ON THRUXTON, R IS FOR A BIGGER HEART

I’ve always believed that company-made café racers are something of a misnomer. The whole point of a café racer is to take a production bike, strip it down, make it go faster — and do it all in your garage. But the idea of mass producing these shed-built machines is here to stay. Generally, I wouldn’t be too excited about them, but since it was unveiled last year, Triumph’s new Thruxton R has put me in tizzy. So a ride on it through the winding hill roads near Cascais, Portugal was just what the doctor had ordered for my nerves.

For starters, the new Thruxton comes with top-notch equipment that can put modern sportsbikes to shame. A classic round headlamp, twin analogue instrument pods, aluminium bar end mirrors, a slim sculpted tank with a ‘Monza’ style filler cap, single seat with a cowl-like tail, all riding on 17-inch wire spoke wheels – this café racer looks more authentic than ever before.

But unlike the T120’s ‘High Torque’ specification, t he Thruxton’s motor is designated ‘HP’ for ‘High Power’. The result is a freer revving motor with peak power now bumped up to 96bhp and torque to 11.4kgm. The engine sounds sporty too, thanks to the upswept twin megaphone exhausts. Cracking the “ton” (100mph or 160kph) barely takes any time, but honestly, this isn’t a bike built with top speeds in mind; it’s all about the riding experience.

All that power goes to nought if the café racer can’t deliver its mainstay – handling. The T120’s frame has been tightened and its wheelbase reduced. The seat is slightly higher to encourage an aggressive riding posture.