Without a doubt the R is a sensational bike. However, the Speed Triple represents significant scope creep From my original specs and the R even more so.

Having said that, whether it be photographic equipment, drum gear, power tools, or high fi devices, I have always bought greater capability than the current need would dictate. And without fail it turned out to be the right move. I probably repeated that theme when I got the FJR in 2009.

Makes me wonder if I'd get tired of the Street Triple in short order. I really don't want to make a mistake here.

With the Speed Triple you will never again wonder what a giant wheelie is like. Ever. You may in fact begin to wonder if you have bought a fancy unicycle

Have you actually ridden one yet? It's a pretty LONG way away from the FJR.

Well since you asked, no, I've not ridden any Triumphs. That the Street Triple is a long way from an Fjr, well, maybe.

Looking at the numbers, 0 to 60 and 0 to 100, it's almost a wash. 3 seconds versus 3.3 and 7 seconds versus 7.7. Slightly more HP at the rear wheel for the Yamaha. The biggest differences are weight 180 pounds, and wheel base (too lazy to look that one up).

Most people have no idea what the FJR (and Concourse I14) is capable of. It's actually an insanely powerful bike that is in some ways over powered for its handling capabilities. On paper at least, if the FJ could lose 150 pounds it would smoke the hell out of the Speed Triple. As it is it's close in a straight line.

So what's my point. I look at the Speed Triple as a naked FJR that went on the south beach diet. The riding position is similar and the speed is similar. And the Speed Triple is much better in the twisties and can more effectively use its power.

The Street Triple by contrast is slower to 60 and 100 than the FJR. It will certainly handle better but I'm just not sure it has the power that I am used to.

Something in between the two would be ideal.

Interesting side note...

Perusing the Performance Index in MCN, there are only 26 bikes that can get to 60 mph in 2.99 seconds or less. This is out of roughly 425 bikes (some duplicate models of different years). An '03 FJR is one of the 26 as is the '11 Concourse. No BMW S1000rr makes it under 3 seconds. FJR gained a bunch of weight in '06 making it slower. But it is still one of the fastest bikes to 60 on the market. This I find surprising and I suspect others would too.

Ninja 1000 is one of the quick 26 at 2.91 seconds to 60. Also '09 BMW K1300s at 2.79.

Quickest is '06 GSX-R1000 at 2.35 seconds.

FYI I would not buy a bike based solely or even in any major way on these numbers. But, taken with other data points it can help understand the overall capabilities of a particular vehicle.

Two 2012 Street Triple R with 1k miles on em for $9k in NH where I got my B-King. Not Ohlins, not the bigger motor of the speed triple, but it aint $14k either. Interesting one has a 3-1 exhaust, the other a 3-2

I'm thinking that's a little high given that list on the '13 Street R is $9,999.

I'll be looking carefully at the Street R and used late model Speed offerings. The IMS in DC will have them to look at as well.

ahh good point. I didnt check the 12 prices on the street, just the speed. So yeah, have to agree.

Interesting...I knew the FJR was fast (and surprisingly sporting) but that's interesting info. My comment wasn't about speed though actually, more about dynamics. The trip has a super short wheelbase and steep steering head geometry, combined with a relatively high CG and upright sitting position. Just dynamically very different. Realistically in out and out performance, particularly open road, I would expect the FJ to spank it.

You are absolutely correct about the dynamics Rob. However, we are probably splitting hairs really. I mean any sporty bike will be fast and then it just becomes a matter of weight, wheelbase, and geometry.

High COG...have you ridden my bike????? 7 gallons (50+ pounds) of gasoline as high as you can put it.... I'm amazed I don't fall over twice a day.

Interestingly, coming from my bike, I always felt like the FJR had a surprisingly low COG. It's superb bike. FInding a machine that would be complementary to it and not at least somewhat redundant is going to be challenging.

If it were me, I'd be asking what I would like to do that the FJR prevents me from doing or enjoying and go from there.

I suppose it's all what you've been living with. You bring up an excellent question...one I have been grappling with for some time. The best answer I can come up with is I want a better handling bike. This equates to lighter and shorter wheelbase. Since my back cannot take an agressive position, many sport bikes are ruled out.

Getting back to the numbers game, I had no idea how sick the K1300S is. It is for all intents and purposes the second fastest bike to 60 MCN has ever tested. Technically it is probably the 7th fastest but other than the '06 gixer 1000, the other 5 faster bikes are '08 and '12 ZX-14Rs at one hundreth and two hundreths of a second faster, '99 and '08 busa's at .03 and .01 faster, and 2010 VFR at .09 seconds faster...hanging chads of a difference.

Yea, the K13S is crazy fast and I have found handles extremely well but it's a big bike with a crazy long wheelbase.

IMHO, it's too powerful. I find I have to do Deal's Gap in first gear on it or I simply don't have fine enough control of the throttle to keep my speed within the small ranges needed there.

But get it on the highway or through long sweepers and it's a dream to ride.

Of course Duncan knows much more about it than I do.

Understand about the Ergos. Sportbikes are out for me too, I cant go more than 15 min without my wrists and neck being on fire on those things.

Have you redone the suspension on your FJR to get better handling? might that help? Im far from an expert but I bought my 05 FJR used and it has a wilburs rear shock and ??? on the front, poss racetech? Its the first bike Ive owned with a non stock suspension. Last year at the dragon, fully loaded bags and all I ran those roads at twice the speed I could on my 03 FZ1 empty which still had the stock suspension, and worked a lot less doing it. My FJR feels very tall, but it seems surprisingly balanced, but I dont find it top heavy unless Im pushing it around the driveway, but Im only 5'10" with short legs. Even with the suspension not correctly set for Me yet, it is still effortless to ride.

After 30+ years of riding Ive come to accept that no 1 bike does it all, thats why I have 4.

 FWIW the newest motorcyclist mag has a test on the 2013 Street Triple. Evidently its been heavily redesigned over the previous versions, so if you are leaning in that direction, go new.
But Since you seem to agonize a bit over tenths of seconds in acceleration, Im thinking nothing less than a 1000 will do.

Might be hard to beat a newer Speed Triple R considering it has the HP, the lighter weight and the ohlins suspenders. but that busts the budget

I did the suspension about 15,000 miles ago replacing the rear with an ohlins and rebuilding the forks with stiffer race tech springs and gold valves. It did make a huge improvement to the handling especially the ability to put the power down. The bike was instantly quicker off the line and corners much better.

However, it did nothing to lower the weight or shrink the wheelbase. Handling at the dragon was better but it is still an incredible effort to run that 11 miles. Down right exhausting to be honest. I'm looking for more fun at deals gap.

I always found the roads around the dragon like Moonshiner 28, cherohalla skyway etc were a lot more fun than the dragon itself. I think its effort to get around that 11 miles no matter what you are on.

Short of maybe the Aprilla Tuono R , the Speed Triple R is going to be hard to beat. Ohlins, brembos, compact frame, big HP. Neither the FZ1, Z1000, or anything from Honda really has enough to compete in every category. They all fall short somewhere. Except Price. The Speed R doesnt come cheap. age old quandry....

I've always loved the Gap more than any other road because of the fact that it takes so much effort. I call it "practice".

But then again, it might have something to do with the amazingly fast, nimble and modern machine I ride.

After the close call last year on the Cherohalla, I find I'm actually actively afraid of that road. That could have been wicked ugly.

Ergos, price, performance, low center of gravity... Jay, you should take my Monster for a ride. It does alright at the Gap, too. An S2R 800 or M900 would fit the bill.

However, the Triumph is a "safer" way to go. Only irrational people, who can't help themselves, buy Ducati.

I can attest that the Monster is a beast at the Gap. I never could keep up with Ian despite how I tried.

I love Ducatis but Josh already ruled out v-twins. I assume that includes L-twins :). Don't know why - I think it's the best platform out there, but of course I'm biased :). Would love to try out one of the Triumph triples, though.

I'm supposed to go look at the used '13 Speed Triple today if the guy rides it into work. Probably wont get to ride it and even if I did, cold pavement, cold tires, unknown bike = SLOW. I wouldn't get a good feel for it anyway.

Can't argue with any of this. The K13 can get through the gap just fine, but it's really more of a canyon carver given the wheel base.

Now on the skyway, or the sweeper sections of 129, I'm not sure I'd could find a better bike--at least for my tastes

Jeff, good to see you here

Just out of curiousity, how do you think the Vmax would do at the gap? Are you running stock suspension on it?

Good to finally be here Duncan. The VMax on the dragon. Hmmm A lot of guys have taken their Gen2 Max down there and done well, had lots of fun and didnt get hurt. Comparing the Gen 2 (09+) to the Gen 1 (85-97) which I also had at one point, in the handling department is like comparing a new Corvette to a 55 Buick, but lets face it, the Gen 1 suspension wasnt worth 5 Cents.

 Despite the long wheelbase on the Gen2 it does have a surprising amount of cornering clearance. My max has the stock suspension on it which is honestly pretty good, but also consider that the bike weighs 700 lbs before I even get on it so it has to be strong/stiff to begin with. (Incidentally no one in the US makes an aftermarket shock/spring for either end yet and the one euro company that does charges like $4000). Some consider it harsh but at the factory settings, I find it firm but not kidney busting. I intend to play with the settings this summer to see if I can improve it.

What my bike does NOT have is the stock 200 rear tire. When I bought it, the guy had put on the 240mm wheel kit so that makes turning and leaning it over a bit harder, at least initially compared to my other bikes. Ive never ridden one with a stock tire, but everyone complains that the 240 makes it harder to ride in turns as well as robbing you of 7-10 hp. BUT even stock the bike can melt a 200 rear tire at will in the first 4 gears, so the 240 has its purpose. It looks Great, and what you lose in HP and handling you gain in traction. Its not nearly as burnout happy as the stocker.
 
  I will say though that when I got the bike, I thought the speedo was way optimistic. It seemed I was routinely running 10+ mph FASTER down the same twisty roads as with my FZ1. After seeing it time and time again I put my GPS on the FZ1 and ran a road and then did the same with the Vmax. The speedos were fine, I really was running faster with the Vmax. I attribute that maybe to the suspension necessarily being better because it has to be. No illusions though, the bike is NOT FLICKABLE by any means. I could drive the FZ and can drive the FJR almost with my butt or changing a leg position here or there, BUT the Vmax needs to be physically wrestled over sometimes in turns, I guess the wide rear tire magnifies it. A few guys have put CF rims on the bike and they say that improves things quite a bit but thats too rich for my blood.
 
Having said that, once you get it over and leaning into the turn the bike does corner quite well, though you cant lean it over as much as an FJR or sportbike by any means, but I havent had the "oh shit Ima gonna die" moment in a turn. (knock on wood). I think with that big tire it would tough to go through the dragon fast, but certainly it would do far better than a harley or any other cruiser except for the Diavel. If I could trailer it there, Id try. Not sure riding it there is practical in any sense from this distance at my "advanced" age. LOL The 80-90 mile range per tank and lack of anywhere to hang bags doesnt help.

Jeff

Proving that on extremely rare occasions it is ok to ignore the little voice in your head screaming no No NO, I took a spin on the 2013 Speed Triple R.

I'm not gonna lie, I was nervous to get on it. Adding to my angst was the fact that I was wearing my new stiff-as-hell Sidi Mega Gore boots for only the second time. First my overall impression...wait for it...HOLY SHIT!

Ok now the details. This bike is so short you cannot see any of it while you are on it. Kinda freaky at first. Secondly the drivetrain is sublime. I could only think Triumph has taken a K1300 motor and cut a cylinder off it. The refinement of the motor is that good. The tranny is the smoothest I've ever experienced.

Once you get moving it is all so manageable. True it's powerful but not overly so. The handling was greatly hampered by the fact that the owner had way too much preload on everything. I think my kidneys are on route one somewhere. But the potential for incredible handling is apparent.

The only negative is no gear indicator. WTF is up with that?

Anyway, bottom line, if I had $16k burning a hole in my pocket I would buy one of these tomorrow...no No NO!

Made the serious mistake of stopping by Coleman Powersports to "browse" in the showroom. Sat on a 2011 Ducati Streetfighter S ... 600 miles and marked down to 15k.

Oh but that damned clutch...