The Triumph Street Triple has been one of the firm’s biggest hits ever since its launch in 2007. And the profile of the natty naked roadster was raised even higher in 2019 when the 765 Street Triple motor became the control powertrain for the Moto2 world championship series. Its combination of a grunty, capable engine in a slick-handling sporty chassis has ticked a lot of people’s boxes, and it’s got better and better over the years, as the Hinckley engineers added capability, performance and sophistication.
And now, for 2023, the firm has given the range a fairly serious update, with a revised engine design, new bodywork, tweaked chassis setup and a big extension to the electronic rider aids package. There are now three bikes in the range (the Triumph Trident has replaced the entry level base Street Triple 675): the Street Triple 765 R, the 765 RS and a limited edition Moto2 edition, which will only be produced in 765 copies of each of two colour schemes.
The most fundamental changes are to the engine. It gets an all-new top end, featuring revised intake ports, combustion chamber design, new pistons, con-rods and gudgeon pins, and a higher compression ratio, up to 13.25:1 from 12.65:1. There are new valves and camshafts with shorter intake trumpets, and the bottom end is also refined, with modded crank, balancer, clutch and transmission. Nice.
The result is 118bhp on the R and 128bhp from the RS and Moto2 edition, with more power all through the rev range than before, and a broader spread of torque too. It’s easier to access the drive, with revised gearing and final drive ratios, plus there’s a new slip/assist clutch design, and a standard up/down quickshifter. A new exhaust and silencer design claims improved gas flow from a single-catalyst setup, but it also claims to be quiet enough for the new Tirol noise limits in Austria, so don’t expect much in the way of a yowling bark…
As you might expect, the new bikes have had a bit of a chassis overhaul too, with appropriate homage paid to the firm’s Moto2 chops. The basic frame and swingarm package is largely unchanged, but detail changes to the riding position, plus slightly tweaked steering geometry, mean that the firm claims even more agile and precise handling. The back end has been lifted up on the RS and Moto2 bike, sharpening the steering, and the handlebars are 12mm wider on the RS and R.
The Moto2 bike has clip-on bars for an even sportier riding position. The Moto2 edition also has the highest-spec suspension: Öhlins NIX30 43mm USD front forks and STX40 rear monoshock, both full adjustable. The RS has the STX40 Öhlins shock with Showa BPF 41mm USD forks, and the R has Showa kit both ends – BPF-SFF 41mm USD forks and a piggyback rear shock, all fully adjustable.
The front brakes are another area where the RS and Moto2 stand out, with both those models getting Brembo Stylema calipers and 310mm discs, plus a Brembo MCS master cylinder. The R still gets some pretty sweet stoppers though, with Brembo M4.32 monoblocs. Tyres on the RS and Moto2 are by Pirelli, excellent Diablo Supercorsa SP V3 rubber in 120/70 and 180/55 sizes, while the R comes with premium Continental Contiroad fitments.
Triumph’s been good at electronic packages of late, and that looks set to continue on the new 765s. There’s a new optimised cornering ABS setup across the range, as well as a switchable cornering traction control setup. Both are assisted by a new IMU-based ECU system, with two levels on the ABS and four levels on the traction control. The riding modes are also upgraded, with five modes on the RS and Moto2 – Road, Rain, Sport, Track and custom, and four modes on the R: Road Rain Sport and custom. And you get wheelie control, LED lighting, posh colour dash, USB charging socket, immobiliser and there’s even a lap timer on the RS/Moto2 bike.
Last but not least is the styling and bodywork. The bikes are still clearly Street Triples, but there’s been a subtle overhaul to the looks, with sharper bodywork, sleeker lines and classy paint schemes. The Moto2 bike features carbon fibre front mudguard, sidepanels, headlight nacelle, belly pan and silencer end cap, and features a special numbered top yoke.
All the bikes will be on show at the NEC show this month. Prices are decent: £9,595 for the R, £11,295 for the RS and £13,795 for the Moto2 edition. More info: www.triumphmotorcycles.co.uk
One comment on “2023 Triumph Street Triple range updates”
Why does a British company worry about Austrian noise limits.? What’s the point of having a quiet combustion engined motorbike? Also It’s their 3rd change since 2017 devalues my RS every time, Triumph seem to be getting their marketing tips from Apple now? Yamaha MT10 SP anyone?