THERE ARE PLACES WORTH protecting. Places that make our distant past seem far closer than we imagined. A stone's throw off the Spanish coast rests Mallorca, the largest island within the Mediterranean Sea's Balearic Island chain. Now known as a shelter for European snowbirds, as well as a favourite among youthful partygoers from the mainland— the 1,400-square-mile island wears its history on its sleeve, where glimpses of Roman, Moorish, and Spanish rule are all laid bare for us to see. Perhaps having history on tap sparked something with our friends in the Commonwealth since the island was chosen to launch its updated 2025 Triumph Speed Twin 1200 lineup of machines—not that the decidedly balmy weather and sunny skies weren't encouraging enough. The British brand rightfully stands as a faithful custodian concerning all things Bonneville, which the Speed Twin 1200s with their 1200cc parallel-twin engines,
classic steel-cradle frames, and timeless charm are born from. Though, as the Speed Twin moniker suggests, this is a sportier extension of the Bonneville platform. Now in its third generation, the Speed Twin 1200 ($15,495 CDN) is joined by an up-spec Speed Twin 1200 RS ($18,395 CDN). They share an engine, of course, pumping out a little more top-end power these days; styling updates that don't stray too far from the Bonneville lines and are as striking as ever, as well as cornering ABS and traction control. Between them, the price reflects what's seen on the spec sheet—Marzocchi suspension with only preload in the rear for the standard bike, while the RS fork is fully adjustable, as are its upgraded Öhlins shocks. Triumph-branded J.Juan callipers are fitted to the standard bike, leaving the RS set to receive Brembo Stylema units. Road and Rain riding modes are on either machine, though the RS gets a Sport mode along with a bi-directional quickshifter.
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