Triumph Daytona 2003 - 2009

This portfolio of international articles reports on the liquid cooled inline 3 & 4-cylinder sports bikes which were first
introduced in 2003. Models covered are the 600, 650 and the 675. Included are first rides, new model
introductions, road and comparison tests, a technical report plus full specifications and performance data. A
comprehensive buying guide offers advice on acquiring a good pre-owned Daytona.

Triumph had gone a long way towards curing the reported problems of the Daytona's predecessor, the ill-fated
TT600. Where the TT was stuttery and hesitant, the Daytona was smooth and precise. The TT's curved
Bodywork seemed to suit an earlier decade: the Daytona bristled with angular aggression. The TT tried to cater for
two-up travel: the Daytona was a bike built for a single purpose, steered by a lone pilot in search of high
performance entertainment. The Daytona delivered where the TT had not. Yet even so, the four-cylinder machine
wasn't quite up to the challenge of the mass market 600 Supersports sector. It could match the prowess of its rivals
in one or two aspects, but it couldn't provide the same mix of performance and price as its Japanese competitors.

The Big Four manufacturers have been slugging it out in this territory for a decade or more and have mastered the art of
getting the most from a 600cc four. Development of a three-cylinder 675cc Supersports machine began in 2000,
alongside the 955i Daytona triple. The first 675 engine was tested on the dyno in 2003, and the first pre-production
Prototype 675 took to the Streets in 2004. The new triple boasted a 10bhp power boost over the 650 four-cylinder
machine with no weight penalty and Triumph had finally found the right formula for their world class middleweight.

Such was the buzz about the three-cylinder 675 when it was launched in 2006 that demand outstripped supply;
waiting lists weren't uncommon and some UK customers had to wait six months for their bikes to arrive. The 675
has been hailed as the best British sports bike ever and possibly one of the Greatest sports bikes of all time. A total
of 140 fully illustrated pages. SB.