2024 Triumph Street Triple 765 R and RS

Left, right, and center: Be it cuisine or prickly politics, landing smack in the middle of the spectrum is a wise place to call home. It’s the safe bet, the smart choice, if not a bit beige. The naked middleweight segment is anything but vanilla these days, as nearly every manufacturer has a downright exciting option sprinkling the showroom floor. And Britain’s bringing its best to the table with the 2024 Triumph Street Triple 765 that boasts quite a few updates.

IMU-enabled electronics come to the Street Triple for the first time, bestowing cornering ABS and lean-angle-sensitive traction control to its plentiful list of rider aids. Sensible revisions are followed by a 765cc triple-cylinder engine cranking out more power from midrange to redline and handling improvements. Familiar yet refreshed styling makes the cut as well.

This year, three distinct flavours are offered, each with components and states of tune to fill a specific role. Things begin with the streetwise lower-spec R, which is only lower-spec comparatively, as fully adjustable Showa Separate Function Fork, Showa shock, and Brembo M4.32 calipers hardly deserve sand kicked at them. The R’s most distinctive feature is its engine tuning, pumping out a hearty 118 horsepower and 59 pound-feet of torque—though peak HP now arrives 500 rpm lower. Even the LCD/TFT instrument panel holds its own.

Meanwhile, the RS takes the track-focused leanings further with an upgraded Showa Big Piston fork and Öhlins STX 40 shock — both fully adjustable. Of course, the chassis geometry is sharpened to help make it an even more pointed racetrack weapon. Braking duties are bolstered with a span-and-ratio adjustable Brembo MSC master cylinder, Brembo Stylema calipers, and an additional Track riding mode via the full-color TFT dash. Better yet, the RS and Moto2 models reap greater performance benefits with 128 horsepower and 59 pound-feet.

Meaner still is the sold-out limited-edition Street Triple 765 Moto2 Edition bike, complete with clip-on style handlebars, all-around Öhlins suspension, and unique colourways. With the lusty Moto2 edition already spoken for, our grubby little mitts were kept off-limits.

We had two momentous days to get a proper taste of these bikes on our pallet. First, we’d be taking to the twisty Andalusian roads near the legendary Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto circuit in Spain and cap it off with a full day aboard the RS around the track.

The 765cc engine is wielding internal updates gleaned from the brand’s experience as the spec-engine supplier in the Moto2 World Championship. Greater power is teased out with updates like shorter intake trumpets, new valves, reshaped cams, a redesigned combustion chamber, and pistons. The silky-smooth triple is still as lively and raucous as we’ve always known it to be, complete with perfectly tuned riding modes. And the updated exhaust’s song is a proper belter, too.

Out on the road, there isn’t much left between the R and RS back-to-back, despite different tunes, and they’re an absolute hoot. The RS does run away in the top end with those extra ponies, but they’re only realized at the racetrack.

What takes the cake is shortened transmission and final-drive ratios that curl the proverbial lips of the R and RS, helping them get off the line or apex faster. The sporty steeds urgently stab their hoofs into the powerband and keep the power pumping to the 12,000 rpm redline. Tearing around Jerez’s technical layout doesn’t leave much breathing room, and luckily, you have a slick bi-directional quickshifter to lend a hand.

Bending into curving Spanish roads aboard the R is aided by a minimally shortened rake and trail, which sees it tip-in on command and still backed by the Street Triple’s characteristic confidence. The Showa suspenders gobble up B roads nicely, save for an errand shimmy when receiving a hard knock to the shock and brakes, providing great feel. Continental ContiRoad rubber leans towards the firmer side, but those can be swapped. And the entirely reasonable yet athletic riding position is suitable for long days in the saddle, though these are naked bikes, so taller riders will take it to the chest.

As good as the R is, the RS takes it up a notch with the Showa/Öhlins combination that jacks up the rear ride height and makes a sharp chassis even more pointed. Naturally, the grippy Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP tires aid in the handling department. Diving towards any tight street apex is done in a snap. Moreover, the sheer front-end confidence and mechanical grip do quick work of Jerez’s high-speed Curva Alex Criville — a corner that requires cojones, as the Spaniards say — and you’ve still got the excellent track-tuned TC, wheelie control, and ABS watch over your shoulder. On that note, the upgraded Brembo bits are worth their weight in gold when dropping the anchor into turn Curva Jorge Lorenzo. With performance like that, it’s unsurprising that naked bikes have replaced supersports in many garages.

Triumph and its Street Triple 765 lineup have delivered something special once again, marrying approachable power to a brilliant chassis suitable for riders across the board. But there is more than pure performance; with an excellent electronics package ensuring its luxury finish isn’t scuffed and high-quality components, the value is at an all-time high.