Anoraks can tell you everything about dream bikes, like Ducati's 2021 Superleggera V4 or the 2015 Honda RC213V-S, except what it's like to ride them. And don't get me wrong, those kinds of motorcycles spike my dopamine levels like nothing else, but they're not what I spend my time daydreaming about.
On sleepless nights or when I find myself staring out my window trying to write, I'm thinking about whether Yamaha's Tenerue 700 is the best bike for me to transverse the entirety of Mexico, if a GSX-R 750 is the perfect track bike, and more than anything else, what's the king of the middleweight nakeds?
Middleweight nakeds occupy my headspace almost constantly—surprise, surprise, I own a 2021 Triumph Street Triple—so when I laid eyes on what could be the 2026 model, my brain went into overdrive.
Here's everything we can deduce.
Is It a Street Triple?
Triumph gave the Street Triple lineup a pretty major overhaul in 2023, and we'd have heard more by now if they were again making some significant changes for 2025, so all likelihood points to this being the 2026 prototype model in testing.
But how do we know it's a Street Triple?
Look closely, and you'll see it's using the same 15-liter tank from the current Street Tripple RS. And then there's the pillion capacity, which is limited, to say the least, and again falls in line with the current Street Triple. But the naked rear subframe sporting empty pillion rearsets indicates that Triumph is still testing the final position of the footrests.
As with the current Street Triple, this prototype is fitted with Pirelli Supercorsa tires.
A New Frame and Speedometer
The completely naked prototype gives us an unhindered view of a new aluminum double-spar frame. There are fairing lugs and tabs, which indicate a fairing for the series. But it's unclear whether this will take the shape of a full fairing or remain an essentially naked bike, like the current model.
I've no doubt that if anything Daytonaesque was on the cards, Triumph dealerships would need to build extensions for their lobbies.
What's also clearly new is the speedometer. It's positioned further below the handlebar and directly above the headlight, which could be indicative of an even sportier riding position on the next model.
Testing Geometry
As much as I love the Moto2-inspired swingarm, there's no way we'll see this on a production model. It bears no resemblance to the current swingarm, as these types of swingarms are often used on prototype models to test geometry. This testing and the new frame indicate the model will have updated geometry in 2026.
Exhaust Options
It remains to be seen what an exhaust for this model will look like, as the prototype's ends right after the catalytic converter. And since it's using a large Moto2-style swingarm, it's unlikely the standard exhaust would fit correctly anyway.
Possibly a New Model
This prototype certainly appears to sport the 765cc three-cylinder engine from the current Street Triple. But, given the new frame, which could potentially support a full fairing, it's entirely possible that this could be a new model that would support a small racing series.
It's also possible that, given the fact the SuperHooligan racing series recently updated its regulations to support triples up to 900cc, this could be a model poised to aim for the championship.
But what do you all think? Are we right in thinking it's the new Street Triple or is this something else. Sound off in the comments below.
