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2020 · Retro Classic · A variant of the Thruxton
Differences between the standard Thruxton and the RS
Café Racer Looks That Deliver
The Thruxton RS builds its case on the 1197cc High Torque parallel twin, tuned here to spin harder and freer than you'd expect from a shape this classic. It makes 103 hp at 7,500 rpm and 83 lb-ft at 4,250 rpm, so there's real muscle down low and a genuine reason to chase the top of the tach. Underneath the twin analog clocks sits proper hardware: a Showa SFF-BP fork, a Brembo M50 caliper, Triumph's ride-by-wire throttle maps, three ride modes, traction control, and a slipper clutch. Café-racer looks, modern bones underneath.
Ride it and the RS reads as a proper café racer, not a costume. It's built for the rider who wants heritage style with credible performance underneath, and who cares how a machine looks parked outside a coffee stop as much as how it corners. The build quality rewards a close look and should age with grace. Go in clear-eyed on the practical side: the 3.8 gal tank keeps range short between fills, 470 lb wet asks for attention at parking-lot speed, and a handful of owners report the ride mode and clock resetting on a key cycle. None of it dulls the appeal, but it's the honest ledger.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 103 hp (77 kW) @ 7,500 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 83 lb-ft (112 Nm) @ 4,250 rpm |
| Displacement | 1197 cc |
| Engine | Parallel twin |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Fork | Upside-down (USD) |
| Front brake | 310 mm |
| Front tire | 120/70 R17 |
| Rear tire | 160/60 R17 |
| Wheelbase | 55.7 in (1415 mm) |
| Seat height | 31.9 in (810 mm) |
| Wet weight | 470 lb (213 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 3.8 gal (14.5 L) |
| Top speed | 130 mph (210 km/h) |
| Fuel economy | 43 mpg (US) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Connectivity
Drivetrain
Lighting
Safety
The named systems that set this bike apart — and what each one does for you.
Braking
Thumb the starter and the parallel twin settles into a low, hard-edged beat that never gets old, the single best piece of theater on the bike. You sit forward over the tank with weight on your wrists and a clear view down the low bars, and the whole machine feels compact and intentional beneath you. There's a fine pulse through the pegs and grips at idle that smooths as the revs climb, enough to remind you it's a twin without buzzing your hands numb on a longer road. Wind the pace up and it stays composed, holding its line through fast sweepers with a stability that belies the retro silhouette. At 470 lb it carries its mass low, so once you're rolling it feels lighter under you than the number suggests.
The Thruxton RS (986ME-RS) builds on the standard Thruxton: the upgraded hardware, the key spec changes and where its character shifts. The full ride, specs, scoring and verdict are all right here on this page.
| Spec | Standard Thruxton | RS | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power | 68 hp | 103 hp | +35 hp |
| Torque | 53 lb-ft | 83 lb-ft | +30 lb-ft |
| Displacement | 865 cc | 1197 cc | +332 cc |
| Wet weight | 452 lb | 470 lb | +18 lb |
| Top speed | 115 mph | 130 mph | +16 mph |
| Seat height | 31.1 in | 31.9 in | +0.8 in |
| Front brake | 320 mm | 310 mm | -10 mm |
| Fuel capacity | 4.4 gal | 3.8 gal | -0.6 gal |
This read comes from years of paying attention to what riders say once the new-bike shine wears off: direct messages, conversations at bike gatherings, the long owner threads where people trade notes. Narrow all of it to this Thruxton and one pattern stands out. Owners put real faith in the hardware that slows the bike and the engine that keeps going, and the steadiest pushback is about what the café-racer stance asks of you the longer you ride.
The clearest praise in this cluster goes to the brakes. Riders consistently describe strong, progressive stopping power with real feel at the lever, the kind of setup that builds confidence when they lean on it hard. The engine draws the same trust for a different reason. Owners talk about a motor built with plenty of margin, the sort that piles on trouble-free miles as long as the basic maintenance gets done, and that reputation for going the distance comes up again and again.
The most common gripe has nothing to do with how the bike performs and everything to do with how it sits. Riders return often to the low clip-ons and rear-set pegs, authentic to the café-racer look but tiring to live with, putting steady weight on the wrists that starts to wear on you after an hour or two in the saddle. A second complaint shows up in slow traffic: for all the air-cooled styling, owners feel real heat coming off the engine, enough to notice when the pace drops and there's no airflow to carry it away.
Front brake master cylinder recall
Certain 2020 Thruxton RS motorcycles were recalled because the front brake master cylinder may allow air into the hydraulic system, reducing braking performance. Dealers replaced the master cylinder (NHTSA 20V014000, SRAN569).
Rider mode and clock resetting
Some owners report that the selected riding mode and clock time spontaneously reset to default when the ignition is cycled off and on. The cause is not well understood, and there is no universal fix.
Check engine light from exhaust sensor misreading
One owner reported an engine warning light caused by a misreading from the exhaust sensor at the catalytic converter. The issue was resolved by a dealer in 10 minutes, likely a false lean/rich condition.
Where this Triumph Thruxton 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
Top speed
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the Thruxton is actually built for.
This nails the classic look your routes deserve, and the twin brings the sound and torque to make miles enjoyable. Just know it's a lean-forward café bike with a small tank, happier on scenic days than dawn-to-dusk hauls.
Made for Acadia National Park · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show · Blue Ridge Parkway
For spirited weekends on the twisties, this one fits. The 103 hp twin pulls hard, the chassis carves cleanly, and the café stance rewards a committed pace on your favorite back roads.
Made for Austin / Texas Hill Country · Twisted Sisters · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show
Straight talk: this is a café racer, not a cruiser. It delivers the sound, style, and presence for rally season, but it's a lean-forward sport-classic, not a feet-forward bagger.
Made for A1A — Florida Atlantic Coast · Black Hills / Sturgis Rally Hub · Daytona Main Street / Bike Week
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 Thruxton. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
