Triumph Daytona 675

Introduced in 2006, the Triumph Daytona 675 is a three-cylinder sport bike, and the smallest of the Triumph triples. Built by Triumph Motorcycles, it replaced their four-cylinder Daytona 650. The 675 proved to be remarkably light, nimble and powerful; at a maximum of 128 bhp it was also very quick, and it was very successful against the Japanese 600 cc competition. In 2016, Triumph ceased production of the base model Daytona 675 citing diminishing demand for super sport bikes and increasingly strict European emission standards. Triumph continued to produce the up-spec Triumph Daytona 675R model until the 2018 model year. Triumph filed a new trademark for the Daytona, fuelling rumors that there may be a future version sporting the new 765 cc engine.

History and development

Triumph Daytona 675 development started in 2000 following the launch of the four-cylinder TT600. The TT600 was Triumph's first modern middleweight sports motorcycle, but it struggled to compete with Japanese 600 cc supersport motorcycles. So Triumph decided to manufacture a bike closer to its traditional values, making the crucial technical decision to adopt a three-cylinder power plant, instead of a four-cylinder as in the TT600.

In 2001, soon after the completion of the similarly three-cylinder-powered Triumph Daytona 955i, Triumph began engineering analysis to work out weight, engine performance in power and torque. Pleased with the figures, the project moved to the full concept phase in March 2002.

Initial chassis development work was done using a chopped Daytona 600 chassis. Triumph moved the wheelbase, adjusted the head angle, and modified the tank. This new configuration exhibited better performance than the original Daytona 600, forming a basis to compare against competitive bikes such as the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R and Honda CBR600RR. While engine development had not been completed, computer aided chassis development continued with the data collected from these tests.

Design work for the Daytona 675 proceeded, producing a primarily black design based on the Daytona 600. However, this initial design was discarded as great British designs of the 1960s had "a flowing curved design – no sharp angular aggressive edges". A member of the engineering team produced a concept drawing of the 675 as a naked bike. Styling was based upon this concept drawing and that of the earlier T595 model. Styling development continued in house, staying close to spirit of earlier Triumph design. Market research groups made up of a variety of different classes of sportbike riders chose the latter design of bike which was refined and adopted for production.

The newly developed engine was first tested on a dynamometer in May 2003. Final development combining styling, engine, chassis into a prototype quickly followed. Prototype testing started in late 2004.

The Daytona 675 was officially launched at the NEC International Motorcycle and Scooter Show in 2005. UK-based ''Bike'' was given an exclusive test ride prior to the official launch, impressing the magazine test rider. The magazine declared it "the best British sportsbike ever" and "possibly one of the greatest sportsbikes of all time".

The Daytona 675 won the Supersport category for the Masterbike 2006 (finishing third overall), and won again in 2007.

The 2008 model has a dry weight of and wet weight of . Tested power output is rated at @ 12,100 rpm with torque of @ 11,750 rpm.

Reception

''"Motor Cycle News"'' declared, "The Triumph Daytona 675 has put Hinckley firm back on the shortlist of many UK sports motorcycle riders, who previously rated the 600 and 650 Daytona models as being OK, but no real alternative to a Japanese four cylinder 600cc sportbikes. Silky, compact handling, allied to kick-ass engine power and a howling exhaust note, make the Triumph Daytona 675 a real winner on the road, or track."

Triumph intended to build only 4,000 Daytona 675 models for 2006, with 1,000 marked for the UK, 2,000 for the US, and 1,000 for the rest of the world. Customer demand was very strong, with waiting lists of three months or more in the US and the UK, and even longer in several other parts of the world.

In 2007, '' Performance Bikes Magazine'' ran a 24-hour racetrack comparison test between a Daytona 675 and a Suzuki GSXR750. Although a mechanical fault prevented the 675 from completing the test, the Triumph had till then consistently outpaced the more powerful Suzuki, averaging 0.7 seconds a lap faster. (It later transpired that the 675's engine failure was down to a broken valve, a result of incorrect servicing)

Racing

As the TT 600 morphed through the Daytona 600, 650, and finally became the 675, it produced considerable interest and more privateers entered AMA and regional events. When the Daytona 675 was launched there were no factory-backed racing teams. This changed in 2008 when MAP Embassy Racing struck a deal with Triumph, and entered the 2008 British Supersport Championship. On 5 May 2008, Glen Richards scored the first win for a Triumph-backed team since 2004 and scored three further wins on his way to the championship.

Before 2008 several privateers were racing the Triumph Daytona 675 without any official factory support. In the British Supersport Championship 2006, Daytonas were raced by Paul Young and Christian Elkin.

During the development phase, Triumph made representations to the Isle of Man TT for a 675 triple to race in the 600 class. With a successful outcome, a Daytona was raced by New Zealander Paul Dobbs in the 2006 TT. On 11 August 2006, The Triumph Daytona 675 was cleared for entry into the AMA Formula Xtreme class for 2007. The Daytona 675 was used by Team SC in the 2008 Supersport World Championship. The factory supported team was called Triumph-SC and has Garry McCoy and Ilario Dionisi as riders.

There is also a Daytona 675 one-make series called Triumph Triple Challenge. This is run in conjunction with Bemsee Race Club and operated under the Motorcycle Racing Organisation (MRO) format. It is a series run by T3 Racing over nine rounds, with a 2007 entry cost £12,000, which included ownership of a Daytona 675.

The Triumph Daytona 675 faces a different set of rules and restrictions when it competes in American Motorcycle Racing events. Although Triumph NA has not sponsored any American teams in the last several decades, privateers began racing Triumphs in AMA races as early as 2002 when the Augusta Triumph/Ducati Racing Team fielded a TT 600. It was the first Triumph to make the top 20 when it finished 17th at Road Atlanta.

In the same year (2007) that the Daytona 675 debuted in AMA events, Augusta Triumph/Ducati Racing Team members won regional titles at both the expert and novice levels in four racing categories.
2009 was a very good year for the Daytona 675. In May the Augusta Triumph/Ducati Racing Team had a podium finish in AMA. In their competition in Moto GT the team of Mark Crozier and Phil Caudill scored with a first-place finish at Barber Motorsports Park. Their Daytona 675 was the first time the Triumph Daytona 675 took the pole in an AMA event. It led 19 of 40 laps and is the first time that the Daytona 675 has ever placed first in an AMA event. The Augusta Triumph team went on to win the AMA Pro Moto GT1 season championship with one race remaining on the calendar.

The ParkinGO Triumph BE1 Racing World Supersport team also had a good run in 2009, finishing fifth in the manufacturer's standings in the team's first year of competition. Team rider Garry McCoy earned two podium finishes during the season, the first at Donington and the second at Portimao.

In 2010, the Augusta Triumph/Ducati Racing Team fielded their 675 in the WERA Southeast and North Florida regions, winning a total of four championships, WERA SE Heavyweight Twins Superbike Expert and Heavyweight Twins Superstock Expert; WERA North Florida Heavyweight Twins Superbike Expert and Heavyweight Twins Superstock Expert. In October, rider Giovanni Rojas added a fifth title by winning the 2010 Grand National Heavyweight Twins Superstock Expert Championship at Road Atlanta which gave the team a national title.

Revisions

2009

The 2009 model of the Daytona had over 50 technical improvements according to Triumph. While the only cosmetic changes were to the front fairing and turn signals, the new model was lighter, the ECU was remapped to increase the rev limit and produce a power increase of , a taller first gear, and handling was improved through high and low speed dampers. In addition, the 2009 model's ECU is compatible with Triumph's OEM plug and play quickshifter.

2010

The 2010 model year was virtually unchanged from the 2009 Daytona 675 apart from a redesigned instrument cluster. The newer instruments have a more modern appearance, but do not offer any additional functionality compared to the older design.

Triumph also offered a 2010 Special Edition (SE) Daytona 675 with a Pearl White paint scheme on the bodywork, blue frame, adjustable levers and carbon fiber infill panels. Two versions of the SE were produced, one with the new 2010 instrument cluster and one without.

2011

The 2011 Daytona 675 Special Edition has the same Pearl White bodywork and Blue frame as the 2010 model, but also included as standard carbon fiber replacements for the cockpit infill panels, exhaust heat shield, exhaust cap, and rear hugger as well as Triumph's aftermarket adjustable levers. Unlike the 2010 SE, the 2011 SE also includes the updated gauge cluster first found in the standard 2010 model, as well as a new racing-inspired decal design.

2011 Daytona 675R

First offered in early 2011, but still part of the 2011 model year, Triumph debuted the Daytona 675R. The 675R did not feature any changes to the engine, instead Triumph's focus was on the standard inclusion of Brembo front brakes, Öhlins suspension, and Triumph's quickshifter. The 675R has carbon fiber front mudguard, rear hugger, exhaust cap, heat shield, and cockpit infill panels.

2013

The 2013 Triple motor is more compact and a little more powerful due to a bigger bore and shorter stroke. The bike has a smaller, lighter and narrower frame. It has a bigger airbox, new swingarm, slipper clutch and lighter wheels. Other changes include a fuel gauge and a side-mounted exhaust instead of the underseat setup from previous models and rear Brembo brakes on the Standard 675. ABS is an option on the standard bike.

2014

ABS made standard equipment.
Slipper Clutch and Quick shifter (Up Shift only) is implemented.

Specifications

All specifications are manufacturer claimed and estimated unless otherwise noted:

References

External links

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Triumph Daytona 675 review
Road test of the Triumph Daytona 675

{{Use dmy dates, date=September 2019

Daytona 675
Sport bikes
Motorcycles introduced in 2006