Triumph Speedmaster/America review

The cruisers-with-clearance have just had a financial shave with the Triumph America and Speedmaster priced at $14,990 rideaway as of tomorrow.

The British-built bikes are cruiser version of the classic Bonneville design and both are endowed with plenty of long-range cruising ability.

The biggest decision comes down to whether you prefer the more raked-back bars on the America or if the more traditional Speedmaster suits your style.

VALUE

At $14,990 rideaway, this pair makes a good buy for someone in the market for a commuting cruiser. The rider-friendly layout makes them practical daily transport and the options list is staggering, from chrome caps to sissy bars and rear luggage racks.

Standard gear includes Up against the Triumph are the Harley-Davidson Iron 883 at $45,250 and the more brutal-looking Suzuki Boulevard range from $10,990.

TECHNOLOGY

The air-cooled parallel-twin engine shared by this duo doesn't feel state-of-the-art - and isn't meant tobe. Instead that 865cc mill provides the sounds and sensations to seduce riders into actually having a good time. The bikes purr at legal speeds and the five-speed transmission is more than enough to roll along on the 72Nm of torque.

STYLING

The term "cruiser" covers a fair bit of metalwork and Triumph's America interpretation is reasonably traditional, with the Speedmaster a minimalist take on that. There is a huge amount of scope to customise both these machines into the ride their owners have dreamt of, from saddle bags to tall windscreens and accessory bling.

Some of them - like the cut-off exhausts that replace the full-length units, dramatically change the look of the bikes and generate a better bark at the same time. 

SAFETY

The same reason that causes people to fall off cruisers at low speed also tends to kill them at higher velocity. It is ground clearance and is thankfully something these bikes have more of than your average roach-hugging chrome-mobile.

Doing a roundabout u-turn still needs to be taken with a bit of caution to avoid damaging the exhausts but it isn't a 20km/h exercise. 

Ride these bikes within their limits and they are fun and reasonably fast machines. They are not corner-carvers and shouldn't be treated as such.

RIDING

The Triumph twins are in their element with decent weather, a bottle of wine and a cold chicken in the panniers and some open road. That squat rear seat will happily take a regular-butted pillion and while the travel on the Kayabusa rear shocks isn't huge it will soak up anything short of a train-track hump without drama.

The Nissin brakes are  on a par with what you expect in this class - solid, without being sensational. That doesn't apply to the throttle response, which is crisp at any revs and gives the rider a sense of confidence. The same applies to the low seat height that lets even short-legged riders get a decent footing at the lights.

VERDICT

I haven't slowed down enough to own a cruiser but if I did the Triumphs would rate highly. Their ability not to scrape in normal traffic use but still be a weekend escape vehicle makes them appealing as a day-to-day proposition - and the discount price is hard to ignore.

Triumph Speedmaster/America

Price: from $14,990 rideaway
Warranty: Two years/unlimited km
Engine: 865cc parallel-twin, 45KW/72Nm
Transmission: Five-speed chain drive
Seat height: 690mm
Fuel tank: 19 litres
Wet weight: 250kg
Suspension: Kayaba 41mm front forks, twin rear shocks with preload adjustment
Brakes: 310mm front disc with Nissin two-piston caliper, 285mm rear disc with Nissin two-piston caliper