Triumph Speed 4

[sshenton1975]

Hello All

You may remember I passed my DAS last Dec and went straight out and bought a Trumph Speed 4
I've been using it quite a bit lately - had a great ride out today around Oxford/Banbury/Fosse etv

Quick question - It's got 100hp in a relatively light frame - how does it stack up performance wise to other 600s say bandit 600, CBR600 or even some of the sports 600s?

I say this as it seems pretty quick up to 100mph but then I haven;t tried anything else to compare it with?

Is performance supposed ot be pretty hot on these bikes?

Thanks for your advice - it's just that O am getting 'used' to the ick it gives me - may be time for something bigger next year?.....

[sshenton1975]

Any thoughts guys?

[carlosvalderrama]

If it helps, the performance is almost identical to the TT600 up to about 110mph. The TT had about 5bhp more, but the S4 a a touch lighter without the panels. It'll eat most bandits alive, up to maybe the new 650, and probably got a little over an old shape hornet. I wouldn't expect to be flying past many CBR600's unless they were getting on a bit though.

[hiccy]

Get something bigger.

[black-k1]

sshenton1975 said:

Hello All

You may remember I passed my DAS last Dec and went straight out and bought a Trumph Speed 4
I've been using it quite a bit lately - had a great ride out today around Oxford/Banbury/Fosse etv

Quick question - It's got 100hp in a relatively light frame - how does it stack up performance wise to other 600s say bandit 600, CBR600 or even some of the sports 600s?

I say this as it seems pretty quick up to 100mph but then I haven;t tried anything else to compare it with?

Is performance supposed ot be pretty hot on these bikes?

Thanks for your advice - it's just that O am getting 'used' to the ick it gives me - may be time for something bigger next year?.....

In all honesty, on the public road, it’s irrelevant. A good rider on your bike would be faster (and safer) than a mediocre rider on any other 600. If you are simply and average rider (and most of us are) then what the ‘top trumps specifications’ say is no where near as important as how the particular bike works for you. Who on this forum can honestly say that they push there bike to it’s limits rather than to their own limits?

Edited by black-k1 on Monday 9th June 13:19

[Fire99]

The Speed 4 is quite different from the Bandit as the bandit was aimed as a more budget/allround option where the Speed 4 was quite expensive new and has some pretty expensive parts..

IMO it should be a good step ahead the 600 and 650 bandit due to being light and making good power.
And up to 100 ish (where aerodynamics of a faired bike will start to kick in) it should be up there with the late 90's and earlier CBR's, ZX6's etc as its making similar power and is a featherweight.. 170 something kg.

Obviously late 90's onwards and the faired bikes started getting lighter and making 100+ and beyond hp.. so in a simple drag race they should start to get away..
However on the bends / especially B roads a well ridden Speed 4 should be good to keep up with virtually anything..

I think you only start to tire of such a bike if you want the power lower down the rev range and a more torquey delivery.. Thats when you start looking at larger capacity bikes..

[sshenton1975]

Thanks guys - appreciate your comments.
I am not at all a great rider - only done 500 miles since getting the test sorted in Dec. I am sure the bike is a lot more talented than I am at the moment.
What you say about low torque is exactly right - get the bike over 6000 rpm (it readlines at 14k!!!) and it starts to get moving. It;s the low down torque that seems to be lacking. You have to rev the nuts of it to get going quickly. When overtaking on an A road I find myself dropping down to 3rd or even 2nd to get the best out of it and get round as quick as possible.

Next year a 1 litre me thinks..........or a Speed Trip!!!!

[Fire99]

sshenton1975 said:

Thanks guys - appreciate your comments.
I am not at all a great rider - only done 500 miles since getting the test sorted in Dec. I am sure the bike is a lot more talented than I am at the moment.
What you say about low torque is exactly right - get the bike over 6000 rpm (it readlines at 14k!!!) and it starts to get moving. It;s the low down torque that seems to be lacking. You have to rev the nuts of it to get going quickly. When overtaking on an A road I find myself dropping down to 3rd or even 2nd to get the best out of it and get round as quick as possible.

Next year a 1 litre me thinks..........or a Speed Trip!!!!

Yeah 'tis the nature of the beast!'
I test rode a new Speed Triple 1050 a few weeks back from a very friendly dealer near Dunmow in Essex. (quick plug for those guys!)
Now that has some serious stomp at virtually all revs. Only drawback is it kinda pushes you to ride like a loony and the ease of getting up to serious speed on back-roads is something to behold..

I rather liked it.