The Front Wheel Lift Control, or whatever name different OEMs give their wheelie systems, on the Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RS is the best that I’ve ever used, and the bike makes an undeniable case for having it. Any motorcycle that produces 94.4 lb-ft of torque at 8,750 rpm, 180.5 hp at 10,750 rpm, and weighs just 439 lbs (wet) needs help keeping its front wheel grounded.
For reference, that’s more torque and less weight than a Ducati Streetfighter V4.
Show me a motorcyclist who doesn’t like wheelies, at least some level, and I’ll show you someone who’s pretending to ride motorcycles. But you don’t want to constantly fight to keep the front wheel down, especially on track, and likewise, if a kid asks you to do a wheelie, you have to do one; it’s the law. This is where Triumph’s Front Wheel Lift Control shows its worth.
If you set the system to one (min) via the switchgear and 5-inch TFT dashboard, you get the lowest amount of front wheel lift. This setting will still allow the wheel to see airtime, but not so much that it detracts from your acceleration. Then, the closer you get to level four (max), the higher the front wheel is allowed to lift.
I experienced the benefit of Triumph's rider aid firsthand around the Portimão Circuit when the bike wanted to wheelie around the undulating track. But if I indulged, I wasn’t going to hit my line for the next corner, so I kept the system on level one. Then, on the last session of the track day, I said “To hell with it”, stuck it on level four, and let it eat.
You could pick the bike up in first gear and run through all six while the front tire is skyward if you're in level 4, as this setting lets the bike sit just below the balance point of a wheelie. So, you’re essentially chasing the wheelie, but barely. And, according to Triumph, this system won’t let you loop out, regardless of how violently you fling the front rubber skyward.
Regardless of whether you’re going uphill, downhill, or riding on flat asphalt, the system will let you bring the front up with reckless abandon and tame it as you get closer to the balance point, so there’s no abrupt stop at any time. And the same is true once the front needs to come down; the system keeps the landing buttery smooth with nonexistent headshake thanks to the standard steering damper.
The front wheel will come down abruptly if you suddenly close the throttle because the system won’t interfere with you cutting the gas; this is a good thing because when you need to put the front wheel down, you don’t want a rider aid keeping it up for another second or two for a smoother landing, especially if that means just landing smoothly into a wall.
I’m not great at wheelies, I’m not even good at them, but I felt like a hero all day aboard the hyper naked hooligan, and ultimately, I ride bikes because of how they make me feel. So this system gets a huge thumbs up from me.
My only gripe with this Triumph’s Front Wheel Lift Control is that, on a bike with so much technology, you can’t disconnect the system from the TC. So, if you’re a wheelie master and want unlimited control over how you pick up and put down the front wheel, you’ll need to ride without TC, which isn’t always the best idea on a bike with this much power.
