The motorcycle market has changed beyond all recognition in the past 20 years. Rewind to 2004 and sportsbikes ruled the roost, with 600s selling like hotcakes and litre bikes updated every other year to keep them ahead of the competition in this red hot class. It was a real Japanese stranglehold, but Triumph dabbled in this huge sector too. The Daytona 600 was a cookie cutter supersport that never really stood out and while the Daytona 955i may have been getting a little long in the tooth, it still retained a loyal following. There was much disappointment when it fell out of the range in 2006, even if the middleweight Daytona 675 came along and gave Triumph a truly class leading supersport machine against titans like the Honda CBR600RR and the Yamaha YZF-R6. Despite its success, the 675 was relatively short lived. The global financial crisis of 2008 ushered the end of the sports bike arms race. Bikers gravitated towards more practical adventure bikes and sports bike sales fell away to almost nothing. Until now, perhaps?
Sports bikes are having a bit of a revival, but not with the technology laden flagships we rode a decade ago. Instead, we’re seeing a range of sub-800cc models making just under 100bhp and coming with comparatively affordable price tags. This is where the new-for-2024 Triumph Daytona 660 fits in. It’s not the ‘big’ Daytona lusted after by older Triumph fans, rather a more contemporary sportsbike for Generation Z.
Despite what Triumph’s marketing blurb might say, this is not an ‘all-new’ motorcycle. It’s very closely related to the Trident roadster, although it’s also fair to say that it’s more than just the naked bike with a fairing chucked on it.
Don’t get us wrong, the Trident is a cracking bike which really took things to the class defining Yamaha MT-07 when it was launched back in 2021. That was three years ago though, and things have moved on in this increasingly competitive category. The Daytona might share the same basic frame and engine block as the Trident but it’s been comprehensively reengineered for its new purpose.
The engine, which is in itself derived from the iconic Daytona 675 unit, has had a lot of work carried out on it. Compared to the Trident, it gets different throttle bodies, bigger exhaust valves, a new camshaft and even a revised crankshaft. That’s a lot of extra work and, all in, results in a 17% power hike – up to 95bhp. Other differences include revised gearing and three rider modes (compared to two on the Trident).
The frame has been modified too. Both bikes feature a tubular steel perimeter frame and although they share the same basic design and swingarm, the Daytona’s geometry is more sporting than that of the roadster, but still a long way from racy.
And this is where I really feel conflicted by the Daytona. To be honest, I’m not really a sports bike fan these days. Twenty years ago I’d be staggered to hear myself say that, but the world has moved on since then. Somehow though I just expected something a bit more sporting. The set-up is very much on the soft side, with the basic Showa suspension (which is not adjustable, save for preload on the rear), Triumph branded brakes and Michelin Power 6 tyres all good enough without offering too much to write home about. It’s very much a street bike, and once you accept that you really start to appreciate its qualities.
Not unlike the Suzuki GSX-8R, a Daytona 660 competitor we rode earlier this year, the Triumph left me a bit cold on first encounter but, like the Suzuki, it grows on you the more you ride it. While I was a little down on the Suzuki’s gaudy graphics (although I did say it was only really our silver test bike that I didn’t like) I’m also feeling rather underwhelmed by the Triumph’s rather sombre liveries. You know, there really is no pleasing some people. It’s not a big deal, but the white, red or graphite colour options (all contrasted with black) feel a little uninspiring for a bike that’s meant to get the heart racing. In my opinion, and disappointingly, the Daytona looks more generic than anything else in the Triumph range. Perhaps a bright yellow option, Triumph’s traditional Daytona colour, would have floated my boat a bit more, but I honestly didn’t look at the 660 and think ‘that’s a Triumph!’
Climb on board and you’re met with some sporty-but-not-too-sporty ergonomics. My first impression was of how narrow it is. The weight sits forward on the wrists but it’s not as extreme as the race replicas we rode back in the day. Younger riders won’t have a problem, though older and less flexible bodies might enjoy it less. Seat height is 810mm, but there is an accessory seat which is 25mm lower. Really short or inexperienced riders might find it a little bit awkward but for most it’s pretty accessible. At 202kg it is heavier than most bikes in the class but, honestly, it feels so well balanced it isn’t really a consideration.
The dashboard is a combination of an LCD main display covering revs, speed, gear indicator and the fuel gauge, with a smaller TFT inset covering secondary functions like the clock and odometer. It’s an unusual design and works well enough, without feeling quite as modern as a full TFT dash. There’s also the option to add Bluetooth connectivity, which allows the bike to connect to a smartphone. This allows you to control music and calls on the move, while the TFT portion of the dash can be used to display turn-by-turn navigation.
The specification may be lower than most in the category, but that’s reflected in the price. Costing £8,595 for the white model, the Daytona is a good £300 less than the Suzuki and Yamaha. Add in a more desirable colour (£100 extra) and a few popular accessories like the quickshifter (£350), Bluetooth connectivity (£250) and USB charger (£25) and it’s easy to be riding off on a nearly £10k bike.
The Triumph feels closer to the Suzuki (and indeed the Honda CBR650R, which we haven’t even mentioned) than the racier Aprilia RS 660 and Yamaha R7, which are lighter and have more aggressive sportsbikes ergonomics. Personally I felt the Suzuki is a bit more modern and sophisticated than the Triumph, its TFT dash, electronics and quickshifter giving the impression of a more premium motorcycle.
Unlike the last few Triumphs I have ridden, the Daytona 660 doesn’t really stand out against the competition, although that doesn’t mean it isn’t without its qualities. Its USP is the revvy three-cylinder engine, making it the most powerful in the class, and it undercuts everything on price too. Taken in isolation, the Daytona 660 is a very capable motorcycle and a good addition to the burgeoning sporty middleweight class. My biggest gripe says more about me than it does the bike, and that’s probably the name. To old biffers of my generation ‘Daytona’ is a sporty flagship but this is just a bit too mild to wear the iconic nameplate, in my irrelevant opinion at least. Using historic Triumph names as a reference, this is much more ‘Sprint’ than ‘Daytona’ – a sporty all rounder that’s decently comfy and practical. It reminds me a lot of the old Sprint STs that sold so well 25 years ago and I, for one, love to see that. I loved the old Sprint, and I like this.
That said, Daytona has traditionally been Triumph’s race model and we are actually seeing these competing on the track. The new-for-2024 ‘Sportbike’ class takes place at British superbike rounds (and is expected to be a precursor to a world series due to arrive in 2026). This championship sees the Daytona compete with the Aprilia RS 660, Kawasaki Ninja 650 and Yamaha R7 in a championship aimed at younger riders (the Honda Hornet 750 and Suzuki GSX-8R are also eligible but not yet represented). The Triumph has done reasonably well in the new race championship, although the regulations do see the bikes ‘balanced’ with restrictions on the electronics and differing weights to try and bring parity between machines with differing engine capacities and configurations. To make it as easy as possible to go racing, Triumph has teamed up with TT legend Peter Hickman to make a parts kit to modify the standard machine and turn it in to a race bike – including suspension upgrades, race bodywork, new handlebars and footrests.
Back on the roads and, given the aging biking population on the British Isles, it’s actually a fantastic machine for people like 50-year-old me as well. Like the Suzuki GSX-8R, the more I rode the Daytona the more I appreciated it. It’s comfy, fast enough, practical and well priced among its competition. Push on and you realise the handling and braking are not quite at track day levels, but it’s set up conservatively and as a sporting road bike it makes sense.
Don’t get us wrong, the Daytona 660 is an excellent motorcycle. What it doesn’t have is that magic dust Triumph seem to be sprinkling over so many of their new models these days. It feels a bit less premium than other Triumphs I’ve ridden recently and doesn’t stand out against its rivals in the way the Street Triples or the new 400s do, but don’t let that put you off. It’s a good bike, but for some that Daytona name will bring with it an expectation this 660 just can’t meet.
2024 Triumph Daytona 660 specification
Price: From £8,595
Engine: 660cc three-cylinder, four valves per cylinder, liquid cooled
Power: 95bhp (70kW) @ 11,250rpm
Torque: 69Nm @ 8,250rpm
Transmission: Six-speed, chain final drive
Frame: Tubular steel perimeter frame
Front suspension: Showa 41mm upside down Separate Function Forks - Big Piston (SFF-BP), 110mm travel
Rear suspension: Showa monoshock with preload adjustment, 130mm travel
Wheels: Cast aluminium five spoke alloy
Tyres: (F) 120/70 x 17, (R) 180/55 x 17
Brakes: (F) 2 x 310mm floating discs, four-piston radial calipers (R) 220mm disc, single piston sliding caliper. ABS equipped.
Weight: 201kg (kerb)
Wheelbase: 1,425mm
Seat height: 810mm
Fuel tank: 14 litres
Fuel consumption: 57.6mpg (manufacturer figure)
Service intervals: 10,000 miles/12 months
Warranty: 24 months unlimited mileage
Contact: www.triumphmotorcycles.com
