In 2020, Triumph opened the attack on the Naked mid-range segment with Trident 660, powered by the new 660 three-cylinder. After expanding the platform a year later with the Tiger 660, Triumph has now brought the same advantages to the sporty mid-range segment with the launch of the Daytona 660, the first Supersport from the British since the Daytona 675.
This was further emphasized during the online presentation of the Daytona 660. That the super sport still enjoys unprecedented popularity, but how the development was increasingly focused on the track and how the engine has therefore actually become a victim of its own success. More and more power was delivered at higher and higher speeds, suspension that became increasingly sporty to handle the unprecedented power and last but not least the electronics that were so advanced that it was killing the once oh-so popular 600 supersport segment. Although the one-litre (plus) superbikes were quite a bit more expensive, thanks to those electronics they were more versatile than ever.
However, the popularity of the Ninja 650 and CBR650R had made the British think about reviving the Daytona, but no longer the track-focused bike like the Daytona 675 R (which in our opinion is still intended for the street). was not that extreme at all, but that’s besides the point), but a sporty motorcycle for the street. A super sport, but with a more comfortable seat and suspension that absorbs all irregularities in the road surface.
The idea was fueled by the great success of the Trident 660 and Tiger 660, which, according to Triumph, have had a major impact on the mid-range Naked and Allroad segment since their launch, with motorcycles such as the Z650, MT-07, Versys 650 and V-Strom 650 the service is terminated. Triumph says it has sold more than 40,000 units of both bikes together in the past 3 years and has attracted more new riders, more young riders and more female riders.
Triumph’s ambition was to bring the same benefits to the mid-range supersport, with the Triumph Triple performance as the best of both worlds, the Triumph handling that had to be leading in its class, the Triumph quality and Triumph ownership, with low maintenance costs. thanks to industry-leading maintenance intervals, shortest maintenance times and best residual values.
According to Triumph, all this must have resulted in the Daytona 660, the resurrection of the legendary name, the first modern generation of which was unveiled in 1990 and which redefined the supersport landscape in 2006 in the form of the Daytona 675.
Fun Wiki fact: the bike owes its name to the legendary victory achieved in 1966 at the Daytona International Speedway in Florida, when Buddy Elmore won the famous Daytona 200 from 46th on the grid on a T(iger). )100 managed to win.
The Daytona 660 is powered by the same 660 Triple as the Trident 660 and Tiger 660, but has now been given a major boost by the British. Triumph claims a top power of 95 hp at 11,250 rpm and a maximum torque of 69 Nm at 8,250 rpm and speaks of a perfect combination of low-end and mid-range torque and top-end power. Triumph emphasizes that more than 80% of that torque is available from 3,125 rpm and that the limiter only ends the fun at 12,650 rpm.
To quote the British: “Exhilarating usable power with the three-cylinder signature of smooth, responsive and linear delivery – the best of all worlds.” That plus an exciting sound that should be much fatter than the other two thanks to the shorter exhaust system. Oh yes, and of course suitable for the A2 driving license.
To achieve this, the block has been thoroughly modified. Triumph speaks of a new crankshaft with a wider sprocket, new camshafts and camshaft profiles, a new cylinder head with a higher compression ratio, new pistons and piston pins and a new gearbox with an adjusted transmission ratio – the first three gears are moved further apart and the last two closer together , as well as a shorter final drive.
According to Triumph, the ride-by-wire throttle delivers a sharp and precise throttle response and also enables three riding modes: Sport, Road and Rain. Each mode offers a different throttle response and level of traction control, with Sport mode providing the most responsive throttle response. And if you think traction control is the biggest nonsense in this class: the good news is that it can be switched off, the bad news is that you have to do that every time you switch on the engine.
As far as the chassis is concerned, Triumph has used that of the Trident 660 as a starting point, but equipped with sportier suspension and a modified swingarm. At the front is a Showa SFF-BP 41mm upside down fork with 110mm of travel, while at the rear a Showa monoshock RSU is fitted with 130mm of travel.
Apart from the rear spring preload, nothing can be adjusted on the suspension, but when asked, that appears to have been a financial choice. Triumph says value for money has been the top priority. In terms of brakes, the Daytona features dual 310mm discs with radial 4-piston calipers at the front and a single 220 disc with single-piston caliper at the rear. Of course equipped with ABS.
From the saddle, which is placed at a height of 810 mm, you have a view of a TFT color display that is not the usual rectangular, but a much more playful shape. The clip-ons are incorporated into the upper triple clamp (just like KTM has done with the RC models), which is a good compromise between sporty and comfort. Triumph speaks of a natural riding position that is perfect to provide the feedback needed for a dynamic sporty ride on the street. A lower saddle is available as an accessory, which brings the seat height to 785 mm.
The TFT display can optionally be equipped with the My Triumph connectivity system, which enables simple and, according to Triumph, intuitive control of telephone, music and turn-by-burn navigation. Also optional is the Triumph Shift Assist, or the up/down quickshifter. Other options include heated grips, an under-seat USB connection and TPMS tire pressure monitoring.
According to Triumph, more than 30 accessories have been developed specifically for the Daytona 660, but that’s not all. A special racing kit will soon be available, including a modified ECU and sportier suspension. So that it can also be raced in the Super Twins racing class of the Isle of Man TT.
The Daytona 660 is available from mid-April, in the colors red, white and gray. It is not yet known how much it will cost, but in the United Kingdom it will retail for £8,595, £400 less than the new GSX-8R.
– Thanks for information from Motorfreaks.