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Coming soon: Triumph Daytona 660
British manufacturer revives famous sports model name with new middleweight based on the popular Trident 660
Words by: Phil West
Published on 18 January 2024 | 0 min read
The historic Triumph Daytona has been brought back to life as a new 660cc triple in a revival of a name always associated with the brand’s sports bikes. It was first used in 1967 on the Triumph 500 Daytona, a tuned version of the T100 Tiger built to commemorate Buddy Elmore’s win at the 1966 Daytona 200 race. It was then revived in the early 1990s for Triumph’s Hinckley era for sports versions of its new modular triples and fours. From there it carried over into 1997’s all-new T595 sportster before being applied to the 600, 650 and 675 Daytona, the latter coming out in 2006 before finally being killed off in 2020.
This new Daytona is based on the popular Trident 660 roadster, and as such is the latest entrant into the burgeoning category of middleweight but affordable sports bikes populated by the likes of the Honda CBR650R, Kawasaki Ninja 650 and the more recent Suzuki GSX-8R, Yamaha R7 and Aprilia RS660. Like those bikes, the Daytona is priced between £8,000 and £10,000 and is conceived as a road-biased, accessible ‘first big bike’ rather than as an extreme, track-targeted supersports like Honda’s recently revived CBR600RR.
This new Daytona is based on the popular Trident 660 roadster, and as such is the latest entrant into the burgeoning category of middleweight but affordable sports bikes populated by the likes of the Honda CBR650R, Kawasaki Ninja 650 and the more recent Suzuki GSX-8R, Yamaha R7 and Aprilia RS660. Like those bikes, the Daytona is priced between £8,000 and £10,000 and is conceived as a road-biased, accessible ‘first big bike’ rather than as an extreme, track-targeted supersports like Honda’s recently revived CBR600RR.
Uniquely, however, the Triumph uses the British marque’s signature three-cylinder engine layout, boasts better performance and equipment than many yet also still undercuts most of its rivals on price.
Although based on the 81 horsepower Trident, Triumph has made significant changes to the 660cc engine. There’s a new cylinder head and crank, new cams, a different exhaust and revised throttle bodies, the combined effect of which is to increase peak power by an impressive 17 per cent up to 95 horsepower – significantly more than the twin cylinder 68 horsepower Ninja, 73 horsepower R7 and 83 horsepower GSX-8R and on a par with the four-cylinder CBR650R. The Daytona also revs higher than the Trident and has the option of a quickshifter.
Although based on the 81 horsepower Trident, Triumph has made significant changes to the 660cc engine. There’s a new cylinder head and crank, new cams, a different exhaust and revised throttle bodies, the combined effect of which is to increase peak power by an impressive 17 per cent up to 95 horsepower – significantly more than the twin cylinder 68 horsepower Ninja, 73 horsepower R7 and 83 horsepower GSX-8R and on a par with the four-cylinder CBR650R. The Daytona also revs higher than the Trident and has the option of a quickshifter.
The Daytona’s chassis is uprated over that of the Trident, too. Although the frame is still a tubular steel ‘perimeter’ configuration it has sharper head geometry to give quicker, sportier steering without compromising stability by way of an extended wheelbase. In addition, it has larger front brakes which now comprise twin, Triumph-branded, four-piston radial-mount calipers over the conventional twin-pistons on the Trident, these biting onto larger 310mm discs.
Much of the bodywork is all-new, too. Although the 14-litre fuel tank is carried over from the Trident, the rear bodywork has a new two-part seat while most obviously there’s also a new, sports-style full fairing incorporating LED lights. Although the footpegs and clip-on handlebars give a sportier riding position than the Trident, the Daytona’s ergonomics are not intended to be too extreme. The TFT dash from the Street Triple 765 roadster is mounted inside the fairing and the Daytona also comes with three selectable riding modes – Sport, Road and Rain.
Much of the bodywork is all-new, too. Although the 14-litre fuel tank is carried over from the Trident, the rear bodywork has a new two-part seat while most obviously there’s also a new, sports-style full fairing incorporating LED lights. Although the footpegs and clip-on handlebars give a sportier riding position than the Trident, the Daytona’s ergonomics are not intended to be too extreme. The TFT dash from the Street Triple 765 roadster is mounted inside the fairing and the Daytona also comes with three selectable riding modes – Sport, Road and Rain.
Best of all, however, is that at a launch price of just £8,595 Triumph’s newcomer not only undercuts Suzuki’s £8,899 GSX-8R, it’s also less than the more basic Honda CBR, significantly cheaper than the Aprilia and only £405 more than Yamaha’s R7.
The new Triumph Daytona 660 comes in a choice of three colours – red, grey or white – and will be available in dealers at the end of March.
The new Triumph Daytona 660 comes in a choice of three colours – red, grey or white – and will be available in dealers at the end of March.
