Triumph Daytona 675
NAME: Mike Krager
AGE: 29
HEIGHT: 6’3"
WEIGHT: 210
POSITION AT TAM: Circulation Manager
BEEN RIDING FOR: 7 years
PERSONAL RIDE: 2005 H-D Softail Deuce
As you can see by my bio above, I’m a Harley rider (pauses for boos, hisses, and flying tomatoes from the metric crowd). However, I do have an extremely volatile inner hoodlum that absolutely LOVES to throw a leg over something much smaller and more nimble, hit the back roads and let loose every once in a while. Naturally, my Mr. Hyde personality jumped at the chance to sample the Triumph Daytona 675.
My first impression when I saw this bike is that it’s even more beautiful in person than in the press photos I’d seen. But make not mistake about it; the Daytona is no glamour queen. It was built for the track and it begs to be punished.
So, naturally, I decided to test this bike on a 500-plus mile tour through the Catskill Mountains of New York state, along with a couple of fellow RoadBike staffers. Okay, so I’ve never been one for practicality. But I can honestly say, I have no regrets about taking the Daytona on the trip. Outside of the track, this was probably one of the best opportunities to wring this bike out and see what it can do.
The route we chose had some fantastic little winding back roads as well as a fair share of amazing high-speed sweepers through the mountains. The Daytona performed flawlessly in every instance; even up through triple-digit speeds that would certainly warrant jail time in most states.
The handling of this bike is so right-on it’s truly difficult to explain. Simply think about where your apexes are through each turn and you’ll find yourself following super clean lines with little effort at all. The 675cc engine is flawless as well. It’s perfectly mated to a 6-speed transmission with ratios spaced nice & close, to always keep you where the power is.
The riding ergos, well they’re classic sportbike: Extra-tall (even for me) and hard seat, low positioned clip-on bars, and adjustable foot pegs set nice & far back. I do have to admit, however, that I found the Daytona a bit more uncomfortable than a few other sportbikes I’ve ridden (most recently comparing it to a Yamaha R6). But then again, we all know that we don’t ride these things for comfort.
The instrument cluster offers fantastic visibility in both day & night riding situations and the on-board computer offers many nifty data displays such as fuel mileage, lap time, and a very (VERY) dangerous top speed tattletale readout. Why is this dangerous, you might ask? Just imagine how addicting it is to hop on this bike each time with a goal of breaking your own “record.”
Overall, the Daytona 675 is a masterpiece of modern sportbike machinery. After spending a couple of weeks on it, I can clearly see why it has won countless awards and recognitions throughout the industry. Anyone who has a similar “wild child” lurking within should try this bike out.
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