2017 · Naked Bike · Buyer's Guide
Triple Soul, Accessible Price
The Street Triple S runs a 765 cc inline-three making 111 hp and 54 lb-ft, and the way that engine builds is the whole point. Torque arrives early and keeps stacking, so the bike pulls cleanly from low revs instead of asking you to chase a peak. At 417 lb wet with a 31.9 in seat, it sits in the light end of the naked class and steers like it. Triumph's ride-by-wire throttle maps, ABS, traction control and ride modes come standard, which is a real package for a bike positioned as the value entry to the Street Triple line.
Ridden hard on a good road, the S flatters you. Steering effort is low, lean clearance is generous, and the chassis feeds back enough that you trust it quickly. That combination works for a newer rider building confidence and for an experienced one who just wants something honest under them. The caveat is the suspension: the fork is fixed, with no preload, compression or rebound adjustment, and only the rear shock takes preload. Heavier riders and anyone pushing hard will find the setup is what it is. Watch early bikes for minor oil weeping at engine case bolts or gaskets, usually cured by re-torquing or new seals.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 111 hp (83 kW) |
|---|---|
| Torque | 54 lb-ft (73 Nm) |
| Displacement | 765 cc |
| Engine | Inline-three |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Front tire | 120/70-17 |
| Rear tire | 180/55-17 |
| Seat height | 31.9 in (810 mm) |
| Wet weight | 417 lb (189 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 4.6 gal (17.4 L) |
| Fuel economy | 50 mpg (US) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Safety
The first thing that registers is the noise. Triples have a voice, and this one comes through the airbox as much as the pipe, a hard mechanical wail that turns ordinary speeds into an occasion. Vibration stays civil, more texture through the pegs than buzz through the bars. The riding position is upright and narrow, with the tank tucked in where your knees want it, and 31.9 in of seat height that most riders will manage flat-footed or close to it. Controls are light at the lever and the switchgear falls where your thumb expects. Then there is the wind, which does the job it always does on a naked bike: 60 mph feels like plenty, and you arrive back at the house grinning without having done anything that would cost you your license. At 4.6 gal and 50 mpg, the range holds up longer than your neck will.
Oil leaks from loose bolts/gaskets on early models
Several owners report minor oil weeping from bolts or gaskets on the engine cases. The issue is often fixed by re-torquing or replacing seals.
Where this Triumph Street Triple S 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 S is actually built for.
On Angeles Crest the S gives you light steering, lean clearance to spare, and a triple that pulls out of every corner. Push seriously hard and the fixed fork becomes the limit before you do.
Made for Angeles Crest Highway · Coronado Trail / US 191 · Highway 1 / Big Sur
For Dragon and Cherohala work this is close to ideal: low weight, honest feedback, and enough low-end torque that you can focus on lines instead of revs.
Made for Back of the Dragon · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
Hill Country days suit it well. 4.6 gal and 50 mpg cover the distances between towns, and the triple makes the ride there as good as the twisties.
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 S. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
Successor · 2020
Reach the Tarmac, Not the Sky
Competitor · 2015–2020
Superbike Soul, Street Manners
Competitor · 2014–2017
Raw Twin, Weightless Handling
About the same used price as this bike at 9 yr
Same Platform · 2017–2022
Triple-Cylinder Handling Precision
Roughly $1,200 pricier used than this bike at 9 yr