The Triumph Speedmaster is a cruiser designed and built in Hinckley, launched as a factory custom in 2003 on the Bonneville America. It ran through 790 cc and 865 cc versions before a new 1200 cc Speedmaster appeared in 2018.
Triumph Speedmaster at a glance
| Maker | Triumph Motorcycles, Hinckley |
|---|---|
| Launched | 2003 (announced 2002) |
| Based on | Triumph Bonneville America |
| Wheelbase | 1660 mm |
| Crankshaft | 270 degrees |
| Engine, first | 790 cc air-cooled DOHC twin |
| Output, first | 53.1 hp at the rear wheel, 103 mph |
| Engine, 2005 | 865 cc carburettor twin, 68 Nm at 3500 rpm |
| Fuel injection | 2007 |
| New model | 2018 Bonneville Speedmaster, 1200 cc |
Based on the English Wikipedia article on the Speedmaster.
History of the Triumph Speedmaster
2003: a factory custom
The Speedmaster was launched as a factory custom cruiser based on the Bonneville America. The original used the 790 cc air-cooled double-overhead-cam twin in an extended 1660 mm wheelbase with a 270-degree crankshaft. Compared with the America it had a black-finished engine, shorter gearing, a flat handlebar on risers, a one-piece saddle and cast alloy wheels with twin front discs instead of the America’s single disc. The name itself had last been used in 1965, when American importers applied it to the Bonneville T120R, though never the factory.
First generation performance
The 2003–2004 790 cc model produced 53.1 hp at the rear wheel and reached 166 km/h. In 2005 the engine grew to 865 cc in carburettor form, with peak power at 6500 rpm and maximum torque of 68 Nm at 3500 rpm. In 2007 a multipoint sequential fuel-injection version arrived with new-design alloy wheels, a restyled chain cover, pillion footrest hanger and upper fork shrouds, slash-cut silencers and four new paint schemes.
2018: the Bonneville Speedmaster
The name returned in 2018 on the Bonneville Speedmaster from Triumph’s Modern Classics line, using the 1200 cc high-torque liquid-cooled engine of the 2017 Bonneville. It took the Triumph Bobber Black’s faux-hardtail chassis and turned it into a light-duty tourer with a larger 3.17-gallon fuel tank, a bigger rider’s seat, a pillion seat with footpegs, beach-bar handlebars with more pullback, forward controls, chrome exhausts and accents, and a rear fender with mounting points for optional saddlebags.
Equipment of the 2018 model
Like the Bobber Black, the 2018 Speedmaster has a ride-by-wire throttle with Rain and Road modes, one-touch cruise control, ABS and traction control, LED lighting with a daytime running light, twin front discs with Brembo callipers, upgraded KYB forks and larger tyres.
Design and features
- Factory custom — based on the Bonneville America with a blacked-out engine and cast wheels.
- 270-degree twin — the cruiser crank in a 1660 mm wheelbase.
- Twin front discs — a step up from the America’s single disc.
- 1200 cc revival — the 2018 model added cruise control, rider modes and traction control.
Triumph Speedmaster versions
- 790 cc (2003–2004): the original factory custom, 53.1 hp.
- 865 cc carburettor (2005–2006): more capacity, 68 Nm.
- 865 cc injection (2007): new wheels, slash-cut silencers and paint schemes.
- Bonneville Speedmaster 1200 (2018): liquid-cooled Modern Classic tourer.
The Speedmaster was built on the Bonneville America and shares the Bonneville family, with the Scrambler and Thruxton. More in the Triumph collection.
Sources
- Triumph Speedmaster, English Wikipedia: launch, engines, 2007 update, 2018 model
