Triumph Thruxton Rs

"The best modern cafe racer money can buy used."

The Thruxton RS is the real deal — Triumph finally got the formula right with this one. Water-cooled 1200cc twin pulls hard from about 3,500rpm and genuinely rewards aggressive riding, which surprises people expecting a slow-poke cafe racer. Used examples from 2020 onwards are solid choices, but inspect the Brembo front brake master cylinder for seeping seals — it's a known weak point. Also check the bar-end mirrors, which are fragile and expensive to replace. Riding position is committed. Your wrists and lower back will file complaints after about 90 minutes, so be honest with yourself about how you actually ride versus how you think you ride. Seat height is manageable for most, but the narrow seat gets uncomfortable faster than you'd expect for the price point. Suspension is properly sorted for back roads, and that exhaust note through the Vance & Hines pipes — if the previous owner fitted them — is genuinely spectacular. Pay between $10,000-$13,000 for a clean 2020-2022 example. Anything above that, walk away unless it's essentially unridden.