Words: Séan Hendley
Pics: Deon van der Linde
I decided to go a little bit left field with this test. I’ve ridden most cruisers, especially of the Harley variety, I’ve also ridden most Japanese cruisers/muscle bikes, so I was in the mood for something different, something unusual, something I hadn’t ridden before. Bikeshop Boksburg has a lot of spectacular options on their showroom floor, most of which I have ridden some variant of. However, a Triumph Speedmaster did catch my attention and I opted for that, even though it was the smallest engine capacity of the bikes on this multi test.
I wasn’t just looking at cubes. I was thinking of daily commuting through Jo’burg traffic, breakfast runs to Haarties and Cullinan, and the occasional weekend escape to Mpumalanga’s twisty mountain passes or Clarens’ lekker pass through the Golden Gate Reserve. For that mix, the Triumph looked like it might just tick the boxes, with a bit of old school British cool thrown in.
This Speedmaster is in absolutely mint condition. I’m talking about showroom condition, like it just rolled off the factory floor yesterday. Less than 32,000 kays on the clock, not a scratch, ding or scuff anywhere on the tank, wheels, seat, or pipes. Tyres looked almost new, brake discs and pads still fresh, and not a drop of oil or dodgy stain on the motor. Whoever owned this bike before either polished it more than they rode it, or just loved it properly.
Hit the starter, and boom, it fired up first time. None of that coughing and spluttering nonsense you’d expect from a 16 year old bike. The 865cc motor idled smoothly, quietly even, with just enough thrum to remind you it’s a parallel twin. No smoke, no fuelly smells, no weird rattles. Just a solid, healthy heartbeat.
To be truthful, I was expecting the usual awkwardness of my size versus the bike’s size. I’m basically an orangutan in a leather jacket, so swinging a leg over a mid-size cruiser is usually an awkward ballet that ends with me looking like I’m riding a kiddies bike. But the Speedmaster surprised me.
That stepped seat gave me proper lower back support, comfy enough for my bony backside, and cushy enough for long days in the saddle. Footpegs are set just far forward for a chilled ride, without forcing your legs into some ridiculous stretch. The bars are wide and perfectly angled, so no wrist strain, no hunched shoulders. Honestly, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, it does actually fit me.
The cockpit is lekker simple. Big analogue speedo with a trip meter, and a few idiot lights for blinkers, high beam and low fuel. Switchgear is as basic as it gets, but in the best possible way. No complicated menus, no multitudes of riding modes, no space-age TFT screen. Just the essentials. I love it. This is a proper old school bike, no electronic nannies to interfere with your riding, no traction control, no ABS, you are completely connected to the bike and the road, a really immersive riding experience, whatever your input is, is exactly what the bike does, no delays, no interference from electronics and for us old school riders its like going home.
Performance wise, this Triumph really impressed me. It’s not going to win any track days or MotoGPs, but it’s definitely fast enough to get everywhere quickly and, more importantly, make you grin the whole way. We did long highway stints to and from the track, and even with just five gears it always seemed to have enough torque in any rev range to roll on and blast past slower traffic.
Handling was another revelation. Like most cruiser style bikes, I was braced for wallowy suspension, vague steering and brakes made of marshmallows. Instead, the Speedmaster stopped, turned, and rocketed out of corners way better than I’d imagined. I even managed to duck down the inside of my colleagues at the track, showering the place in sparks as bits and bobs scraped along the tar. Its only real limitation is how low it sits.
Speaking of the brakes, I pushed them properly hard around the track. I was expecting fade, boiling fluid, maybe even a prayer or two. But nope, they just got better as the day wore on. The only thing I missed was ABS. In Jo’burg rush hour, I grabbed a fistful of hooks, locked the front and felt the wheel trying to wash out. Fortunately, I reacted quick enough and released, it straightened, and off I went with only a minor sphincter pucker.
Maneuverability and filtering? Spot on. It’s slim, torquey, and changes direction quickly, making easy work of Jo’burg’s clogged roads. The suspension also deserves a mention, it soaked up most of the crap our South African roads threw at us, and stayed composed even when I had to change line mid corner at the track to stop expensive parts getting ground down.
There was very little to complain about, the hooter and the low fuel light didn’t work, but that was probably a blown fuse, there were no other problems.
The 2009 Triumph Speedmaster is a proper gem of a budget bike. It looks cool as heck, rides better than I expected, and in immaculate condition like this one, it’s basically bulletproof. It’s comfortable, fast enough for anything legal (and a bit more), and unique enough to stand out in a sea of cookie cutter bikes.
Would I buy this one for myself? Honestly, I’m wondering how I’d explain this to the missus if it landed in my garage. At R69,900 from Bikeshop Boksburg, it’s properly tempting. That’s a hell of a lot of bike for the money.
