The Speed Twin is also an absolutely exquisite handler. It is sharp, precise, and composed in corners. So sharp is the handling, in fact, that if you aren’t ready for it, it can catch you out. Despite the sometimes damp, narrow, and even mossy roads discouraging me from going too hard at certain points, every time the road dried out and opened up, I was grinning from ear to ear as I leaned smoothly into one corner after another. In those less than ideal patches, however, the tyres found it difficult to keep things steady, especially if you got on the gas on the way out of a bend. In fact, I could barely use Sport mode where the throttle response is at its maximum because the conditions and how quickly the power comes in meant I couldn’t really go all-out too often. The brakes, thankfully, match up to the rest of the bike’s performance characteristics, because the Speed Twin sheds speed briskly and without drama when called upon.
Overall, the Speed Twin is a bit of a wolf in sheep’s clothing. If the sheep were a suave, retro-chic style icon, that is. It can be ridden hard out on the twisties without being a burden on the back during city runs and it is priced as aggressively here as it is abroad ― at Rs 9.46 lakh (ex-showroom). It may be a little too hot to handle if you haven’t ridden bikes packing a bit of a punch in the past, but if you are looking for a bike that offers that old-school style with a relaxed riding position, and yet can get the adrenaline flowing when required, then the latest modern classic from Hinckley is in with a loud, twin-exhaust growl.
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