Triumph is reviving the Daytona name with a brand new budget sportsbike, which will line up against competition like the Kawasaki Ninja 650, Honda CBR650R and Yamaha R7.
Powered by a modified version of the 660cc three-cylinder motor used in the Trident and Tiger Sport, the Daytona 660 is set to deliver higher performance than the twin cylinder offerings from Kawasaki and Yamaha. At 94bhp, the Daytona 660 matches the CBR in the power stakes while staying within the limit required for A2 licence restriction.
Far from simply being a faired version of the excellent Trident 660, plenty of extra engineering has gone into creating a contender for the increasingly popular sporting class. The engine, which itself is an evolution of the iconic Daytona 675 unit, gains new throttle bodies, larger exhaust valves, a different crank and camshaft, giving it a 17% power boost over the Trident. The Daytona 660 also gets revised gear ratios, three ride modes and switchable traction control.
While the swingarm is shared with the Trident, the rest of the frame is new – giving the Daytona 660 a sportier geometry. It’s been designed to appeal to riders looking for a first sports bike, while still being not too intimidating. Speaking at a press briefing, Triumph says that the Daytona 660’s riding position is less extreme than the R7’s, comparing it more to the four-cylinder Honda. The 810mm seat height (which can be reduced by 25mm through the fitment of an accessory seat) is similar to that of the CBR650R and lower than the Yamaha R7, with the narrow front of the two-piece saddle likely to aid getting feet down when stationery. At 202kg fuelled up, the Daytona is a little heavier than the two-cylinder competition but should still be manageable enough for inexperienced riders.
Unsurprisingly for a motorcycle priced at £8595, the spec sheet isn’t dripping with top end components but what is there looks more than up to the job. The 41mm Showa big piston forks lack adjustability, and there’s only preload adjustment at the rear, which is a step down from the equipment found on some of the competition, but for the bike’s intended use it probably won’t present an issue for most buyers. The smallish dashboard display looks a touch dated compared to the latest TFT offerings found on more expensive modern bikes, but is in line with what you’d expect at this price, while Michelin’s new Power 6 are a good sporting all-round tyre and come fitted as standard.
The Daytona 660 is Triumph’s response to market demand for less expensive and more manageable sports motorcycles. The previous Daytona 675, along with once popular machines like Honda’s CBR600RR, the Kawasaki ZX-6R and Yamaha YZF-R6, found themselves getting increasingly more sophisticated and expensive, taking them too close to the flagship 1000cc machines, and demand dwindled to the extent that most manufacturers couldn’t justify updating them to meet the latest emissions regulations.
While Honda and Kawasaki have recently reintroduced their 600s, the Daytona 660 and its ilk provide a much more basic and affordable entry in the race replica class. This new sector is also being represented in on the racetrack, with the British Superbike series replacing its 600cc superstock class with a new ‘sportbike’ series for this new generation of racy middleweight. Triumph has confirmed the Daytona 660 will be eligible to enter the new series, with TT ace Peter Hickman’s PHR Performance company developing a race kit, which consists of the items required to turn it into a track bike, including a race ECU, bodywork, modified suspension, exhaust and clip on handlebars.
Triumph has sold more than 40,000 examples of the Tiger Sport 660 and Trident 660 since the introduction of the platform some three years ago, and the British company is convinced that this sporty addition will add to that when it goes on sale in late March, with a choice of red or graphite colour options.
