Great things were expected from Triumph’s middleweight sports bike when it was launched and the reaction since then has been rapturous.
The 675cc water-cooled, three-cylinder 12-valve engine was designed to be compact, its narrow dimensions giving the 675R a slim streamlined profile.
The Triumph Daytona 675R has turned out to be a real head-turner with its striking modern looks.
Priced from £10,949 on the road, the Triumph Daytona 675R is available in two striking colour schemes, Midnight Black and Scarlet Red or Crystal White and Jet Black.
The price is quite reasonable considering the amount of power and refinement you get from the bike’s engine.
The additional cost over the standard 675 is accounted for by the ‘R’s one piece Brembo callipers, Ohlins multi-adjustable forks and TTX shock as well as the Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa tyres.
Heavy bikes are never much fun and Triumph knows this. They have kept this Daytona 675R light and nimble so there’s a huge amount of fun to be had in the handling department.
The aluminium beam twin spar frame helps to keep weight down while ensuring strong rigidity. The build quality is second to none and a wide range of accessories is available for riders to personalise their beloved model.
The engine delivers plenty of torque and a great deal of work by Triumph’s engineers continues to refine the unit without removing its inherent character.
The current bike has a larger bore, shorter stroke and 700 more revs than the original 675R. Although this gives the bike rapid pure-bred performance, it’s designed to be used hard without the undesirable tendencies that many thoroughbred machines give, namely reliability problems.
The engine delivers massive low-range torque and just keeps on giving right the way through to the higher red line. Peak power of 126bhp is produced at a heady 12,500rpm and the compact 12-valve engine serving-up searing acceleration to order.
At cruising speeds it’s pretty much vibration-free. The free-flowing exhaust system features a secondary valve to boost the amount of torque offered low down. This exhaust also provides a spine-tingling engine note.
The six-speed transmission offers a really close-ratio set-up for all six speeds. With slick changes it is good to use when on the move and only when engaging first gear is there any hint of a clonk. The Brembo brakes with ABS provide stunning levels of stopping power as well as excellent control.
The Triumph continues to be the bike that excites enough that its owners would never get tired of wanting to ride it. There is very little, if anything, to dislike about the 675R.
It continues to be one of the best 600 models money can buy. If you can’t quite bring yourself to spend that much on a bike then its 675 sibling will make an ideal cheaper alternative.
THE FACTS
Bike: Triumph Daytona 675R
Price: £10,949 on-the-road
Engine: 675Rcc liquid-cooled, 12-valve, in-line three-cylinder
Seat height: 830mm
Power: 126bhp @ 12,500rpm
Wet weight: 184kg
Tank size: 17.4 litres