Triumph Special Edition motorcycles sport spiffy paint schemes

Triumph, like many of its peers and rivals, is making more custom-inspired liveries available across its range. After unveiling the Gold Line Edition, it announced four Special Edition models designed as a tribute to torque, historic motorcycle racing, and London's East End.

Called 221 Special Edition, the first model in the lineup is based on the R and the GT variants of the Rocket 3. Its name celebrates performance: the Rocket 3 is powered by a 2.5-liter three-cylinder engine that we called "the displacement king of the motorcycle world" after its unveiling in August 2019. It develops 165 horsepower and 163 pound-feet of torque; the latter figure corresponds to 221 newton-meters, hence the name. It's a figure that's worth celebrating: the Rocket 3 offers riders more torque than any other series-produced motorcycle.

Designers added Red Hopper paint on the mudguard and on the fuel tank, edition-specific graphics on the knee pads and, lest you forget what you're riding, the engine's specs near the fuel filler cap. The 221 Special Edition (shown below) also gets Sapphire Black accents.

Next is the Thruxton RS Ton Up Special Edition, which is named after the Ton Up boys of the 1950s and the 1960s who Triumph notes that they were the original café racers. Triumph says the Ton Up is also an homage to Malcolm Uphill, who was the first rider to complete a 100-mph lap (hence the name; 100 mph was often referred to as the "magic ton") on the challenging Isle of Man TT course on a production motorcycle.

For the Ton Up, designers selected an Aegean Blue fuel tank, Jet Black graphics on the knee pads and hand-painted silver accents. They also added a Fusion White mudguard with a "100" logo that celebrates Uphill's intrepid achievement. Finally, the special Thruxton also receives Jet Black side panels, black wheels, silver fork protectors and RSU springs. If you ask us, it's a look that works remarkably well.

Last but not least, the Street Twin EC1 Special Edition is named after one of the zip codes in London, England. In the words of Triumph, it's inspired by "the vibrant, custom-classic motorcycle culture of London's East End" and notably the historic streets in the EC1 zip code. It wears a Matte Aluminum Silver and Matte Silver Ice livery complemented by specific graphics on the fuel tank and on the side panels.

All of the aforementioned Special Edition models will only be available for one year. Pricing for the Rocket 3 R and the Rocket 3 GT 221 Special Edition starts at $23,900 and $24,600, respectively. Triumph charges $17,300 for the Ton Up and $10,350 for the EC1.

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