TRIUMPH SPEED III
how controls are set up and the bend of the standard levers didn ’ t quite sit right for me . The SD-R ’ s are not as bling or expensive as Rizoma , but they look pretty good and the bend and position of them is spot on for me . Whilst on the subject of cosmetics , the original tail tidy / number plate holder on the Triple is ugly . Seriously ugly . Plenty of options are available for replacement . I went with an R & G and can ’ t say I ’ d recommend it to anyone . Yes , it looks just OK , and only OK , when fitted , but the quality and fit of parts was very disappointing . If you only ride solo , ditching the pillion pegs is a common option , they ’ re only secured with a couple of bolts and blanking plates to cover the mounting points on the frame are easy to come by . I ’ ve left them on because I do carry a passenger from time-to-time and they ’ re actually quite effective .
At the time of purchase , the bike was wearing mismatched tyres and I replaced them almost immediately with Metzeler M5 . By the time they came up for replacement , the M7RR had been launched so a set of those were the next rubbery stop . I really liked these but found that , as they aged , the shoulders wore more quickly than the crown which gave them a slightly triangular profile that tended to make the bike fall into corners a bit . Michelin Pilot Roads eventually replaced the Metzelers but I really didn ’ t get on with those at all , I carry a lot of lean angle in corners and I didn ’ t like the feedback from the Michelin ’ s when heavily banked over . Currently it ’ s wearing Pirelli Rosso III and whilst it ’ s a bit too early to make a call , so far they ’ ve been excellent .
SUSPENSION WOES If I understand the model sequences right , the 2010 SE is the absolute last of the
KIWI RIDER 45