VOL. 50 ISSUE 34 AUGUST 27, 2013
Triumph Daytona 675R
band. Sporting the flattest torque
curve in the test, the Triumph
triple makes for a practical and
playful ride.
Brimming with street-friendly
torque, the Triumph triple is also
one of the most grin-inducing
engines in this class. That's old
news for anyone who's read past
shootouts with a Triumph in the
mix, but in this case the British
bike gets one-upped by the thrill-
ing motor inside the MV. The Italian mount sounds better on the
pipe, though the Triumph isn't far
behind.
"The triple's engine character,
with its orgasmic throaty sound
and smooth power delivery,
made it most enjoyable to ride,"
says Adey.
"The one thing that keeps
bothering me when I ride a threecylinder Triumph is the 'whistle'
that can cover the exhaust and
engine sound," notes a keenearned Massimo, before allowing
the Daytona mill "has character
and personality."
The Triumph drivetrain makes
huge gains in 2013 with its quickshifter and slipper clutch. While
the gear lever actuation isn't quite
as smooth as the Japanese rides,
the Daytona's six-speed package
is both forgiving and efficient. It
stands out in this test as the only
bike with both a quickshifter and
slipper clutch, and each one performs well.
"The slipper clutch on it specifically, man you can jam down
the gears and it never chattered,
never got you out of shape," says
Nathon.
Riding the well-sorted Japanese bikes, riders can be forgiven for questioning the value of
a quickshifter. But the Triumph's
bang-bang immediate upshifts
will have them wishing every bike
was provisioned so. The shifter
proves valuable on the track, but
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just as convenient on the street.
The electronic shifter also aided during performance testing,
where Adam coaxed the Daytona to a second-fastest 0-60
at 3.5 seconds. In the quartermile the Daytona records the
third-fastest time at 11.29 seconds.
The Triumph trails only the
Kawasaki in handling and
braking performance, and by
the slimmest of margins. And
tweaks to the steering geometry, with a steeper rake, make
for a sharper turning chassis.
"The 675R felt solid all the
way around in the handling department," says Adey. "Given it
comes equipped with full Ohlins
suspension and Brembo brakes.
I expected no less than what I
felt – a 10 out of 10 for me."
The Ohlins units are a fullyadjustable NIX30 fork and
TTX36 shock and performance
from both live up to their spec
sheet billing. Where the Showa
BPF units offer stability and
a planted feel, the Triumph's
Ohlins suspension package
goes one step further. They
damp out the inconsequential
white noise coming up from
the road, yet transmit immediate, precise feel. And while the
Triumph turns so quick that a
rider expects it to twitch and lift
up front, instead transitions are
smooth and controlled.
The modulation and lever feel
