Introduction, positioning and rivals of the Triumph Daytona 660
Since John Bloor took over Triumph at the end of the 20th century, there have been numerous Triumph Daytonas of different displacements. The last of them was the Daytona 675 (2006-2017), with a circuit vocation and a bestseller in its more than a decade of existence. Since then, the legislation has changed and so has the market.
The fact that motorcycles up to 95 HP can be limited for the A2 has changed the rules of the game and in some cases there is a false perception that limitable motorcycles are for beginners. Yes, they are limited, but at full power, motorcycles like the Triumph Daytona 660 (95 HP, €9,995) are very serious motorcycles.
This clarification is necessary to label it as an “initiation supersport”, that is, due to its capacity to be limited. The same can be said of its rivals, such as the Yamaha R7 (73.4 HP, €9,799), Suzuki GSX8R (83 HP, €9,699) that we recently tested here, Honda CBR650R (94 HP, €10,000), or the Kawasaki Ninja 650 (68 HP, €8,350).
If you imagine a linear diagram, in which at one end are the most sporty motorcycles and at the other the most touring motorcycles, the Triumph Daytona 660 is among the sports ones in its segment. Its driving position may not be as radical as the Yamaha R7, but it is very close; However, its engine is more capable in terms of power and character.
The 660 cc block has been a great success for Triumph. With the Trident 660 and Tiger Sport 660 and in the last three years, the British brand has sold more than 40,000 units, gaining new customers who did not have access to the larger Triumphs: young people and women. In the absence of an off-road model, Triumph offers a range of medium-displacement asphalt motorcycles in which it is easy to find the proposal that adapts to your needs.
Technical characteristics of the Triumph Daytona 660
The heart of the bike is the 660 cc, DOHC, water-cooled inline three-cylinder with a 240º offset between the crankshaft journals. With a compression of 12:1, it obtains 95 HP (+17%) at 11,250 rpm, although there is an overspeed of up to 12,650 rpm, which is 20% more than the overspeed that the Trident 660 engine has. The torque reaches up to 69 Nm (+9%) at 8,500 rpm, but the most relevant thing is that 80% of that maximum torque is always present between 3,125 and 11,750 rpm.
This means that, although the bike delivers its best in the last third of the rev counter, it is not a sharp engine, as it is perfectly usable throughout the rev counter range. The power has been obtained via intake, that is, more air and three 44 mm injection bodies. Cylinder head, pistons, rings, cylinders and the cooling system are new, while the exhaust and catalyst have been modified, also improving the sound.
The gearbox also receives new features, with wider sprockets for smoother engagement, new levers and, most importantly, new developments. Now 1st and 2nd are longer, while 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th are shorter than on the Trident 660. The clutch is slipper and has slip control. There is an optional quickshifter (€405) highly recommended given the orientation of the Daytona 660.
The brand declares a consumption of 4.9 l/100 for a 14-liter tank. During the international presentation through Alicante and at a generous pace, I was able to verify an average of 5.2 l/100, which gives a theoretical range of around 270 kilometers, a figure beyond what is acceptable if you scratch down to the last liter.
The electronics are also present, with traction control (disconnectable), anti-wheelie and three driving modes (Road, Rain, Sport), all very easy to govern through the pineapple, easy and intuitive with 4 directional buttons, plus one of OK. The modes are changed with a dedicated button, so you don’t have to navigate through menus and submenus on the go, which in themselves are not difficult either.
The instrumentation is very similar to that seen in its sisters, in which there are two screens, one TFT and another LCD, both visible in full light. The My Triumph Connectivity system is optional and includes the integration of calls, music and a sign navigator with the audio system you have in your helmet.
The chassis is tubular steel, although there are plastic covers on the sides that imitate an aluminum chassis. The swingarm is also made of steel, but the final weight does not increase, remaining at a content of 201 kg in running order, in line with its rivals, all of which are less powerful. The bike is not very tall either. The seat is 810 mm (there is an optional one that leaves it at 785 mm), very affordable for many sizes, also thanks to the narrowness of the assembly.
At 178 cm, I seemed to be made for me, except for my feet: I wear a size 45 and when I put my toe on the footpeg, my heel hit me with the support of the rear footpeg. Luckily, supports and footpegs can be easily removed with an Allen wrench, eliminating weight in the process. The bad thing is that the ability to carry a hypothetical, brave and flexible passenger would be lost. No tragedy in a sports car.
The suspensions are consigned to Showa, with an inverted fork with separate function legs (SFF-BP), 41 mm diameter and 110 mm travel. Does not allow regulation. Behind it is a Showa monoshock RSU monoshock, with 130 mm of travel and preload adjustment.
The brakes are from Triumph, with double 310 mm front discs and 4-piston radial calipers and a 220 mm rear disc and single piston. Both trains are assisted by ABS (of course). The wheels are 5-spoke aluminum and fitted with standard sports bike tires (120/70-17 and 180/55-17), in this case the new Michelin Power 6.
The design is current and does not reveal a common origin with its sisters, except for the tail, which is rounded and integrates the rear light, in a similar way to that of the Trident 660. The motorcycle is visually compact, partly due to the Integration of the exhaust with the lower fairing and the curved swingarm. The full LED lights reveal that we are looking at a latest generation motorcycle.
It should be noted that, like the large Triumphs, their maintenance intervals are 16,000 km. If you add tight maintenance costs, they make the Triumph Daytona and the €9,995 it costs a great option in terms of quality/price ratio.
How the Triumph Daytona 660 is doing
The Daytona 660 exudes an undeniable sporty air; Getting on it corroborates all previous suspicions. The semi-handlebars are above the seat post and the ergonomic triangle (seat, grips, footpegs) undoubtedly loads the weight on the front wheel. When you start driving, everything is smooth.
The delivery of more than 80% of the maximum torque in almost the entire range of use of the engine reflects the elasticity of the three-cylinder. The controls are familiar. The left pineapple is identical to that of other “fat” Triumphs, easy to understand and use, as well as navigation through the instrumentation interface, fast and intuitive.
The first part of the route through the Sierra de Alicante passed through very twisty roads and numerous “tornanti”, that is, 180º curves up or down, in which the ergonomics of the motorcycle determine the comfort, not so much because of the height of the semi-handlebars, but because of the closed angle between them, subtracting the lever arm when changing direction. The bike is agile, but physical, in the sense that it does not move alone.
The engine responds very well, but you don’t get to take advantage of the goodness of the engine until the road starts to open a little. When the track allows the three-cylinder to stretch its legs, the true character of the Daytona 660 emerges. The intake sound is exciting from 7,000 rpm onwards. Best of all, the solidity of the cycle part makes you forget about that stress that sometimes haunts your head when you ride at the top of the lap counter.
With the Daytona 660 it is easy to settle on the upper floor (when it sounds good and stretches better) and not feel vertigo. The Michelin Power 6 takes their time to warm up, but once warm they offer a good feeling of grip and grip. The time has come to take action. The 1,425 mm wheelbase allows for superb stability in medium and wide radius corners.
The suspensions are not hydraulically adjustable, but their setting is very good, at least for my weight of 85 kg. In sports driving you feel in your element and the comfort tolls disappear. I am sure that it is a magnificent motorcycle also on the track. The gearbox works perfectly, by feel and response, as does the clutch. That does not mean that we miss an exchange assistant, for which we have to pay a more than justified €405. He cries out for it.
The brakes respond very well. Touch and power are up to expectations, without having to resort to delicacies, which would undoubtedly increase the final price.
When crossing some urban stretch, I realized that the mirrors are at the same height as the cars. Since it is not an urban motorcycle, it is not worrying. The important thing is that you can see through them well and that they are not affected by engine vibrations, even at high rpm. Riding at low speed, through traffic or urbanizations, the weight appears again on the wrists. It’s the bike’s way of reminding us that this is not its environment.
However, the engine has plenty of elasticity and smoothness to handle any terrain. Regarding his sisters, the Trident 660 and Tiger Sport 660, he shares that they have genius; The difference is that the Daytona has more genius and has it higher up. On the other hand, it is less versatile, more because of its ergonomics than because of the engine, which is truly brilliant in all aspects.
In sports driving it is capable of rolling faster than those, in addition to the extra power, because it supports more weight on the front wheel. In that context and with a really effective set-up just like it comes from the factory, it is capable of getting the best out of a really brilliant engine. What amounts to a sports motorcycle. Without hesitation.
