What’s the best-selling 651-1000cc bike – bet you won’t guess!

We have just been sent the latest motorcycle registration figures for September 2016. Most of the stats are pretty predictable: Honda’s PCX 125 and  CB 125 F dominate the scooter and 125cc categories, and BMW’s G 1200 GS has the lead in the 1000cc+ and adventure sections. But the top bike in the 601-1000cc bracket was a bit of a surprise to us. No, it’s not the Honda Fireblade or the Suzuki GSX-R – it’s the 900cc Triumph Street Twin.

The Street Twin is a cracking bike (we took one to Scotland for a long-distance test earlier this year) and it thoroughly deserves its place at the top of the pile, but we must admit that we were a bit surprised to see it there. The first four months of the current year it was the new Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin that was the best-seller in this category, but the earthquake in Japan that put a halt to production and the fierce challenge from Yamaha saw the scales tip in favour of its street fighters (first the MT-07 for a month, and the MT-10 for three months). And finally, in September, it was time for the unassuming British bike to shine.

Well done to Triumph! It will be interesting to see how the new Triumph T100s and the Street Cup, based on the same engine as the Street Twin and just revealed at the Intermot show in Cologne, will be able to carry on the sales success the Street Twin next year when they make their appearance at Triumph dealerships.