2017 Triumph Street Triple 765 range launch review

Triumph's Street Triple 675 has always loomed large in the sporty middleweight nakedbike category, with the sheer exhilaration and tactile nature of the machine an absolute winner. No wonder over 50,000 have been sold since its release in 2007.

I was lucky enough to ride the Street Triple at the international and Aussie launches way back then, and what a machine: so forgiving, punchy and a grin-inducer of the highest order.

There have been a number of versions over the ensuing decade, all maintaining the 675cc capacity of the original. But now, Triumph is raising the bar again with three new 765cc masterpieces – and a 660cc incarnation to meet the Aussie LAMS regulations. And what a towering well-built quartet it is.

The similarly appointed Street 660 (LAMS, $12,800) and Street 765 S ($13,800) kick off the new family tree, followed by the sportier R at $15,880 and the range-topping RS at $17,550.

Horsepower increases from 113hp for the S all the way to 123hp for the RS, while the S has 73Nm of torque compared to 77Nm for the R and RS.

STREET TRIPLE 765 SPECS AND PRICING IN BIKE SHOWROOM

But don't get too caught up on the numbers, as compared to the old 675cc machine the new Street Triple has gone to another level of internal combustion authority – as we found out during a half-day ride through the Sunshine Coast hinterland and then a blast on the Lakeside road racing circuit. How much fun is that circuit, particularly on a sweet and accommodating naked like the Street Triple?

Different flavours
Triumph is promoting three distinct flavours with the updated Street Triple range: the S as "the street champion", the R as "the definitive street fighter" and the RS as "the ultimate performance street".

The level of spec confirms the different level of thinking. The R and RS not only come with a multi-function, five-inch, joystick-controlled TFT screen instead of the S's LCD design, but they also have higher-spec suspension and brakes than the S. The RS then takes it to another level over the R with its one-way powershifter (up), an extra riding mode (Track), sportier Pirelli rubber, Ohlins suspension and a few other styling and electronic bits and pieces. The quickshifter is available for the S and R as an accessory.

The in-line triple has always been the sweetest part of the Street Triple equation, and nothing has changed in 765cc mode. The 90cc capacity hike has been achieved by increases in both bore and stroke, but that's only the start of the updated equation: Triumph has also delivered over 80 new engine components touching on the induction, exhaust, gearbox and a new slip-assist clutch (R and RS). The engine now meets Euro 4 homologation, as well.

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Compared to the old 675cc engine, the new 765 lays it on and is a class above in all respects: not only in raw numbers (the 675 produced 106hp/68Nm) but it's now much smoother and the feel through the throttle – and ultimately connection to the rear wheel – has made a quantum leap. It's a delicious piece of kit. And that means better acceleration, with the shorter first and second gears making sure the tempo builds up very quickly.

Through their paces
Ultimately, if you're in the market for a new Street Triple 765 you're going to have to make a choice between the S, R, and RS. The S's base-spec amounts to twin-piston Nissin front calipers, it reaches its power and torque peaks at lower revs than its siblings, there's updated Showa suspension, and it gets the same analogue tacho as the 675. There's no slip-assist clutch, only a basic on-board computer, and it doesn't have daytime running lights like the R and RS.

The S does get traction control, while there are Rain and Road rider modes, both producing the full amount of engine power but at different rates of throttle response.

Meanwhile, the R has four riding modes: Rain, Road, Sport and Rider (configurable for power, ABS and traction control), while the RS has Rain, Road, Sport, Track and Rider. Track has the same throttle response as Sport mode, but the extra performance comes in the form of higher racetrack-type tolerances in the ABS (front only) and traction control settings.

Back to the S, though – and if this is akin to an 'entry-level' full-powered Street Triple 765 then we are in a good place. It may be the least desirable on paper, but don't be fooled.

The engine is super smooth, it turns with the dexterity and sharpness that has become the Street Triple staple, and the high-speed stability is superb. The Nissin brakes aren't underdone by any stretch, but certainly don't have the stopping power or feel of the R (Brembo M4.32) and RS (Brembo M50) monobloc calipers.

R hits the sweet spot
The R is where the increased performance of the new Street Triple 765 is really the most appealing. It produces a claimed 118hp/77Nm, with the peak torque coming in at lower revs than the RS – while it also has more power than the RS in that 'real world' riding zone. It's only when the revs reach the frenetic stage (above 10,000rpm) where the angrier RS becomes the undisputed power king. The R's power characteristics made it the most satisfying bike for me, both on the road and race track.

The R has fully adjustable Showa BPF forks, and like all the new 765s has an all-new Gullwing swingarm with increased torsional stiffness and lateral flexibility. Triumph claims the new swingarm has benefits in terms of handling and "improved anti-squat performance", and around Lakeside in particular the handling was just so obliging. I'm not a hardened race track practitioner these days, but the way I was able to change direction with such precision is a real feather in the cap for the new chassis – and lighter machine. Claimed dry weight for the 765s is 166kg, two less than the Street Triple 675 R.

The R is also available as a low ride height version, which drops the seat height from 825 to 785mm. The S's seat height is 810mm, and the RS's is 825mm.

RS: the top of the tree
As well as the aforementioned power, suspension, brake, rider mode and electronic updates over the R, the Street Triple RS also has stickier Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa S rubber (the S and R have Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa hoops), and aesthetically it has a body-coloured belly pan, bar end mirrors, a matt silver aluminium subframe and silver/grey seat stitching.

The RS also has six screen conjurations on the new angle-adjustable TFT dash (the R has three), which is an electronic masterpiece in itself. The RS also has a lap timer and a ratio-adjustable front brake lever to shift the focus from a more progressive feel to a faster, more reactive setting.

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There's no doubt the RS's engine is brawnier than the R's – not so much through the bottom-end and mid-range, but as the revs really start to build.

That attribute alone doesn't make it as easy – or in a road sense, rewarding – to ride as the R, but it's still a Street Triple through and through and you can push it extremely hard with the Supercorsa tyres digging in hard.

The high-spec Brembo brakes are exceptional, but the handling felt the same as the R for me – the Ohlins RSU forks are probably a better fit for faster and more suspension-pushing practitioners.

The quickshifter is a beautiful addition, both for the road and the ability to keep it at full noise on the race track. The RS was the only bike where I saw 200km/h through the left-hand kink at the end of the Lakeside front straight. Try as I might, I could only manage the feat once…

Summing up
What's the pick of the bunch? It's always nice to have the full bag of fruit, so the RS, but then again the R with an accessory powershifter may get the job done for predominantly road riders. And the S is by no means the neglected sibling – I had as much fun on that at Lakeside as the other two.

And we can't sign off without mentioning the new 660cc LAMS version, which still has 68Nm of torque, so we're still talking large chunks of fun.

And there's the low ride version of the R as well for all the shorties.

This new Street Triple family hits the mark. There's choice for a start, so you'll get the bike you really want, but it goes deeper than that: the Street Triple is even more dynamic, solid and tactile than ever. It has a gravitational pull that not too many other models can muster, and it's just about my new favourite – again!