Just wanted to introduce myself—my name’s Zach, and I’m a brand-new rider from the Midwest who just picked up a 2024 Triumph Speed Twin 900 as my very first motorcycle. It’s been a dream of mine for years to get into riding, and after a lot of research, safety training, and number crunching, I finally made it happen.
So far I’ve only logged a couple short rides around town and some rural lanes, but I’m already hooked. The bike feels incredibly balanced, and the look/sound of the Speed Twin hits every note I was hoping for. I’m still in the break-in period and easing into everything, but I’m loving the learning curve.
I’m also a tech nerd and creative at heart—photographer, YouTuber-in-training, and soon-to-be moto-vlogger. I’m planning to combine my love of storytelling with my riding journey, and hopefully make some content that celebrates the mechanical art that Triumph puts into every bike.
Looking forward to learning from you all, especially any tips on mods, gear, and good ride routes. If you have Speed Twin-specific advice, I’m all ears. And if you’re nearby—hey, maybe we’ll cross paths someday.
Welcome to the forum, Zach. I have a 2019 Street Twin, an earlier incarnation of the same bike. With regard to mods, I would avoid cosmetics like ‘tail tidies’ and cat removals: the bike looks and sounds really nice already. (Although it’s up to you, of course: it’s your bike!)
I have stuck to more useful improvements. I replaced the poor quality original Pirelli tyres with Conti Road Attack 3s. (You may not need to do this, as your original tyres are probably different.) Likewise I replaced the rear shocks which didn’t have adjustable damping with Ikons, which do. (Again, you may not need to do this.) I had the factory heated grips fitted from new. I have fitted a centre stand - very useful for maintenance, and a foot extender for the sidestand, for greater safety on softer ground. I have fitted a nylon spacer to fill the gap on the shaft between the gear lever and the engine casing. If you can’t find or make a spacer, you can use washers. (This is really important, as dropping the bike on its left side can drive the gearchange shaft inwards, causing expensive damage - a known issue with Street/Speed Twins.) I have fitted a Givi rear carrier for a tail bag or top box. Finally, I’ve fitted a charging tail to the battery, for connecting to a trickle charger, likewise a socket for connecting a heated waistcoat.
Happy fettling and riding your new bike.
Hi Zach. Welcome to our little corner of the internet. Congrats on getting your new bike - exciting times! You’ll fit right in here with tales of your travels. I look forward to seeing/hearing them.
Thank you so much for the detailed reply. So after a couple rides I am having trouble using my mirrors. I cannot see past my arms very well in my mirrors. If I move them then I am not seeing the traffic behind me. What would you recommend for a solution to this? I love the look of barend mirrors but I don’t know what else is out there.
I can see well enough with the standard mirrors on my bike, but bar end mirrors are certainly a very popular choice, and they can look neater than the standard mirrors. The only downside is that they are slightly further from your natural line of sight, so you probably have to take your eyes off the road for a fraction longer to glance at them. An alternative is mirror extenders: small cast aluminium brackets which move the mirror mounting point sideways by a couple of inches. Plenty on eBay. I had a pair on a Yamaha TDM 900 in the past, and they worked well.
