Triumph Thruxtons


Triumph have finally unveiled their all-new 1199 cc Triumph Thruxton and Thruxton R. It’s hard to overstate the importance of these bikes to Triumph; they are going to make up around one third of the total sales of all the bikes the UK company sells around the world and have soaked up a huge amount of development work. The Thruxton and Thruxton R sit at the top of the new range, which – with the exception of the Street Twin – uses an all-new water-cooled 1199 cc parallel-twin engine.



The two-bike Thruxton range shares the same high-power Thruxton-specification engine which will have a performance boost over the more traditional T120, as well as benefitting from a dedicated chassis, and higher-spec suspension and brakes.


This is a bike offering modern performance with a classic flat-on-the-tank riding style. This bike is aimed squarely at the likes of the BMW R nineT, Yamaha XJR1300 racer, Moto Guzzi V7 Racer and the NORTON Commando 961 – which all offer a blend of classic styling but with more modern design and engineering touches.

Triumph haven’t quoted power figures yet, but have revealed that the 1199 cc engine is pushing out 81 lb-ft of torque at 3500 rpm in the Thruxton state of tune and the twin features a low-friction, low-inertia engine with a lighter crankshaft allowing it to rev more quickly and higher than previous Bonneville engines. There are some very clever engineering elements to the Thruxton, too. The exhausts are a prime example, managing to keep the classic twin-swept pipe style which hides a clever twist. A diversion pipe runs from each cylinder downpipe into the underslung catalyser box, then back out into the twin silencers. The downpipes are then covered in a second metal skin to not only lower surface temperatures, but also to stop the discolouration from water spray and exhaust gas heat, and give the illusion of straight-through pipes.


Triumph say the exhaust note has been tuned to deliver a characterful and bassy rumble. The Thruxton models get a host of electronics too, with ABS as standard, a ride-by-wire throttle, switchable traction control, multiple riding modes, LED rear lights and signature LED daytime running lights, and a USB charging socket. The engine also boasts a slipper clutch.


The range-topping Thruxton R ups the ante even further with significant parts upgrades over the standard Thruxton model in order to make it look, perform, handle and stop better. Upgraded Brembo twin floating brake discs are clamped by Brembo radially-mounted monobloc calipers plus there’s a Brembo master cylinder for increased braking power. The suspension uses a high-spec, fully-adjustable Showa big-piston fork up front and fully-adjustable Öhlins twin rear shocks while the rims run Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa tyres for sportier handling characteristics. Although no official prices have been announced yet, we expects the standard Thruxton to cost around £ 9,000, with the R coming in at around £ 12,000.