By NastyNils·
Motorcycle comparison · Naked Bike
Triumph Street Triple (D67LD2) vs Speed Triple 1050 (MY2011)
Triumph Street Triple vs Speed Triple 1050: which one's easier to live with every day.
On a tight downhill bend, the Triumph Street Triple feels light under you and it's already carving a precise line. The Triumph Speed Triple 1050's chassis keeps telling you what the tires are doing as the lean builds. It tips in neutrally and doesn't fall further.
So which one do you buy?
The Street Triple has the edge if…
Sporty riding on twisty roads
Nose ahead: Street Triple
In the twisties, the Street Triple asks a bit less of you to go quickly. The difference is more feel through the bars and a sportier chassis. Call it a modest edge.
Keeping running costs low
A touch ahead: Street Triple
On running costs, the Street Triple edges it. Not by enough to bank on.
Daily commuting & city riding
Inches ahead: Street Triple
The Street Triple makes slightly more sense as a commuter. Put it down to lower running costs and a smaller footprint. Don't read much into a gap this small.
Which one's the smarter buy
Depends what you want it for
The lower price doesn't settle which one is the better buy. Neither is the clear better buy for the money.
What makes each one tick
Street Triple
There's grunt down low in the Street Triple's motor, and it keeps pulling as the intake howl climbs toward a free-revving top end. That howl begs for more revs. Before a hairpin on the Angeles Crest Highway, the brake lever's only got 417 lb (189 kg) to haul down. Then the aluminum beam frame flicks it onto the exit.
Speed Triple 1050
The Speed Triple 1050's long-stroke triple shoves out fat torque from low revs, and its intake and exhaust don't sound like any V-twin or four. The midrange does the work. Corner entry doesn't ask much of the bars, and the bike settles in without flopping or standing up. The brake lever's got real sportbike bite.
Nils rode the Speed Triple 1050 in 2013 (NastyNils Testride).
The Voice of Experience
What actually separates them
- The Street Triple has the lower seat: 31.5 in (800 mm) vs 32.5 in (825 mm).
- The Street Triple has the lower wet weight: 417 lb (189 kg) vs 467 lb (212 kg).
- The Speed Triple 1050 makes more peak power: 136 hp (102 kW) vs 105 hp (78 kW).
Which one for the way you ride
Comfortable long-distance riding
Look elsewhere
For all-day comfort, both fall short. Keep the rides short and you'll get on fine with either.
A confidence-building first motorcycle
Wrong job for both
If this is your first motorcycle, keep looking. Neither one makes learning easy.
Who each one is built for
What's good, and what you'll live with
Street Triple
What owners say
Strengths
- Agile, sporty handling
- Involving triple-cylinder engine
- Timeless streetfighter styling
Speed Triple 1050
Strengths
- Good chassis feedback
- Handy and neutral falling into a lean
- Sport-level brakes you can trust
- Distinctive triple character
- 2016 update closed the electronics gap
Trade-offs
- Charging system reliability concerns
- Limited wind protection
Known problems to check before you buy
Street Triple
- Cam chain tensioner rattle A rattle from the right side of the engine on cold starts may indicate a slack cam chain tensioner. If left unaddressed, potential engine damage can occur.
Speed Triple 1050
- Generator link lead wire chafe — engine stall risk On ABS-equipped bikes, the generator link lead in the charging circuit can rub against the ABS modulator mounting bracket. Over time, vibration wears through the wire insulation. This can cause an electrical short and an unexpected engine stall.
- Neutral indicator switch incorrect washer thickness Recall 13V211000 A washer of incorrect thickness between the neutral indicator switch and the gear selector drum can cause the neutral indicator to falsely show the bike is in neutral when it is not. Releasing the clutch in this condition can cause unexpected lurching and crash risk. **Official safety recall.**
- 2011-only front brake rotor warping 2011 examples specifically reported warped front rotors (Sunstar disc supplier issue cited as a wider-industry pattern in 2011). Some replacement floating discs from grey-market sources reportedly assembled incorrectly. Triumph subsequently moved to Brembo monobloc on R variants from 2012 and revised the brake package for 2016.
- ABS warning light triggered by sensor air-gap or connector corrosion ABS warning light triggered by sensor air-gap out of specification, connector corrosion, or failed sensor. Speedometer can freeze when the rear ABS sensor fails because the speed signal on these bikes is derived from the rear-wheel ABS sensor.
- Rear wheel hub bearing premature wear The single-sided swingarm rear hub uses needle bearings that can fail before sealed bearings would in a conventional dual-sided design. Wide range of reported failure mileages (15,000–56,000 miles); inadequate factory grease and bearing quality cited by long-term owners.
- Charging system: regulator/rectifier failure leading to stator failure The factory shunt-type regulator/rectifier runs very hot because it dumps surplus charging current as heat. Over time it can fail, leaving the battery undercharged or overcharged. The heat also cooks the connector between the stator and the regulator. When the regulator fails, it can overload the stator windings and burn them out. A common pattern is a repeat stator failure soon after the regulator is replaced. This happens when the real causes are left alone: corroded or overheated connectors and the heat-prone shunt design. Typical signs are a flat battery, dimming lights, a battery warning, or the bike dying while riding.
- Starter sprag clutch failure The starter sprag clutch (one-way clutch between starter motor and crank) can fail, particularly when battery voltage is marginal at start. Symptoms: clicking sound on start, starter spins without engaging, can strip starter motor shaft teeth and contaminate the starter cover with metal shavings. Early 1050 examples reportedly used a smaller sprag than later units; later runs are less affected but pattern persists.
- Cam chain tensioner premature wear The hydraulic automatic cam chain tensioner can wear prematurely. Aggressive engine braking accelerates damage. Symptoms: "cam chain slap," rattling under load at higher revs, ticking noise. Severe cases produce aluminum filings in cases. Aftermarket manual tensioners (often GSX-R-derived) are common owner remedies.
- Clunky gearbox, particularly neutral → 1st and 1st → 2nd Universally reported gearbox feel: "notoriously clunky" shifts, particularly on cold engines and low-speed shifts. Some 2012–2013 examples additionally suffered the neutral-indicator washer fault and the transmission detent-arm spring fault (both officially recalled). False neutrals also reported on 2016+ bikes when aftermarket quickshifter rods foul the shift arm, and when the front sprocket nut works loose.
- Throttle hesitation at low RPM and small throttle openings Touchy or jumpy throttle below approximately 4,000 rpm, particularly when rolling on in turns or in slow traffic. Root cause linked to ECU map switching from throttle-position-sensor (TPS) to manifold-air-pressure (MAP) at low RPM, occasionally to oxygen-sensor drift. Pre-2016 cable-throttle behaviour; 2016+ ride-by-wire is generally smoother but some reports of aggressive throttle response in 1st and 2nd gears persist.
- Premature front fork seal leaks Fork seal leaks reported at low mileages (approx. 6,000 miles (10,000 km)) and after winter storage. Some recurrences shortly after dealer reseals, with anecdotal reports of reused parts not being properly cleaned.
- Thin tank paint, mirror-stem rust, frame paint vulnerability Tank paint reported as relatively thin compared to Japanese rivals. Mirror stems develop surface rust after several years. Frame and swingarm paint vulnerable to chipping. Fork-leg corrosion and underbelly engine paint peeling reported on long-ownership and salt-belt bikes.
- Valve cover gasket weeping (left side of head) Light oil film on the left side of the cylinder head, particularly around the four "half-moon" rubber plugs at the cam ends that require RTV sealant on reassembly. Loose valve-cover bolts can contribute. Cosmetic rather than performance impact.
What they cost used
These prices compare a 14-year-old Street Triple with a 14-year-old Speed Triple 1050.
- Street Triple
- about $7,700
- Speed Triple 1050
- about $5,400
At 14 years old, the Street Triple sits around $7,700 while the Speed Triple 1050 lands near $5,400. That's a $2,300 gap in the Speed Triple 1050's favor. These are US market estimates, not live listings.
What they share
- Engine
- Inline-three
- Cooling
- Liquid-cooled
- Gearbox
- 6-speed
- Final drive
- Chain
- Fork
- Upside-down (USD)
- Front tire
- 120/70-17
Where the spec sheets split
| Street Triple | Speed Triple 1050 | |
|---|---|---|
| Seat height | 31.5 in (800 mm) | 32.5 in (825 mm) |
| Wet weight | 417 lb (189 kg) | 467 lb (212 kg) |
| Street Triple | Speed Triple 1050 | |
|---|---|---|
| Displacement | 675 cc | 1050 cc |
| Power | 105 hp (78 kW) | 136 hp (102 kW) |
| Torque | 50 lb-ft (68 Nm) | 83 lb-ft (112 Nm) |
| Street Triple | Speed Triple 1050 | |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel economy | 41 mpg (US) / 5.7 L/100 km | 36 mpg (US) / 6.48 L/100 km |
| Fuel capacity | 4.6 US gal (17.4 L) | 4.6 US gal (17.5 L) |
| Street Triple | Speed Triple 1050 | |
|---|---|---|
| Rear tire | 180/55-17 | 190/55-17 |
| Wheelbase | 55.5 in (1410 mm) | 56.5 in (1435 mm) |
What comes fitted, what costs extra
| Street Triple | Speed Triple 1050 | |
|---|---|---|
| ABS | Not offered | Option |
| Traction Control | Not offered | Standard (from 2016) |
| Ride Modes | Not offered | Standard (from 2016) |
| Front Suspension Adjustable | Not offered | Standard |
Head to head, area by area
Both bikes on the same scale, one area at a time.
