2006 Triumph Sprint ST
Priced at $16,990 plus ORC ($1,000 more than the non-ABS model), it has just started arriving in the country, filling a temporary 'hole' in the local line-up. "We got caught out towards the end of last year," said Triumph Australia's Paul Grocutt. "Unfortunately we under-ordered on this model and it has taken a little while to catch up with the demand. We're convinced the ABS is a nice bonus and is good value at just $1,000." According to the factory, the ABS system is carefully designed to be unobtrusive and to retain all the sensations and feel of riding, simply adding to the rider's control under hard braking. The system, which works independently on the front and rear brakes, operates at 100 cal- culations per second and so can sense the exact moment the wheel is about to lock up. It then releases the brake a fraction of a second to allow the wheel to regain grip before re-applying the brake.
The switch controlling this process operates at a mere four milliseconds and the system modulates the pressure between these two points to achieve optimum braking. The ST's 1050cc, fuel-injected, three-cylinder motor has huge reserves of torque for linear, effortless drive in any gear and ample horsepower for when it's needed. Peak power is an impressive 125PS at 9,250rpm while peak torque of 104Nm arrives at just 5,000rpm. Enhancing the engine is a buttery six-speed gearbox - with remote gear change linkage - and clutch fitted with an anti-backlash gear. The character of the three-cylinder layout is unfettered but the engine has a seamless polish that provides a perfect counterpoint to the lusty power delivery. The Sprint ST has an engine to revel in, to explore and, most of all, use to the full. Matching the Sprint ST's sublime engine is a superb chassis.
An aluminium beam frame, featuring a wheelbase of 1454 mm, makes for a fabulously composed yet fast steering motorcycle, with a huge scope of ability. High quality 43mm cart- ridge telescopic forks, adjustable for spring preload, are used for fine control while the rear shock is remotely adjustable for spring preload and rebound damping. A pair of powerful, four-piston brake calipers mated to 320mm floating discs provide superb stopping power, a two-piston caliper and 255mm disc slow the rear wheel. The Sprint ST's sleek look is both funct- ional and stunning and everywhere neat touches, like the chrome infill bars and front indicators set in the mirrors, add class. Styling cues, such as the triple front headlights and triple exit exhausts, LED rear light, complement each other fluidly and the Sprint ST has a cohesive air of a machine that mixes function and form perfectly.
Instrumentation includes an LCD trip computer with average MPG and speed functions, amongst others. Fuel capacity is a useful 21 litres. Triumph has an extensive accessories catalogue for the Sprint, which includes dedicated touring gear such as panniers and heated grips. Three colour options - Caspian Blue, Sunset Red and Aluminium Silver - are available for both the standard and ABS models.
