Triumph Thruxton RS Review (2020)
What Is It?
The Triumph Thruxton RS is a premium retro style cafe racer bike and is powered by a Euro 5 compliant liquid cooled 1,200 cc parallel twin engine, producing 103.6 bhp at 7,500 rpm and maximum torque at just 4,250 rpm.
Specs
- Seat Height: Average (810 mm / 31.9 inches
- Dry Weight: Heavy (197 kg / 434 lbs)
- Fuel Capacity: Average (14.5 litres / 3.8 US gallons)
- Economy: Average (45 mpg / 6.3 l/100km / 15.9 km/l)
- Range: Average (140 miles / 225 km)
- Top Speed: High (130 mph / 209 km/h)
- Capacity: Very High (1,200 cc)
- Power: High (104 bhp / 78 kW)
- Redline: Average (7,500 rpm)
- Road Tax / VED: Very High (£101 Per Year)
- Launch RRP: £13,000
Pros
- It looks beautiful
- Handling
- Power
- Style
Cons
- No quickshifter option
- On the heavy side
- Brakes
- Seat
What Is It Like?
Triumph Thruxton 1200RS 2020
Tell us a bit about you
I'm a 58 year old male, 6ft 1 (184 cm).
Your biking experience to date?
Continuous riding since age 16, except for a 3 month break on request of magistrate! I have owned over 40 bikes in those years from singles to twins to V4s from every big manufacturer. I love sitting more upright these days and speed is no longer as important as survival.
Why did you choose it?
I love thumping twins and was seduced by the retro looks.
What is good about it?
It looks beautiful, drives well and handles better than any retro should. The RS is wearing well.
What could be improved?
It can be a little heavy when manoeuvring in the garage and does not turn in quite as well as a Speed Triple but it is very planted and has more than adequate power for the chassis. The brakes are not quite as eye bulging as I would like but more than up to the job on the road.
I have changed the clip-ons for standard bar risers from the unfaired version. These fit okay and make the riding position more comfortable in and out of town.
The single seat is too firm, so I have swapped it for the twin seat option which allows you to move around.
Dipped beam is not great and you need to back off in unlit lanes at night. It could do with more brightness and beam spread. Full beam is excellent but when switching back to dipped it is like turning off the lights.
Any mods or upgrades?
- Front fender extender is a must to save the radiator
- Radiator guard
- Sump guard
- Engine case protectors
- Soft luggage system with fixed pannier mounts (aftermarket as Triumph's version leaks)
- Beeline sat nav mount in headstock top bolt
- Engine bars to be fitted
- Plan to fit additional spot lights for night riding
What is the economy like?
Okay. Between 45-55 mpg at best.
How is the engine?
It is lovely and smooth for a twin. Pretty free of vibes and no numbness after 3 hours in the saddle. It has a good pick up with plenty of torque and revs freely for a big twin.
Spirited but not dangerously fast or too powerful for the chassis. 105 bhp is more than enough for this machine. I love big BHP but don't crave more on this because it would not be useable and you can use all the power and torque on this bike which makes it fun on public roads.
A little burbling on the overrun. It's no Ducati but noise is pleasant enough without be overwhelming.
How does it handle?
Pretty good. Shocks need adjusting for preload. Plenty of advice on forums. Firm but fair ride. Can get overwhelmed and a bit lively if pushing on too much on a bumpy surface.
It turns in well and changes but needs some rider input as not a thought free process.
What are the brakes like?
Acceptable but not eye bulging, but it is quite a heavy bike.
Is it comfortable?
Acceptable for several hours if not plush. The twin seat better than the single perch.
How reliable have you found it?
So far no issues at all.
What's the servicing frequency and cost like?
Annual services and cost is standard for Trumpet.
To Sum Up
The Thruxton RS is beautiful to look at and own. A nice bike to ride and enjoy.
I swapped from a BMW R1200RS and although practical it's not as much fun as the Triumph. I do miss my Monster 828 as it was brilliant in the lanes but the Triumph is on another level of build quality and ownership smugness.
As a day to day bike for solo use it is lovely and with a twin seat pretty comfortable with a pillion. It's just a pleasure to ride anywhere at any time.
I always look at other models but cannot see what I would want to change it as it certainly has the garage look back factor in spades and is a lovely bike to own long term.
- Paul C, 2022
Price Guide
Add Your Review
Do you own this bike? We would love to hear anything good, bad, unexpected or that you have changed plus anything that a prospective new owner might find interesting or useful.