Norton Commando 961 Sport vs Triumph Thruxton 1200 R
Side-by-side comparison for used motorcycle buyers
Norton Commando 961 Sport vs Triumph Thruxton 1200 R. Norton Commando 961 Sport: 80 hp @ 6,500 rpm hp, 198 kg (wet/curb weight) weight, top speed 200 km/h (estimated; approximately 124 mph), Motoryk rating 7.8/10. Triumph Thruxton 1200 R: 97 hp @ 6,750 rpm hp, 203 kg (wet/curb weight) weight, top speed 193 km/h, Motoryk rating 8.5/10.
Performance at a Glance
Green = winner per metric · Bars are relative to the higher value
Norton Commando 961 Sport
Triumph Thruxton 1200 R
Horsepower (hp)
80 hp
97 hp
Torque (Nm)
90 Nm
112 Nm
Top Speed (km/h)
200 km/h
193 km/h
Weight (kg) — lower is better
198 kg
203 kg
Type
Cafe-racer
Cafe-racer
Horsepower
80 hp @ 6,500 rpm
97 hp @ 6,750 rpm
Torque
90 Nm @ 5,200 rpm
112 Nm @ 4,950 rpm
Top Speed
200 km/h (estimated; approximately 124 mph)
193 km/h
Weight
198 kg (wet/curb weight)
203 kg (wet/curb weight)
Fuel
6.5 L/100km (approx. 15.4 km/L) — estimated real-world average
5.5 L/100km (approx. 18.2 km/L, typical real-world average)
Fairing
No
No
Individual Reviews
Norton Commando 961 Sport
7.8/10
"Buy one with full history or walk away completely."
Pros
+Genuinely gorgeous parallel twin sound
+Handling is genuinely sharp
+Bulletproof when properly maintained
Cons
−Parts availability still patchy
−Early clutch issues lurk
−Service history absolutely critical
Triumph Thruxton 1200 R
8.5/10
"The finest modern cafe racer available, if you service it properly."
Pros
+Thunderous, characterful parallel twin
+Öhlins/Brembo combo genuinely excellent
+Stunning build quality throughout
Cons
−Aggressive ergonomics tires wrists
−Early cam chain tensioner issues
−Tyres wear surprisingly fast
Top 10 Accessories
Picks that work on either bike.
