @ 11,850 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 50 lb-ft (68 Nm) @ 9,750 rpm |
| Displacement | 675 cc |
| Engine | Inline-three |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| 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 | 32.3 in (820 mm) |
| Wet weight | 403 lb (183 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 4.6 gal (17.4 L) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Drivetrain
Safety
This is the community's account, not mine. It comes from years of collecting what riders say: pit-lane talk at track days, bike-night conversations, owners stopping me for a second opinion, and the messages that land in my inbox. On the RX the reports line up tightly, and nearly every reservation traces back to the same place in the rev range.
The motor leads every conversation. Owners describe it as creamy and free-revving, with an induction howl that stacks up as the tach climbs, and they note it pulls cleanly at commuting speeds without losing interest in the top end. The chassis draws almost as much praise: accurate, settled, quick between corners. Riders who take the RX to track days point to the adjustable suspension, the radial front brakes, and the quickshifter, and say it needs nothing before a session.
The complaint is torque down low. Riders report the triple carries less midrange than the fatter-motored competition, the MT-09 in particular, and that it wants to sit above 7,000 rpm before it gives its best. The other complaint is quieter but steady: no slipper clutch, which owners feel on hard downshifts at the track or in the wet.
Frame weld cracking near fuel tank
Isolated reports on forums note hairline cracks at the frame weld below the fuel tank on some 675 Street Triples. Frequency appears very low and may be linked to stressed frames, but the issue is not widely documented.
Potential oil leaks from engine
Earlier 2013–2014 Street Triple models exhibited oil weepage from various engine seals. By 2015, improvements in manufacturing appear to have largely resolved the issue, but a few owners of later models have still reported minor seepage.
Sensitive battery and charging system
A tired battery or suboptimal voltage can prevent the ECU from engaging the starter, even when the battery appears functional. Some earlier 675s also suffered reg/rec failures, though later models are more reliable.
Where this Triumph Street Triple RX 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 RX is actually built for.
This is the right tool for Angeles Crest. Light, sharp, and happiest wound out, with enough lean clearance that your nerve gives out long before the bike does.
Made for Angeles Crest Highway · Coronado Trail / US 191 · Highway 1 / Big Sur
Slow, repetitive, technical corners are where the low weight and front-end feedback earn their keep. You will work the gearbox constantly, and the shifter makes that painless.
Made for Back of the Dragon · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
Ideal for the loop itself and honest fun all day on it. The straight highway miles to get there are on you, since there is no cruise control and no factory luggage.
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 RX. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
