Triumph TT600 2001

The TT was an all-new machine from Triumph, and in a British bulldog fashion it went straight for the jugular of perhaps the most fiercely competitive market in motorcycling today - that of the super-competitive Supersport arena.

But although the world's motorcycling press received the bike reasonably enthusiastically, the overall sentiment still translated as 'excellent first attempt'. Reading between the lines that equated to trailing the long-established competition.

And in a market where the difference between the class leader and its entire competition is measured in tenths of a second, the followers are perhaps always going to have a battle before them on the showroom floor, which doesn't do the motorcycles in question justice.

Talk of flatspots and being little more than a Honda CBR clone (which really is more of a compliment than a criticism) seemed to follow the TT wherever it travelled, and now, in its second year of production, Triumph has been quick to respond.

THE RIGHT MAP
Essentially the same machine which rolled off the production line amid great fanfare in '99, the second incarnation of the Hinckley-based marque's in-line four middleweight now sports some minor modifications.

Most significantly, the ignition mapping of the bike's Sagem electronic fuel injection is now revised, as are the TT's cams and timing. As a result, he power delivery feels noticeably better.

The TT still takes a handful of revs to get going from a standing start, but then pulls in a linear fashion just about all the way through to its 14,000rpm redline, tailing off slightly in just the last thousand revs or so - all to a delightfully throaty induction roar.

There doesn't appear to be any powerband as such, but as with most 600cc Supersport bikes you'll be spending most of your time in the five-figure rev range on a twisty bit of road.

EASY LIVING
That's not to say the TT can't be ridden in a relaxed manner. On the contrary, living with the revised TT day in, day out in the city, it proved itself to be equally at home in the cut and thrust of peak hour traffic as on a winding country road or race track.

This universal appeal largely stems from the fact it's just such an easy bike to ride, whether you're commuting or have the red mist visor firmly clamped in place.

Throwing a leg over the TT and pulling out from the kerb shows the controls are light and responsive - just as a Supersport machine should be. The throttle is light and responsive, although as Triumph UK's Ross Clifford pointed out at the machine's Australian debut at the recent Triumph Rally, it will hesitate a little around 1750rpm when you're in top gear!

The comment only served to highlight just how good the efi is on the TT, and I'm sure I wasn't the only journo who hopped aboard the bike that weekend, knocked it into sixth at a snail's pace and wound the throttle to the stop to see if he was right.

IMPRESSIVE RIDE
A balancer pipe has also been added on the 2001-spec bike, to help boost the bike's torque output down low - an area where the CBR600 was stronger.

Just over 5000rpm shows on the clock at 100kmh in top, so the odd long trip isn't out of the question either - although its firmish perch (and it is a perch, it really feels like you sit on the TT, not in it) isn't quite as pleasing on the long haul as its relatively relaxed ride position.

Legroom is par for the course on the TT - more in the league of Honda's CBR than Yamaha's R6. I found the clipons to be just a short stretch away, and my knees fitted perfectly into the tank cut-outs.

But it was the ride the TT delivered which impressed me the most. It's quite amazing that this bike is in the ball park after just two years, when the long-established Japanese efforts have been at it (in Honda's case) since 1987.

STIFF AND RIGID
Light and nimble, the TT arcs gracefully through corners, tipping in easily and predictably. At 190cm, I found it easy keeping my weight over the confidence-inspiring front, which in turn felt incredibly planted.

A stand-out feature would have to be TT's stoppers. These Nissin anchors are good, damn good - stronger than Sampson and with better feel than Delilah, the four-spot front calipers never gave a hint of fading. Braking while banked over in a turn saw the bike stand up predictably, not alarmingly.

The six-speed 'box is also worthy of mention, and has to be one of the best out-of-the-crate Triumph units available. Light, clutchless shifts are smooth and positive, and the gearbox on the testbike was devoid of that characteristic Triumph new 'box notchiness.

The bike's clutch, though nice and light, lacked some of the feel found in other 600s, and was a little grabby.

The TT isn't as frugal as some of its Triumph brethren, returning 13.11km/lt over the course of its short stay at Horror HQ - with an 18lt tank, around 200km should be the state of affairs before you need to head for a servo.

DAMN FINE MACHINE
Solid colours have now replaced the old two-tone paint scheme, a good move in my book, returning the bike to its Triumph roots.

The finish in general is of a high standard, especially given the TT's low $11,750 (plus ORC) price tag. That compares to $13,200 for Honda's CBR600 and $13,490 for Kawasaki's ZX-6R. In fact, the TT is even $440 cheaper than Kawasaki's $12,190 ZZ-R600, and over $1K cheaper than Triumph's own unfaired twin-cylinder Bonneville!

The more time I spent aboard the TT the more I enjoyed it. It mightn't have that awesome top-end rush of an R6, but it'll still deliver jollies in abundance, and is a darn sight easier to live with across a number of different roles.

And it's at an undeniably excellent price.

Rod Chapman. Photos: Helmut Mueller