Have been toying around getting a second bike after bike season ends here in Finland in August/September to get it on the cheap. I already have an Aprilia Futura (after I had an accident with the ST2), and now want a second bike to have one on the road while working on the other. The Futura will be for the travel, so I have been looking at Monsters and Speed Triples to mainly toy around town and get to work. Ducati 'cause I know how to work on them, Triumph 'cause it's a triple and I like the old dual lamps. Anyone here who has had / ridden both? What are the differences? Will the monster be slower/down on power (looking at older ones 600/620/M900)? I'm mainly looking to have something which sounds and makes a difference. I was a little sceptic how a naked will do after the Futura on travel, but I rented a Yamaha FZ-8 for a week here in Spain, and it has been awesome. I have also done motorway miles, and they don't feel that bad, I was surprised that the difference with the Futura was so small. And here I'm wearing a hoodie, which should react more to the wind! Anyhow, all advice and views are welcome. I have bough here a scale model of the Speed Triple, and am reading Ian Falloon's book on the Monster differences. So it's completely open still. Unless there is a surprise conteder... BTW, the prices of the bikes I'm looking for is at around £2k, so that's why they are the older ones... Here's a couple of pics if you've made it so far! (sorry, didn't find bins there!)
I had a 2001 speed triple 955. I really liked it ( my dad even bought one exactly the same in neon blue). The triple is a great engine and prob more flexible for town/ work riding. I had an underseat exhaust which made it yowl!
I had a mk1 speed triple (The first Hinckley triumphs when they were all basically the same bike with different clothes on) and really did enjoy it, I traded in for a daytona 955 and that too was a belter, you'll likely find a speed triple best for the riding you plan op. But, they're not Ducati's.... And I'd never in a month of sundays swap my monster for a triumph. The triumph will do the job but it'll never fire your soul like a Ducati does.
I'm biased. Original Monsters look and sound the best - though the new ones are doubtless better in most every other way. I've owned older Triumphs but I'd never swap my 900 for any of them. But I told you I'm biased right!
I swapped Monster 696 for Speed Triple 1050... Triumph was very tempting to get, and I couldn't keep both, as didn't have garage at that time, so had to let go Monster. I Do I miss Ducati, yes... But to be fair, 696 was like a fun toy, so light comparing to Speed Triple. Even though they are both 'naked' bike, there's no way you can compare them. I will definitely get Ducati eventually as a second bike. Adding few pictures, so you can see for yourself.
Just searched Tuono and under £2k, looks a lot more bike than a Triple or Monster for the money. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Aprilia-...533304?hash=item1caf7177b8:g:F2kAAOSwKJZbKtJj Cat D, but see plenty around £2k
I had a yellow T595. Made me ride like a lunatic. Hence I parked it into the side of a van. Great engine, great sound. Loved that bike.
I can't speak for the Triumph as I've never ridden one. However, I've had many different bikes including an 1100 Pan, Guzzi California and three Ducatis, ranging from an M600 Dark, a carby 900ss and an ST4. I still have the Monster and SS and of all the bikes it is maybe surprising that the Monster that is most definitely the keeper! Why? It just puts a smile on my face every time I ride it, it has enough 'real world's power to be fun on B-roads, power to weight means it has more grunt than you might expect for 50bhp, I commute on it, I've ridden to the Ducati factory on it with full camping gear, it's way more economical than my 900ss, simple to service and I just love it! I've had it 18 years and used it's low seat height as a ploy to get my wife to learn to ride, so I could get another bike . It's still really mine (we both know that Love, don't we?). It's part of the family and ain't going anywhere! This sounda like a long ramble, but what I'm trying to get at, is that it's not always the bike that you'd naturally assume to be better that is the one that floats your boat! I'd see if you can possibly get a ride on both, I'm sure that will help you more than any advice in here. If your not able to do that, listen to your heart and not your head as I've done a number of times! The acid test is that if you imagine having bought one or the other, would you go to sleep at night wondering if you had made a mistake? That always focuses the mind I find
I still have my 2000 955i speed triple and don't see any reason to sell it, it's brilliant, I even prefer it to the newer 1050's, (had a tiger sport until last year) it may have less power but it's always accessible.
Wish I had kept my m600 now hindsight is great I like the speed triple but the monster is iconic The m600 I think is the same as the 600 SS and I found more than enough power in the SS I love the old dukes too
I had a 2005 1050 Speed Triple - to slow me down from race replicas. Fabulous bike - sounded awaesome with a low slung Zard end can. Very distinctive sound from a triple... Performance was best of both worlds - Mid range grunt of a twin with 4 cylinder top end rush. Handling/brakes were great as was comfort as long as you don’t spend all day on the motorway! Last bike I had before my current 1200 Monster. Was very tempted with another one but went Italian as I had always wanted a Ducati.
Thanks a lot for the answers! Really nice bikes also there. So it basically comes down to which one I will find near me (or in Finland in general, only a 1-2 bikes available at the time per bike). The Triumph would have more power, but it is not something I will need. So let's see what is available in a month or two when the season starts to end here. I've been tracking down these bikes since spring, printing a listing of the bikes and prices. This way I will know if there is a bike unsold still after summer, the owner might do I nice discount as otherwise next time to sell will be in April/May. There are two M900 which are tempting. BTW, no Tuono's for sell currently, and even the cheapest Mille is at 3k euros, which is about £12.4k.
Personally (after a Sprint -Sport and a 1050 speed triple) - i wouldn't get the triple - they are just multi-cylinder bikes - more performance than soul. the 1997 M900 i had was a much nicer bike but... If you buy aircooled I believe that the quality control went up after 1999 - As an example of dodgy quality on the earlier ones my 1997 monster (small valve heads) had one closing cam ground so that it could not be adjusted properly {to stop it rattling) and the replacement (big valve) heads i bought also had one dodgy closing cam GRRRRRRR. Plus on mine the 851 frame went over an allen bolt head so I had to take out one engine bolt to adjust the belts !!! So Monster or Tuono 1 (or Guzzi?). Maybe an S2R as the old air cooled engine sheds paint in seconds and then corrodes. Happy choosing
Can' compare the 2 as I've never riden the triumph. .. but I have a 620ie a day it' s great for around town. Doesn't really sound like a duke due to the HUGE standard cans (will change this one day) and is far from powerful but it is a hoot to ride.. it feels a lil like a moto x bike for the street... I'm sure I'm killing it by riding it like one but it just seems to love full throttle and speed humps!!
I have a 900 Monster and the ex had a 955i Speed Triple. Speed Triple was definitely the quickest one in terms of full speed etc but was heavy and dull (well if you can call pink dull!). The Monster is and will always be a classic bike, the Speed Triple was simply a stripped down sports tourer (well at the time) being based on the old Daytona. For me its the character of the 900 - mind you mine has worked over 916 forks and Maxton rear shock, Silmotor full system, loads of carbon etc so is far from stock and hopefully "improved"
Last minute contender.....z1000 - ive got a gen4 but there are loads of gen3's about which have the same engine as my gen4 - there is a lad on the z forum that has developed a custom flash for the ecu (you send your ecu off) which effectively depending on what dyno you take it to will yield 145 or thereabouts bhp at the wheel which is not too shabby for an older naked bike (allowing for drive train loss thats about the same as an s1000r/mt-10). Beautifully analog, easy to work on and and equally easy to repair with loads of, off the shelf performance parts available...case in point, friend of mine had a gearbox issue, removed the engine, turned upside down, removed sump and bottom half of the engine, replaced gearbox...back together... Very comfortable also. Out on mine the other night leaving bristol, into Hampshire, long story but then up to Oxford, down to Swindon, along the M4 and then back to Bristol....brilliant. And just to note after the ECU flash (mine was custom mapped at CJS) its even better on fuel than it was before...
You won't get a 1050 Speed Triple for £2000. Over here they start at £3500-£4000. 955 was a good engine but they're heavier and not as pretty as 1050s. They have a habit of destroying sprag clutches if the battery is weak and that's an expensive fix, they tend to use oil and the finish isn't good. Latest Triumphs have some of the best finish quality in motorcycling but older ones were pretty poor. The suspension will almost certainly be shot as well. Saying all that, good solid bikes if you start with a decent one and gnarly and fun to ride. A 955 Speedy will be faster than the Monster but, though I'm not a fan of the Monster style personally, in this price range, I'd have the Ducati. Tough, simple engines which you can service yourself, more character and better agility, and will probably have more paint left on it and fewer brown bits.. If you were looking at spending three times your budget and comparing a later Monster to a post-2011 Speedy, then I'd say get the Triumph, but as it is, especially with your experience of working on them, I'd go with the Monster..
