2007 Triumph Sprint ST Road Test
January 4th 2008 07:23
After riding the Suzuki Bandit 1200 a couple of posts ago, I was keen to see how it compared against more of a sports touring class of bike. So when the opportunity arose, courtesy of Blair from Renta-Triumph to have his Sprint ST for the day, how could I say no?
First impressions were very positive as I found the riding position quite comfortable and a good combination of semi sporty but with enough space to move around and not be restricted to that prone racing position of some machines. The seat was very comfy and I had no complaints during the 270km round trip.
Cruising along the open road at 100km, being just a little taller at 6,2, the screen could have been just a little bit higher to prevent wind buffeting although this can easily be remedied by fitting an aftermarket screen or even a bit of DIY.
The road sufaces I rode on were pretty good and the ST gives a smooth ride with nice easy handling. The suspension was spot on and I found it handled most road conditions with ease and there was very little clatter or clunking when you did hit a pothole unlike some bikes. The trademark Triumph single-sided swingarm is a nice touch and should make changing the wheel nice and easy.
This bike was fitted with Bridgestone Battlax BT020s and I found these to be excellent on all surfaces encountered ranging from dry, damp and wet . These combined with the dual disc four-piston calipers at the front and the single disc at the rear gave real stopping power and reassurance.
Pushing out nearly 123 bhp, there is more than enough power to cope with most conditions and it was real grin inducing to drop down a gear or two as you approached a nice sweeping corner. The sound of the triple pipes, snap, crackle and popping as you closed off the throttle quickly was enough to make you smile also. This is one rapid machine and you can quite easily make some progress whilst overtaking.
Talking of pipes, the design of these is just exquisite and a stunning piece of engineering, check out the molded heat guard in the pics.
And whilst we are on the subject of triple pipes, whether by accident or design, triple seems to be the design cue here, with triple lights, clocks and even clock buttons all nicely arranged and showing how much thought was put into this on the drawing board.
A few reviews have commented on the mirrors vibrating but I found these ones to be excellent and even at 100kmh-ish, I could still see okay. The only things I could really comment on was the gearbox sounded a bit clunky, I wasn't sure if it was my gear changing or particular to the bike but I was watching a couple of ST vids on YouTube and you could hear the clunk when they changed gear, so guess its the bike? The other thing I found was that the position of the bars made my wrists ache on the return journey and that I had tingly hands although I wouldn't say that this was due to excessive vibrations through the bars but more likely down to the rider.
Other than these minor things, I found the Sprint very easy to ride, with few handling suprises and just damm good fun. This model came with standard Triumph panniers which I found simple to use and not too bad for storage space either.
So my final rating would have to be a 9.5/10, a first class, well designed machine that is just stunning to ride as well as look at.
Grin factor 9/10 as has stunning looks, performance, only down side is that your licence could vanish pretty quickly.
This well worth treating yourself for a day ride or longer, so check out www.rentatriumph.co.nz for hire rates and further information and tell them you saw it on here.
(check out Looking for perfect gift post for more Sprint info)
Words and photography by Heath Ling
2007 Triumph Sprint ST Specifications: (net sourced)
ENGINE
Type: Liquid-cooled, DOHC, in-line 3-cylinder
Capacity: 1050cc
Bore/Stroke: 79 x 71.4mm
Compression Ratio: 12.0:1
Fuel System: Multipoint sequential electronic fuel injection
Ignition: Digital–inductive type via electronic engine management system
TRANSMISSION
Primary Drive: Gear
Final Drive: X ring chain
Clutch: Wet, multi-plate
Transmission: 6-speed
CYCLE PARTS
Frame: Aluminum beam perimeter
Swing arm: Single-sided, aluminum alloy with eccentric chain adjuster
Wheels:
Front: Alloy 5 -spoke 17 x 3.5in
Rear: Alloy 5 -spoke 17 x 5.5in
Tires:
Front: 120/70 ZR 17
Rear: 180/55 ZR 17
Suspension:
Front: 43mm cartridge forks with dual rate springs and adjustable preload
Rear: Monoshock with adjustable preload and rebound damping
Brakes:
Front:Twin 320mm floating discs, 4 piston calipers (ABS model available)
Rear: Single 255mm disc, 2 piston calipers
DIMENSIONS
Length: 2114mm (83.2in)
Width (Handlebars): 750mm (29.5in)
Height: 1215mm (47.8in)
Seat Height: 805mm (31.7in)
Wheelbase: 1457mm (57.4in)
Rake/Trail: 24º / 90mm
Weight (Dry): 210kg (462lbs) (ABS model: 213kg (469lbs))
Fuel Tank Capacity: 20 liters (5.2 gal US)
PERFORMANCE (MEASURED AT CRANKSHAFT TO DIN 70020)
Maximum Power: 127PS (125bhp) at 9250rpm
Maximum Torque: 105Nm (77ft.lbf) at 7500rpm
Colors: Caspian Blue, Sunset Red, Aluminum Silver
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