The Triumph Daytona 675 was Britain’s answer to the much-popular 600cc supersports from Japan. And boy, did it match up to its four-cylinder contemporaries in all aspects. Sharp dynamics, likable power, sleek design, and of course, a cracking triple-cylinder mill earned it a big fan following, even in its relatively short decade-long life. So ever since the bikemaker pulled its plug in 2017, we’ve been dreaming about a new ‘tona.
Lucky for us, it appears Triumph is readying a new Daytona 660 to take on the new breed of Japanese middleweight sport bikes. It has been spied testing in Europe, revealing truckloads of juicy details–all of which is enough to worry its rivals. Here’s everything you should know.
The New Daytona 660 Looks Familiar Yet Fresh
The Daytona 660 paints a familiar picture at first glance because the design language takes heavy inspiration from the Tiger Sport 660. You get similarly shaped twin LED headlights up top, partnered by an identical minimalistic tail lamp outback. The tail panels, number plate holder, and five-spoke alloy wheels also follow the same trend. Some of these elements are present on the Trident 660 as well.
But that’s where the reminiscence ends. Unlike the Tiger Sport’s half fairing, the Daytona boasts full side fairings to look like a proper sport bike. Same goes for the top cowl (headlight housing), which has a new windscreen and rearview mirrors for improved aerodynamics. The headlight itself appears chunkier–consider it a blend of the discontinued Daytona 675 and the Tiger Sport.
Another noteworthy difference is the fuel tank. It’s neither like the indented unit on the Trident nor like the adventure-tourer Tiger. Instead, it has a muscular shape that reminds us of the old Daytona, courtesy of the edgy cuts and creases. We expect it to provide good leg support when you hang off while cornering in the canyons.
The New Daytona 660 Has Sporty Ergonomics
Speaking of cornering, you’d be happy to know the Daytona 660 is the sportiest sub-700cc Triumph. Your hands go on a new clip-on handlebar (mounted on a new triple-clamp), while the feet rest on repositioned footpegs. This is topped by a new two-piece saddle, sculpted to put you in a slightly front-tilted position.
However, the Daytona will not break your back. That’s because the riding triangle isn't nearly as committed as the OG 600cc class, and the test rider appears fairly upright for a sport bike. Plus, a closer look reveals the handlebar sits right at the top of the triple clamp (the supersports have it under) and the footrests are low, mid-positioned (unlike high rear sets). We believe this will slot the new Triumph between the Kawasaki Ninja 650 (too relaxed) and the Yamaha R7 (quite aggressive).
Once aboard, however, the Daytona 660 will greet you with the same LCD-TFT instrument cluster found on its 660 siblings. The two-segment readout shows all necessary information while giving you access to two ride modes (road/rain) and traction control. Expect the sport bike to have a third mode too–possibly called Sport–with a sharper engine map for spirited riding shenanigans.
The New Daytona 660 Will Produce Around 80 Horsepower
That brings us to the engine. Judging from the spy shots, the Daytona 660 has the same engine casings and underbelly exhaust as the Tiger Sport. So it’s clear the new bike will feature Triumph’s 660cc, triple-cylinder engine that produces 81 horsepower and 47 pound-feet. The six-speed transmission will remain unchanged as well, but could feature a bi-directional quickshifter as standard (only an accessory on the other 660s).
At this output, the new Daytona will have a sizable 14 and nine-horsepower advantage over the Ninja 650 and YZF-R7, respectively. The Japanese offerings also don’t feature any rider aids, so bonus points should go to the Triumph. That said, other rivals like the 94-HP Honda CBR650R and 105-HP Aprilia RS 660 will still be out of grasp for the new 660.
Like the engine, the chassis components seem similar to the existing 660s. We can spot a perimeter chassis in there, suspended on non-adjustable Showa upside-down forks, monoshock, and the same cast aluminum 17-inch hoops. There are two notable updates, though. One, the subframe appears new here (possibly to alter the motorcycle’s geometry), and second, the calipers are now radially mounted. The latter should still come from Nissin.
When Will The New Triumph Daytona 660 Arrive?
Considering 660 platform is already compliant with modern norms, the Daytona 660 should have no problems emissions-wise. So all Triumph needs to sort out are the new bits (fairings, ergos, brakes), which shouldn’t take too long. Accordingly, we expect the motorcycle to break cover in the first half of 2024, followed by an imminent American launch. The sport bike will likely come in at a competitive price, somewhere between the $8,595 Trident 660 and the $9,695 Tiger Sport 660. If so, it’d be right in the ballpark of the less powerful $9,199 Yamaha R7. Sounds solid, doesn’t it?