Daytona a triumph!
This is a planned evolutionary process that has become clearer over the last two years with bikes like the stunning Rocket III, iconic Speed Triple and breathtaking Sprint ST. These bikes are evidence of a real focus and desire from Triumph to build their bikes, their way. It's a process that has gathered great success in terms of worldwide sales and brand identification.
Which is why, from the very first stages of planning, designing and building the revolutionary Daytona 675, Triumph decided to expand and build on that difference and one single word was chosen to inspire the whole project: 'Incomparable'.
The Daytona 675 stands alone in the hotly contested sports bike arena and while others might compare it to a myriad of motorcycles, it's very much a statement of how a pure Triumph sports bike should look and, just as importantly, feel. Triumph say the Daytona 675 has redefined just how a middleweight sports bike should perform, packing as it does a large amount of power and torque into a small, nimble package.
The first three-cylinder middleweight, the Daytona 675 stands apart immediately with its inimitable, spine-tingling sound and feel. Integral to this is the triple's inherent advantage of masses of bottom-end torque, linked to a heavy mid-range punch that's topped with a searing burst of peak power.
Alongside the desire for a strong, torquey engine, a key part of the design brief for the brand new 675cc power plant was to make the water-cooled, three-cylinder, 12-valve unit extremely compact and narrow, contributing to the overall slimness of the bike. The stacked six-speed gearbox considerably shortens the engine and is the first from Triumph to feature a truly close ratio set-up for all six speeds, maximising the engine's power and torque perfectly. Bore and stroke is 74.0mm x 52.3mm and peak power of 125PS is delivered at 12,500rpm, with 72Nm torque at 11,750rpm.
A great deal of work went into refining the Daytona 675's new engine without removing any of the triple's innate character and while it may perform like a racing thoroughbred there's typical Triumph toughness engineered into every part - this motor's meant to be used, and used hard again and again.
The Daytona 675's Keihin closed-loop fuel-injection system uses a trio of 44mm throttle bodies and three 12-point multi-spray injectors. Air is drawn from a port between the headlights and passes directly through the headstock to the airbox. An electronically controlled flap in the front of the airbox optimises both acoustics and performance at low, mid and high rpm ranges. The free-flowing exhaust features an underseat silencer and also utilises a secondary valve to boost torque low down. The engine meets stringent Euro-3 emission regulations.
Designed around the Daytona 675's engine the spars of the fabricated, open-back, aluminium cast frame wrap over the top of the motor, accentuating further the benefits of the narrow three-cylinder design. Rake is set at 23.5, trail at 86.8mm with a wheelbase of 1392mm. The Kayaba 41mm upside down forks are fully adjustable for spring preload and rebound and compression damping, as is the Kayaba piggyback reservoir rear shock. The aluminium swingarm itself is a two-piece casting and measures 574mm from rear wheel spindle to pivot point, greatly improving suspension and rear wheel control. Dry weight is 165kg (363lbs).
The front brakes use a radial master cylinder as well as twin radial four-piston calipers and the fully floating 308mm front discs are matched by a 220mm rear. The new wheels are a lightweight five-spoke design and wear super-sticky Pirelli Dragon Super Corsa Pro tyres. Front tyre size is 120/70 ZR17 while the rear is 180/55 ZR17.
The Daytona 675's digital instrument console has the usual trip functions as well as displaying average fuel economy. Also featured is a 99-lap memory timer - useful for comparing successive laps on a circuit as well as average and maximum speed for each lap. Gear position and programmable gear change shift light indicators are also included. Stylish twin projector beam front headlights (one for dip and one for main beam) give an excellent spread of light and are matched with a lightweight LED (Light Emitting Diode) rear light unit.
Colour options for the Daytona 675 are Scorched Yellow, Tornado Red and Graphite Grey. A full range of accessories will be available for the Daytona 675, including carbon fibre front mudguard, infills, heel guards and silencer cover. A non-restrictive Triumph exhaust end-can will be available (for circuit use only) and racing specialists Arrow Exhausts are producing a full titanium system that saves over 6kg in weight and adds 5PS, again for circuit use only.
Also, while the Daytona 675 is very much a premium product with top quality components, exceptional attention to detail and high quality finish, its final retail price has been deliberately pegged at an affordable level.
With the Daytona 675 Triumph aimed to create an exciting bike that owners will never tire of owning and, above all else, riding. It sits within a class of one, delivering an incredible performance with its exciting powerful engine and intuitive, razor-sharp chassis. It also looks and sounds like nothing else. All quite deliberate and driven by that one solitary word: 'incomparable'. Very few motorcycles can be seen as mould-breaking but the Daytona 675 is definitely one of them.
Sample a Daytona 675? Grab the keys to a Daytona. You can now throw a leg over Triumph's new 675 Daytona, as dealers nationwide have demonstrators, according to Triumph Australia. "It's not easy trying to describe how good this bike is to ride, so we thought we'd just throw customers the keys and let them take one for a spin," said Triumph Australia's Paul Grocutt.
The first 90 bikes into the country have been sold, which has created a short waiting time for some people. Available in three colours (red, yellow and graphite) the 675 retails for $14,890 (plus ORC) and comes with a two-year warranty.
In brief: Triumph Daytona 675
Engine type: Liquid-cooled, DOHC, in-line 3-cylinder
Capacity:675cc
Bore/Stroke: 74.0 x 52.3mm
Compression Ratio:12.65:1
Fuel System: Multipoint sequential electronic fuel injection with forced air induction
Ignition: Digital - inductive type - via electronic engine management system
Primary Drive:Gear
Final Drive:O ring chain
Clutch:Wet, multi-plate
Gearbox:6-speed, close ratio
Frame:Aluminium beam twin spar
Swingarm:Braced, twin-sided, aluminium alloy with adjustable pivot position
Wheels:Front -Alloy 5-spoke, 17 x 3.5in; Rear - Alloy 5-spoke, 17 x 5.5in
