All Tests – God save the Triple – Occasions TRIUMPH

Posted on by admin

God save the Triple

All Tests - God save the Triple - Occasions TRIUMPH

Equipped like a Supersport with its radial brakes, its all-aluminum frame and swingarm and its solid suspensions, the new Daytona 675 offers sharp and distinctive lines but above all a new engine in this displacement: the Triple.

On the Triumph stand at the 2005 Paris Motor Show last September, the Daytona 675 did not go unnoticed despite its 125 cc silhouette (read). And its arguments are multiple: in addition to its very compact size, the new Triumph offers a unique engine, an original line and equipment worthy of the Mondial Supersport..

For its new mid-capacity sports car, the British manufacturer has therefore decided to break with its old method which consisted of drawing inspiration from the Japanese. After the 600 "cbr" TT, 600 "zx-6r" Daytona then 650 "ZX-636R" Daytona all 4-cylinder, the 675 contrasts not only with its predecessors but also with its competitors.

"From the earliest stages of the design and manufacture of the revolutionary Daytona 675, Triumph decided to develop and build on this difference and choose one watchword to inspire the entire project: incomparable", ignites the builder.
Paris, 05/24/2006 – New Triumph Daytona 675 testVideo Site.

And it is clear that the little English does not look like the current production on the market because what strikes above all is its size: picked up forward, very thin and short, the Daytona 675 looks more like a Cagiva Mito than a GSX-R !

Its low handlebars and its bubble barely higher than its passenger seat give the impression that the beautiful greets you respectfully every time you pass by. She therefore adopts the posture of the best female trackers, far removed from the imposing look of the old 600 (read).

Its appearance is no less aggressive with its sharp optics framing a gaping air inlet grille, ready to snatch mosquitoes, bees, bumblebees or other reckless sparrows. !

Reverent

The fuselage – this is the term that comes to mind – is particularly thin: the frame members envelop the upper part of the engine and allow the fairing sides to be housed as close as possible to the engine. The manufacturer also specifies on this subject that "6-speed stacked shaft gearbox significantly reduces engine size".

The cycle part of the Daytona 675 seems small, like its tiny frame and its swingarm made of aluminum with two tapered spokes, which differs from the beefy blunt arms of the Japanese. On the other hand, its inverted 41 mm fork remains in the current standards, just like its two front discs of 308 mm equipped with radial calipers..

The elusive rear part, flattened and high perched, elegantly surmounts the pot which – it will not have escaped anyone – has three outlets…

Ze tripeul…

The first mid-size 3-cylinder motorcycle, the Daytona 675 is in step with the "styling work that began over the past two years with motorcycles like the superb Rocket III, the legendary Speed ​​Triple and the surprising Sprint ST", recall the manufacturer from across the Channel.

"A key part of the design criteria for the brand’s new 675cc powertrain was that the three-cylinder unit be extremely compact and narrow, to contribute to the motorcycle’s fine lines.", adds Triumph. Of course, but the engineers at Hinckley did not neglect the two key data of the sports category: power and torque. !

125 hp at 12,500 rpm and 72 Nm at 11,750 rpm … a whole program to which we, poor Gallic people, are only partially entitled: 106 hp at 12,000 rpm for the same couple.

To achieve its performance, the British have spared no expense: the Keihin injection system of the little Englishwoman uses three 44mm diameter throttle bodies and three multipoint injectors. An electronically controlled valve upstream of the airbox optimizes low, medium or high speed performance – and secondarily acoustics – while the under-seat exhaust also uses a valve to improve low-end power.

But beyond the maximum data, the small Triple seeks to seduce the biker by its originality and "characteristics inherent in the three-cylinder advantages of low-end torque combined with excellent mid-range pickup and, to top it off, lightning-fast power at high revs", promises the press kit.

Compact, light (165 kg dry) and powerful, the Daytona therefore has nothing to be ashamed of when faced with the technical sheets of the best sports cars of the moment. There remains the verdict of the road … Test !

Forward !

The Daytona 675 dashboard includes the usual mileage functions (speed, revs, two trips, etc.) but does not have a fuel gauge. For the more sporty, it includes a 99-lap memory stopwatch with an average and maximum speed indicator for each lap – also active on the road…

The gear engaged indicator light and the indicator lights – electric blue in color – for programmable gear changes are also present and clearly visible. Finally, the average fuel consumption can be consulted even if on this specific point the computer is not a model of reliability..

A more general turn of the owner allows to appreciate a high level of finish, as illustrated by the very appreciable valves of 90 ° angled rims which avoid getting your hands dirty during pressure checks..

It is by settling on the beast that we realize the height of the passenger seat: the leg must rise so high that we almost understand Rossi, who prefers to step over the tank during his motorcycle descents. ! The position is therefore very radical, the handlebars being very low compared to the saddle perched at 825 mm. It’s simple: next to it, our friend’s GSX-R 750 seems almost comfortable !

If some criticized a lack of sportiness in the old Triumph 600, here they are served: when stationary, the weight of the bust and the head is felt on the wrists and the neck. So we quickly adopt the habit of getting up at each stop.

However, the legs – even long ones – wedge well along the very flared tank and the feet naturally find their supports. Only the rear brake control is a bit high and requires some gymnastics from the ankle.

The saddle is correctly designed but its finesse greatly limits comfort. Its length allows you to move back very far to lodge your head just behind the small bubble. A distance which further distances the hypothetical and reckless passenger !

The latter will have much merit in carving out a stretch of road with the pilot: the footrests placed very high – despite the absence of a pot – favor passengers with short legs … who will require a stepladder to climb the Daytona. No really, the passenger seat – like those in the lock or the rain suit – is behind, far behind, on another motorcycle !

Forbidden cities

Key inserted, clutch lever tight – it is compulsory – and starter activated: the Triple wakes up and bewitches you! Its deep sound is omnipresent, without being deafening.

The first turns of the wheel are accompanied by the slight whistling "supercopter turbine" provided by the primary transmission. Pleasant at first, this phenomenon covers the sweet melody of the Triple at low speed and may annoy the most sensitive. Fortunately, from the first gas shots, this inconvenience is forgotten.

In town, the Daytona displays a certain goodwill: pick-ups are possible a little before 2000 rpm, the gearbox is pleasant, the turning radius is sufficient and the slight sway induced by the steering damper at very low speed. is quickly erased. But very quickly, the position becomes tiring and it is better not to linger in the traffic.

In traffic jams, the little Triumph even makes you understand that its kindness should not be abused: the pot does not take long to raise the temperature of the saddle – therefore that of your behind – and the engine which adjoins your thighs literally burns can’t wait to get out of all this traffic.

And as soon as the flow of cars thins out, the 675 feels better, no longer tormenting you. Increasing revs reveal an engine that seems indefatigable: from 2000 to 11,000 rpm, the Triple stretches its stride without ever running out of steam and crunches everything that rolls. While higher in the towers … everything goes too fast on the road !

Lionheart

Paradoxically, the weak protection of the bubble turns out to be an ally of choice. From 90 km / h – 4,500 rpm in 6th gear – the wind is enough to relieve your wrists and your arms can rest without the fuel consumption being penalized: 6.05 l / 100km over the whole of our essay.

But what we appreciate more than anything in the little Englishwoman is her heart: courageous at the bottom – for her engine capacity -, valiant at mid-speed and fearless in the turns, the Triple delivers without counting. The hoarse sound of the original pot bewitches you and causes you to wring the handle further.

Available from 2000 rpm, it is around 5000 rpm that the Triple is really effective, up to the red zone located … 9000 rpm higher at 14,000 rpm! A record range of use and an exponential rise in power that does not suffer from any dip. To wonder where is the French bridle !

On small roads, the 3-cylinder allows you both to roll in 4th, to have fun in 3rd and to be scared in 2nd! In this last configuration, the brakes are there to limit any excess of zeal: biting and powerful at will, their beautiful hoses with a "racing" aspect offer good endurance..

When the bike rises slightly when braking hard on the angle, the trajectory is corrected very naturally, almost imperceptibly, as the Daytona is light and docile..

As on any sports car, hard braking is strongly discouraged on wet ground as the brakes are sensitive. Aggressive driving in the rain is limited anyway by the original tires: the absence of grooves on a large part of the sidewalls of the Pirelli Dragon Super Corsa Pro will calm the most enthusiastic !

The gearbox, pleasant and precise, allows you to change gear without disengaging whatever the pace. In casting, the engine brake prevents overuse of the brakes, allowing the bike to maintain a perfectly horizontal attitude..

Boss! A triple … sec

The work of the suspensions is nonetheless effective during heavy braking and changes of angles. The rebound and compression settings allow you to best adjust your mount to each circuit or to the most popular departmental routes for the pilot.

Only the passages on bumpy surface betray a too dry rear suspension, which results in too frank acceleration by slight setbacks. A black point that will especially affect the most cozy bikers – who said the lopettes ?

The "dry" side of the new Daytona does not stop there, because a second aspect of the machine is a little too "rough": the go-around. Without being unsettling, the times require a precise dosage on pain of a slight jerk. Discreet on a long straight line, it is more disturbing – but not dangerous either – to discover it in the middle of a bend !

These two characteristics emphasize the tendency of manufacturers to sometimes confuse brutality and sporty character, although efficiency is not synonymous with violence….

Ze tool ?

However, the Daytona does not become a monster of inaccessibility because over the kilometers, these small defects are assimilated by the driver and can even turn into a quality for a pilot who seeks to fully exploit his mount..

The 675 requires a certain rigor, which is all in all logical for a Supersport. In the end, its exemplary cycle part, its well-filled engine and its excellent agility hit the winding portions. Without scruples, it even allows itself to tax a good number of power monsters "blocked in 5th under penalty of high-side", according to one of their owners…

"The Triumph Daytona 675 redefines the performance of mid-displacement sportbikes, concentrating an enormous amount of power and torque in a compact and agile package", promised the press kit. Without" redefining "the category at all, it is certain that Triumph offers here a very attractive alternative to the Japanese 4-cylinder and even to the Italian twin.

With a price of 10,390 € – located in the low range of its competitors -, the Daytona adds an asset to its game. And that’s good !

Related articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *