Having suggested that the Triumph Street Twin is one of those rare motorcycles that can be anything, my colleagues – the caring, sharing open-minded bunch that they are (not!) – set me three challenges.
My argument is that if you are allowed only one motorcycle and that motorcycle has to be capable of everything, from Sunday scratcher to daily commuter and long haul tourer, then the Triumph Street twin was one of those motorcycles. Not just something that could do it – that is all motorcycles – but something that can meet all of the rides and be good at all of them.
Over the next week, I have to commute into the middle of a major city during the rush hour, tour 200 miles in a day complete with luggage, and go for a social Sunday ride across the Lincolnshire backroads. “Easy as”, as my Kiwi friends would say. You can read the whole back story in Sweet Spot Street Twin.
As the Triumph Street Twin is a versatile platform, I argued that I should be allowed to add a couple of accessories to adapt the Street Twin to these tasks. Reluctantly my taskmasters agreed, as long as any accessory I add is present on all of the tasks.
I’m not sure exactly what they thought I was going to add to the Street Twin. I only had two things in mind; an Ultimate Addons Tough Case so I can use my phone for navigation and the flexible Ventura Luggage system. The Street twin doesn’t need more than that.
Time to open the toolbox …
Ventura Luggage System
The Ventura Luggage system was developed in New Zealand by Dold Industries. It is an elegant and simple solution to the need to carry things on a motorcycle. The framework is the core, and then you add whatever you need, as and when you need it. Simples.
It starts with two L brackets that provide the base for the Ventura luggage system, and these are the only parts that are motorcycle specific. The rest of the Ventura system is interchangeable.
It took me 15 minutes to fit the L bars to the Street Twin and then another 15 to work out how the rack bolts together. The 40 litre Ventura Evo bag clips to the rack, and that is job done; the rest is personal taste.
The fixings are beautifully finished, and the threads even come with blue thread lock already applied. My only comment would be to make the countersunk bolts the same colour as the rest of the rack. But that is just my OCD kicking off. It does not spoil the lines or the look.
I prefer to carry the weight over the pillion seat whenever I can, so I have the rack facing inwards. Loosen the two thumbscrews on the L bars, and I can mount the rack in the traditional direction if I have a passenger. Swapping takes less than two minutes.
If the rack isn’t needed, then loosen the thumbscrews again, remove the rack and install the grab rail. I don’t think it could be much easier or more flexible.
The one concern people have voiced about the Ventura system is security. It is a valid concern for any soft luggage system – What do you do when you leave the bike?
Soft luggage is less secure than fixed hard luggage if your motorcycle is out of sight. The obvious answer is to take the luggage with you, but usually, that involves 20 minutes of faffing about with straps and tie-downs.
With either the Ventura Evo or Aero luggage removing and attaching the luggage takes only a few seconds. In my case with the Evo system, two snap-shut clips at the bag’s base hold the bag to the rack. The rack plate slips into the bottom of the bag to prevent any lateral movement. With the Aero that Carle uses on the Fireblade, gravity holds the Ventura Aero bag onto the seat, while the hoop bar – which is around 18 inches tall – prevents any lateral movement.
It is the perfect café stop or lunch break solution. Two clips and I can take the bag with me into the café. Whereas I don’t want to be lugging a 40-litre bag around on a sightseeing trip, detaching and re-attaching the Ventura luggage doesn’t have everyone impatiently waiting while I faff with straps when it is time to leave.
Ultimate Addons Tough Case
Next on the list is mounting the ancient Samsung phone I have, safe and protected in its Ultimate Addons case. Until I found UA’s mirror arm mount, my previous attempts at mounting a phone had involved numerous mounts and adapters.
Try as I might with them, I never achieved the perfect angle. I’ve still got all of the parts – including the excellent mirror arm mount – and it is as good as I remember it.
Mounting the phone portrait shows me much more of what is coming on the road. I never understand why the default is to use the phone landscape. All it does is show you less information.
Ultimate Addons have kindly sent me – from their warehouse in Ullapool – a handlebar attachment to try. Happily, in the 5 years, I’ve had an Ultimate Addons case, UA has not found the need to update or improve their brilliant 3-prong clip that locks the case to the mount.
It was a good design 5 years ago, and as the saying goes – If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.
Under the Seat
Sadly the Street Twin doesn’t appear to come with a USB socket or a “cigarette lighter” plug.
If the Street Twin was mine, then I would find a switched 12-volt supply in the headlight or under the tank somewhere, that I could use to keep a phone or GPS powered.
I’ll just have to remember to carry a USB battery pack in one of the side pockets of the Ventura Evo bag for the next week.
Bottom Line
The two modifications I needed are done, and from start to finish, they have taken me less than an hour. The weather forecast for the coming week is good. The Street Twin is going to be a complete change from the KTM.
Small, light, nimble and with an excellent exhaust note – What could possibly go wrong?
Clarity
Thank you to Triumph Motorcycles for the loan of the Street Twin. Ultimate Addons provided the handlebar attachment, and Ventura Bike kindly equipped the Street Twin with luggage. As always, anything we test or mention in the articles is done in accordance with our product testing philosophy.
