Triumph Daytona 675

WHAT WE LIKE

NOT SO MUCH

OVERVIEW
Garry McCoy - be patient and your time will come. After recently spending an exhilarating week aboard Triumph's updated Daytona 675, which has just been released in Australia, that's my ardent conclusion.

The diminutive McCoy is again racing for Triumph's factory world supersport team in 2009, and once he's completely dialled in the new bike - and qualifies a bit better -- there is no reason why he can't be a regular front-runner with the likes of Andrew Pitt, Kenan Sofuoglu, Eugene Laverty, Cal Crutchlow, Fabien Foret and Mark Aitchison.

We saw a glimpse of it last weekend in Qatar when the slow-starting McCoy finished seventh, and the next round at the tight Valencia circuit in Spain should be fertile territory for a machine which has supreme mid-range torque.

Since its birth, the Daytona 675 has been a hit for Triumph, and that's just not blowing hot air. The substance is twofold: multiple awards around the world, including the famous Spanish-based Masterbike shootout, and it's been a massive seller too. And of course, the bike has been stripped down to produce another masterpiece in the form of the Street Triple.

But what the Daytona 675 has also done has introduced the Triumph to a whole new batch of riders. Last year, 78 percent of people who bought the Daytona 675 were new to the marque, and their average age was around 34 years old - way below the mean for other machines in the Triumph stable. And if you tried to get these young bucks to point on Meriden on a map, they'd tell you where to go!

There is no doubt that many current Daytona 675 customers would have been purchasing a Japanese four-cylinder machine in a past life, and now they've made the switch Triumph has to work hard to keep them there. Brand loyalty doesn't hold as much currency these days, just as ideology in politics isn't what it once was.

Instead, it's more of a "what can you offer me now" type deal, which made it imperative that the Daytona 675 came in for some regeneration in 2009, three years after it was first released. It was a challenging task, because as a roadbike the Daytona 675 has been imperious.

But Triumph pushed on, as renewal is critical - just look how the Aussie cricket team has prospered in South Africa with some new ingredients into the mix.

In total, Triumph has made over 50 changes to the engine and chassis , some substantive, some not so. But the fact remains it's been a big undertaking for a company which is committed to releasing one new bike a year - in 2009 it's the Thunderbird cruiser - and putting another through a major update.

This particular project started in June 2006, five months after the first Daytona 6785 was released. Chassis and engine development followed, and volume production finally began in November last year.

The bike remains the same prices as it was in 2008, $14,890 (plus ORC). That's $500 less than the Suzuki GSX-R600 ($15,390), which is basically a carry-over model like the Honda CBR600RR ($15,990) and Yamaha YZF-R6 ($16,299).

The only supersport bike to really go through the R & D wringer in 2009 is the Kawasaki ZX-6R, which retails for $15,990.

And let's not forget the Ducati 848 ($21,495).

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT
There has been some collateral 'damage' at the Triumph factory, but no one's complaining. In the process of trying to find more power at the top end, Triumph also ended up with a beefier mid-range on the Daytona 675 between 6000-8000rpm.

Claimed power has been increased from 125 to 128hp at 12,600rpm, with the rev limiter now set at 13,900rpm - 400 above the old bike. Peak torque is 73Nm at 11,740rpm, up from 72Nm.

The sweet-sounding 58kg engine has the same bore and stroke and compression ratio, and also keeps the same closed-loop Keihin electronic fuel injection with 44mm throttle bodies. There is an even firing interval, and the engine - now painted black - still has a gear-driven counter-balancer to reduce vibration.

Among the engine changes are shorter intake trumpets for increased power at high rpm, new exhaust valves, a new exhaust port shape for improved flow, lighter valve spring buckets, a new magnesium cam cover, molybdenum coating on all gearbox selector forks for improved wear resistance, and a new hydraulic cam chain tensioner.

There is now a deeper sump, which holds about 500ml more oil. That is something Aussie rider Mark Aitchison would have appreciated last year when he was having oil pressure problems on his Daytona 675 in world supersport when the engine was under real stress.

From a pilot's point of view, the most noticeable change is a taller first gear in the close-ratio six-speed gearbox, which is straight form the factory race kit. This is one bike that can make that concession, as with such a massive amount of torque road riders don't really require first gear.

Fuel consumption has also been reduced by approximately seven percent, which is something that I'll have to take Triumph's word for after my 18-month-old son devoured my fuel receipt. Perhaps he'll forge a career in espionage - or eating A4 paper.

For 2009, customers and aspiring racers can also purchase Triumph Race Calibration Software - or TRACS. This is an easy to use program developed at HQ, which permits tune downloads in just 35 seconds via an adaptor and link lead. It runs in either Windows or Vista.

All the race kit parts can be fitted to the Daytona 675, but without TRACS there is no adjustment. This applies to such items as the quickshifter ($549). There is no traction control available on the 675.

TRACS allows changes to the fuelling and ignition maps in concert with the race harness and ECU. Other race kit parts include a full titanium system, head gaskets, camshaft sprockets, valve kit, intake stack, heat exchanger, and main bearing shells.

Meanwhile, steering geometry (23.9 degrees rake, 89mm trail) remains the same in 2009, as does the seat height (825mm). The frame is cast aluminium, complete with black power coating.

Compliance issues have been addressed on the suspension with high and low-speed compression damping, which is not only a tool for the racetrack. It has enormous on the street too, but don't be ashamed to pay a visit to your local suspension guru to expedite the process. It could save you a lot of heartache in the long run.

The Japanese Nissin monoblock radial brakes remain, but with more power and less girth.

Dry weight if 162kg, which undercuts the predecessor by 3kg. Nearly a third of the weight loss is from shedding unsprung weight via a new rear cast wheel and sprocket assembly.

Accessories outside of the race kit items include an Arrow slip-on silencer ($899), carbon-fibre cockpit infills, ($315), aero screen kit ($169), Arrow rearsets ($749), low gel seat ($195), machine aluminium brake fluid reservoirs ($99) and security locks ($149).

Colours are Tornado Red or Jet Black.

ON THE ROAD
There is no doubt that supersport bikes are frenetic - it's all about hustle and bustle in packages that are lighter and faster than most other bikes on the planet.

The Daytona 675 certainly falls into that category, but I reckon you don't have to work up such a sweat to get it humming as you do its opposition. This is refinement at its best.

But that certainly doesn't come at the expense of sanitisation, thanks to the brilliant three-cylinder engine and crisp chassis.

The engine's zest for life is just so seductive, and it pulls without any hint of transmission snatch from idle in top gear - the EFI is set-up that well.

That's not a regular scenario you'll find yourself in, but the Daytona 675 does build power effortlessly from 3000rpm all the way to its peak power (12,600rpm). After that, it only tapers off slightly before it hits the rev limiter (13,900rpm).

With most of its torque kicking in from low revs, there is ample mid-range to play with - and reward the rider.

I traversed the same piece of winding road near my house a number of times, but my default setting was leaving the bike in third or fourth gear and letting it rip. And it was a great feeling, especially with the exhaust providing the music accompaniment.

The bike has no slipper clutch, but it seems to hold up well under quick downshifting and on the overrun.

The Daytona has a 52/48 percent weight bias, so there is plenty of responsibility on the Kayaba forks to play ball. And I must say they do a fine job, and it also helps that the Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa front tyre is a beauty. The grip is excellent, which should just about be a prerequisite on supersport bikes with their high corner speed.

I took in some pretty hefty bumps, and it doesn't really matter that the steering damper is  a non-adjustable unit, as the steering is very predictable and confidence inspiring without a hint of nervousness.

More precise steering hasn't come at the expense of stability, though - because this is still a roadbike after all.

The Nissin brakes are pearlers, and only require a small squeeze on the lever to kickstart some serious firepower. There is a claimed 15 percent more power in 2009, but that's a hard one to decipher as braking effectiveness depends on a lot of other factors, such as suspension.

I do know that the rear brake, a Nissin single-piston affair, has the right amount of modulation - perfect for stability on turn-in rather than too much power and sensitivity.

Thanks to quite a tall rear end, the seating position is quite steep on the Daytona, which only serves to put more pressure on the front wheel.

That initially gave my arms and wrists a wake up call, but after a couple of days of commuting the angst subsided.

There's not a lot of protection behind the fairly flat screen, but at least the seat is comfortable for a long-haul flight.

I could go on and on, but I'll just reiterate the updated Daytona 675 is quite superb, and a twist of this bike's grip is one hell of an experience.

Go Gazza!