Ducati Streetfighter V2 vs Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RS – Which one is the new European benchmark?

For those who believed that the Ducati Streetfighter V4 is too intimidating and out of reach for many riders, Ducati launched a slightly smaller and lesser powerful Streetfighter V2 in India in September 2022. And while it is still stratospherically priced, thus making it a distant dream for many, it now offers a more accessible performance, especially for riders new to riding big bikes like this.

With the new Streetfighter V2, Ducati has launched a fresher competition against its direct rival, the Triumph Speed Triple RS, by undercutting it by a significant price margin. And while the Speed Triple 1200 RS is pricier, it claims to offer more performance and kit for the premium it asks for. Is the premium price commanded by the Speed Triple 1200 RS over the Streetfighter V2 really justifiable? We are here to find out.

Price

Of the two motorcycles, the Ducati Streetfighter V2 is the one which is more affordable with a price of Rs 17.25 lakh for both the colour options in which it is available – Storm Green and Ducati Red. The Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RS, on the other hand, is priced at Rs 17.95 lakh and is available in two colour options, Sapphire Black and Matt Silver Ice.

(prices mentioned above are ex-showroom, India)

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Engine and Chassis

The comparison between the engines of the Ducati Streetfighter V2 and Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RS might sound like comparing apples to oranges, but they both share a similar character of being rev-happy engines which produce their maximum power outputs at 10,750 rpm. The 90-degree V2 955cc engine of the Streetfighter V2 is smaller than the inline-three 1160cc engine of the Speed Triple 1200 RS. While the Streetfighter V2 claims 155 PS of power and 101.4 Nm of torque, the Speed Triple RS puts up 180 PS of power and 125 Nm of torque.

Under the skin, both the Ducati Streetfighter V2 and Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RS get different but equally premium mechanical hardware. Both get fully-adjustable 43mm upside-down front forks and a fully-adjustable mono-shock with a single-sided aluminium swing-arm. However, the Streetfighter V2 gets Showa units for the front and Sachs units for the rear, while the Speed Triple 1200 RS has its suspension combination sourced from Ohlins for both front and rear. While both the motorcycles have similar-sized front tyres, the Speed Triple 1200 RS has a slightly wider rear tyre. Both the motorcycles also get dual 320mm disc brakes at the front, though the 245mm single disc of the Streetfighter V2 is larger than the 220mm rear disc of the Speed Triple 1200 RS.

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Dimension

Both the Ducati Streetfighter V2 and Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RS boast similar kinds of road presence in terms of dimensions. But if you compare closely, the Streetfighter V2 is marginally longer and wider and has a longer wheelbase and a larger fuel tank. The Speed Triple 1200 RS is taller, weighs lesser, has more ground clearance and has lower seat height, which should make it easier to ride.

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Design and Features

The Ducati Streetfighter V2 and Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RS showcase the best of naked roadster design and technology of their own, with the former looking like a scaled-down version of the larger and more powerful Streetfighter V4. Both the motorcycles have athletic design and strong road presence like how a big-capacity motorcycle should look in the very first place.

As mentioned above, the Ducati Streetfighter V2 looks like a scaled-down version of the V4, which means that it gets the same rakish front fascia with V-shaped daytime running LEDs and a full-LED headlamp at the front. The huge and edgy-looking fuel tank, steeply-rising tail section and minimal side body panels, all of which have been shared with the Panigale V2, make the Streetfighter V2 look extremely sporty.

The Ducati Streetfighter V2 also gets a proper pillion seat, bow-shaped LED tail lamp, fuel tank extensions, stubby exhaust and a wide engine cowl at the bottom. The full-TFT 5-inch instrument console, which has been shared with the Panigale V2, is super comprehensive with all kinds of display information. Other additional features on offer in this motorcycle include riding modes, power modes, cornering ABS, traction control, wheelie control, engine brake control, auto tyre calibration, bi-directional quick-shifter and slip-and-assist clutch.

Moving to the Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RS, the motorcycle is the latest iteration of the Speed Triple lineage, which might not look as edgy as the Streetfighter V2, but has an individualistic design which is quirky yet lovable. The bug-eye-shaped all-LED headlamp with eyebrow-like daytime running LEDs over them makes the front fascia of the motorcycle look cool. On the other hand, the beefy-looking fuel tank and slim-looking side panels and pointy tail section ensure that the motorcycle is high on style and sportiness.

The pillion seat of the Speed Triple 1200 RS might not look as accommodating as that of the Streetfighter V2, while its LED tail lamp is smaller in size too. However, it gets an equally attractive 5-inch full-TFT instrument console with configurable display modes and colourful graphics. The crucial features and electronics on offer in the Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RS are five riding modes (rain, road, sport, track and rider), cornering ABS, cornering traction control, front wheel lift control, cruise control, bi-directional quick-shifter and slip and assist clutch.

Verdict

Both the Ducati Streetfighter V2 and Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RS boast of very desirable European essence of a high-quality motorcycle with beautiful designs and an almost equally long tech-laden equipment list. However, you can’t ignore the fact that the Triumph Speed Triple RS has got a displacement advantage here, with its bigger engine claiming higher power and torque figures. Also, there are some elements like a wider rear tyre and additional riding modes, which tilt the judgement in the favour of the Speed Triple 1200 RS, even though it is almost pricier than the Streetfighter V2 by around Rs 70,000.

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