Author: Diana M. Cuyler

The 2022 Triumph Street Triple RS is low on emissions, gets a bit more grunt and a mind-blowing price tag, but is still a no-compromise middleweight streetfighter you should go for.

Story: Sarmad Kadiri
Photographer: Sanjay Raikar

It’s been five years, but I still vividly remember shooting the new Street Triple RS at the Catalunya MotoGP track during the new model’s official media tour. What started as a skeptical ride of a fairingless motorcycle on a race track quickly became one of my fondest cycling memories. Fast forward to 2022 and here I am driving one on our roads, giving me a whole new perspective of the RS.

Since Triumph introduced the new generation, the naked middleweight has become an instant hit, making it a segment leader and a best-selling British marque. Overall, there are three variants to choose from, but our market gets the mid-range ‘R’ trim and the high-end ‘RS’ we have here.

If you like middleweight street fighters but don’t like to compromise, buying the “RS” is a no-brainer. This is the most powerful and desirable Street Triple on the market and Triumph’s Moto2 engine team have ensured that the 765cc straight triple is made to BS6 standard. Now two catalytic converters are required in the exhaust system to further limit emissions. So you can continue to enjoy the much-loved sporty but maneuverable Triple character, but without the guilt.

Triumph Street Triple RS: Design
It is an updated bike, so there are no major changes in terms of design or engine power. But you’ll notice the sharper twin headlights and signature daytime running lights that give the bike its distinct identity. Without looking twice, you’ll know it’s a Street Triple. There are a few other notable changes such as a more pronounced air intake just above the headlights and, like the face, the body also looks more chiseled now – straight from a mosquito net, a reworked side panel, rear section and belly. Even the aluminum frame is finished in Titanium Silver on our Matt Jet Black test bike, though the Silver Ice shade gets a fancier red treatment. You also get new graphics on the TFT with color choices, Bluetooth connectivity and GoPro controls. A new carbon fiber tip on the exhaust completes the visual changes to the BS6 bike.

Triumph Street Triple RS: Engine
Fortunately, as before, on the RS, the 765cc Triple continues to produce an impressive 123bhp, five bhp more than the standard R, making this version an absolute pleasure to drive. Engineers took this opportunity to tweak the engine to deliver a stronger mid-range, making the bike even better for everyday use. Torque has increased by two Nm to 79 Nm, which also peaks sooner than the old bike. Triumph says they have also made the crank, clutch and balancer shafts lighter, which has reduced rotational inertia by around 7%. These changes made the throttle response even more rewarding throughout the rev range now. As we rode around town, the extra grunt and torque became very evident, making the Street Triple RS much friendlier. In addition, you have the option to cycle through the driving modes according to the traffic situation. If you think Road mode is aggressive on congested roads, switching to Rain will make things smoother and less intimidating.

Triumph Street Triple RS: performance
As we pulled away from town and into the twisty hill roads, I could comfortably run around the corners without having to downshift, because there’s always plenty of power under your control. Empty stretches of road and Sport mode are a perfect combination to lift your spirits, as the roar of the three-cylinder echoes through the valley. Motorcycling is truly therapy and bikes like the Street Triple a well-recommended therapist. The sleek six-speed gearbox continues to power the rear wheel, but now features a quick-shifter, so you can up or down a gear without worrying about engaging the gear. ‘clutch. And even when you need to use the clutch, the assist system makes it easy to use. The experience is absolutely effortless.

Triumph Street Triple RS: ride and handling
Speaking of premium parts, the Street Triple RS features premium brakes and suspension that do full justice to the bike’s well-balanced chassis. Up front there’s the reliable, fully adjustable 41mm Showa fork, while at the rear the Öhlins STX40 monoshock provides damping. The bike feels nice, firm and incredibly precise when you throw it through fast corners and the meatier mid-range makes riding through a series of corners extremely rewarding. The incredible grip of the Pirelli tires encourages you to lean more. On long rides on our roads this setup tended to be a bit stiff and whoever thought the saddle would need a little more cushioning. A small compromise for a formidable maneuverability.

Triumph Street Triple RS: braking performance
The braking department is no less impressive either, with twin Brembo M50 monoblock calipers as well as Brembo MCS 19.21 radial master cylinder. The brake lever is also adjustable for reach and bite ratio and a single tap is all you need to lose speed. Strong braking prowess lets you apply the brake just a little later as you approach a corner and effortlessly swing the RS from corner to corner. And that’s when you’ll be congratulating yourself for gassing up and buying the premium RS over the standard R while passing your riding buddies without breaking a sweat.

Triumph Street Triple RS: Price
This brings us to the elephant in the room. The staggering price of Rs 11.35 lakh (ex-showroom) of the Street Triple RS, which is around Rs 2.5 lakh more expensive than the ‘R’. Yes, it’s a lot of money, but you can’t deny that the RS is a lot of motorcycling. To be honest, the standard Street Triple is all you need in town and on weekends, but if exclusivity and the finer things in life are your poison, then go ahead and sign that check.

Read also: Triumph Trident 660 test

Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India has raised the prices of Activa scooters in India. The Honda Active 125 as well as the Honda Activa 6G have suffered a price hike in India. Scooters are getting more expensive in the range of Rs 700 to Rs 1000. Rising input costs have driven the rise of scooters in India. Honda Activa is one of the company’s best-selling scooters and has a good turnover.

The Honda Active 125 is available in five variants: drum, alloy, disc, drum LE and disc LE. The Activa 125 drum now costs Rs 74,898 and is more expensive by Rs 741. The Activa 125 Alloy costs Rs 78,567 and is more expensive by Rs 842. The Activa 125 disc now costs Rs 82,162 and is more expensive by Rs 882 The limited edition Drum Activa 125 variant now costs Rs 79,657 while the Disc variant of the same costs Rs 83,162.

The Honda Activa 125 is powered by a 124cc single-cylinder engine that produces 8.1PS of power at 6,500rpm and a peak torque of 10.3Nm at 5,000rpm. The Honda Activa 125 scooter is available in two-tone color options – Pearl Amazing White with Matte Magnificent Copper Metallic and Matte Steel Black Metallic with Matte Earl Silver Metallic.

On the other hand, the new price of the Activa 6G STD is Rs 71,432 while the Activa 6G DLX costs Rs 73,177. Both variants get a price hike of Rs 833 and Rs 832 respectively. The Honda Activa 6G is powered by a 109.51cc single-cylinder engine that produces 7.79PS of power at 8,000rpm and a peak torque of 8.79Nm at 5,250rpm. The Honda Activa 6G scooter is available in six color options: Gorgeous Copper Matte Metallic, Black, Rebel Red Metallic, Axle Gray Matte Metallic, Precious Pearl White, and Decent Blue.

Honda has also increased the prices of its commuter bikes available in India. Honda CD 110 Dream, Honda Livo, Honda CB Shine and Honda SP 125 receive a price increase.

Bajaj Pulsar is one of the most popular and best selling bikes in India. The local bike manufacturer, with the launch of the Pulsar, reshaped Indian mindsets and made them pay attention to the appearance of the vehicle, instead of just the performance aspect of the motorcycles. Bajaj has had great success with Pulsar variants. Starting with Pulsar 135, the manufacturer’s 220cc creation has gained equal traction among bike enthusiasts.

Bajaj launched the first edition of the Bajaj Pulsar 220Fback in 2009 and since then the company has revamped the bike in various aspects related to design, performance and mileage. The 2022 Bajaj Pulsar 220F enjoys the same, if not more, fan following as when it launched.

Engine

The Bajaj Pulsar 220Fis pushed onto the tarmac by a 220cc, 4-stroke, BS-VI, DTS-i powertrain that manages to produce around 20hp of power and a peak torque of 18.55Nm. With the specs that the engine of the Bajaj Pulsar 220Ffosters, it can easily be considered the most powerful bike in its class.

Price

The price of the Bajaj Pulsar 220F varied depending on the type of variant chosen by the buyer. The Bajaj Pulsar 220FABS BS-VI edition slims the price of Rs.1.34 lakh, while the Bajaj Pulsar 220FDagger Edge Edition comes at the price of Rs.1.40 lakh.

Mileage

Bajaj is very keen on making its bikes as efficient as possible for Indian roads and so, even for the 220cc edition of the Bajaj Pulsar, the mileage does the job for Indians. The Bajaj Pulsar 220F, equipped with a 15 liter fuel tank, claims to touch the fuel efficiency of 40 kilometers per litre. However, the number may vary depending on the terrain the bike is riding on and the condition it is ridden in.

Features

The Bajaj Pulsar 220F comes with plenty of features and offers a detailed experience when it comes to bike information. The bike is equipped with a self-cancel indicator and an engine stop switch. Additionally, the bike sharpens projector headlights that provide riding confidence even in low light or dark conditions.

Color

The Bajaj Pulsar 220F offers one of the most diverse ranges when it comes to what shades the bike will wear. The company offers customers the 220cc beast in Sapphire Blue, Sparkle Black, Pearl White and Volcanic Red. Moreover, Bajaj Pulsar 220F also offers two combo colors – Black Blue and Black Red.

The powerful 220cc engine of the Bajaj Pulsar 220F is mated to a 5-speed transmission and has a total curb weight of 155 kilograms.

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