For 2019, the Street Twin gets more power, better suspension, ride modes and a light style refresh. Photos by Kingdom Creative.
Triumph’s Bonnie business is booming, but the top seller isn’t the sporty Thruxton, the distinguished T120 or the stripped-bare Bobber. Nope, the best-selling Bonneville of them all is the affordable, accessible, ripe-for-customization Street Twin. The Street Twin is everything you need and nothing you don’t: it looks like a motorcycle should without trying too hard, with enough modern performance and technology to remain relevant and fun.
It’s the rare bike that transcends age and gender; according to Triumph, Street Twin buyers represent the widest age range of any of its Bonneville models and many are new riders, plus more than twice the “normal” number are women–no doubt attracted to the Twin’s sub-30-inch seat height. Cruising the Portuguese coast on the new Street Twin, I was grateful for the accessory heated grips that Triumph had fitted to our test bikes.
The year after its 2016 launch, the Street Twin spawned two derivatives powered by the same liquid-cooled 900cc SOHC parallel twin, the Street Cup café racer and the Street Scrambler, each with its own purpose-built chassis and distinct personality. For 2019, the original Street Twin as well as its Street Scrambler sibling are getting some notable updates, including a bump in power, revised front suspension and brakes, new ride modes and a l...