In 1965, Triumph made café racers official when it started building a limited-edition racer based on the Bonneville T120 and called it the Thruxton after the race circuit in Hampshire. In 2004, the reborn Triumph adopted the name for the lovely Thruxton 900, which, in 2016, became the Thruxton 1200, the most fabulous incarnation of which was the R version, with upgraded Öhlins rear suspension, Showa forks, Brembo brakes and beautiful attention to detail. Until now, that is – enter the RS, which, since the R was so good, is an evolution rather than a revolution. That weight loss also helps the handling, which is not quite as sharp as the same company’s Street Triple RS. THE FACTSEngine: 1200cc water-cooled parallel twinPower: 103 bhp @ 7,500rpmTorque: 83 lb ft @ 4,250rpmColours: black, grey/silverPrice: £13,000GoCompare Motorbike Insurance

Source: Daily Mirror January 31, 2020 14:26 UTC