We all want a litre class motorcycle to adorn our garages. A motorcycle that can launch us to the Martian trajectory with the single twist of the wrist, a motorcycle that’s so darn fast that if Einstein would have ridden it in his days, he would have given a second thought to his theory of relativity, but then, these are all fancy comic book fantasy which are meant to throw us into an orgasm every time we see them on the road or on YouTube. In the real world, living with a litre class motorcycle is a very different equation all together, and throw into a mix a country like India, well, to be very blasphemicaly honest, owning a litre class motorcycle, living with it every day and trying to ride it every day is a little high on indulgence and needless to say is not everyone’s cup of tea.
A litre class is a big, demonically fast and expensive piece of equipment to maintain. Personally speaking, I would think twice, thrice and might finally decide to give a litre class a passé (if I can afford it in the first place that is). So, what should we do? What are our options? Well, the intelligence that prompted humans to create the legendary wheel and changed the way we move around forever, that same intelligence prompted some good fellas to create the middle weights of motorcycles – the oh so usable 400cc – 800cc capacity engines (and well, the motorcycle around that engine). So, now it would be very easy to understand from all this blabbering I did in the prelude, when we got our hands on something like the 2013 Daytona 675R, what ensues from here, is a waltz of romance.
Engine
Needless to say that our aural sensory is tuned to receive, accept, acknowledge and register the tune of an inline four engine when it comes to big multi-cylinder engines. Well, listen to the humming of this three pot engine and you would want to change that aural setting of yours instantly. Visually almost the same, Triumph went back to the drawing board and built a completely new engine, from ground up for the year 2013. With the new engine churning out 128 bhp @ 12,500 rpm, which is 4 bhp more @ 500 rpms higher than the previous engine, and 74 Nm @ 11,900 rpm, Triumph built this engine with track performance in mind.
To get into the finer details, the new 2013 Triumph Daytona 675R gets new –
1) cylinder blocks
2) pistons
3) gudgeon pins
4) titanium inlet valves
5) crankcase oil baffles
6) twin injector throttle bodies
7) bigger central air intake running through the headstock
8) and a new ECU
The slipper clutch now has a two-way ramp for extra slip and grip both on and off the throttle, and the clutch also has lighter spring for more comfortable actuation and feedback. So, basically Triumph tried to improve upon a platform which was already the middle weight Super Sports king.
To make matters more towards the centre of mass, the 2013 Triumph Daytona 675R now features a side slung exhaust in place of the under-seat exhaust the outgoing model had. It not only provides better mass centralisation, but also packs in more mid-range grunt, with ocean loads of torque to demolish corners and pulverize straights.
The rider can easily work on the engine and use it to its and his potential. Climbing through the revs, the motor is as tractable as the rider needs it to be, never giving any jitters that it might be a bit too much. The slipper clutch works sweetly while attacking the corners and gunning out of it. Working through the quick shifter, here’s what we were able to achieve –
1st gear @ 7,000 rpms – 96 kmph
2nd gear @ 8,000 rpms – 128 kmph
3rd gear @ 8,000 rpms – 162 kmph
After this we had to slow down because of the on-coming traffic, but going by this rate we can easily predict that this motorcycle can do a meaty 160kmph all day @ 6,000 rpms in the 6th cog, all day non-stop.
Speaking of “Sweetness”, just to make you folks realize how sweet the engine sounds, it actually “whistles” as you build on the revs … it’s that sweet!!
Ride and Handling
Being a middle weight does not means a motorcycle has to be slow and slouch – make no mistakes, the 2013 Daytona 675R is one stupid fast motorcycle and demands a lot of understanding and respect from the rider. The handling is so darn sharp and smooth that you are almost fooled into believing that your riding is way better than what it actually is! Bringing the exhaust down side has helped Triumph make the current Daytona shorter and one of the fastest steering and one of the most agile motorcycle in business. From the saddle view, the motorcycle is as compact as a motorcycle can get and still providing ample space to the rider of my height (around 5’10”) to tuck in and change position quickly.
The clip-ons have been placed a little high, and even though seating aggressive, it’s still comfortable enough take this motorcycle through traffic, track and twisties. The R version also gets Ohlins suspension and Brembo brakes adding more icing to this delicious cake. The non-linked type ABS works amazingly well to build confidence as the rider brakes in progressively to bring this swift footed machine to stop. During our test ride, we didn’t get a chance to test out the ABS in panic situation, but in general road riding conditions of wet tarmac and gravel, the ABS works amazingly well.
Electronics and Equipment
Apart from the ABS and Quick-shifter, the Daytona doesn’t get other Electronics package, which is almost becoming a norm these days, but let us tell you guys one thing, simple and straight, it’s good to have electronics package and there’s no denying about that, but this motorcycle rides so well, smooth and confident, that the rider won’t miss the aids.
Standard equipments include a multi functional LCD dash, adjustable swing-arm pivot, and Ohlins and Brembos for R version (along with fair bits Carbon Fibre goodies)
Verdict
The Daytona 675 has always been one of the most respected middle weight Super Sports motorcycle around the globe and the 2013 iteration is only going to notch that respect up. Triumph’s foothold in India is still in its nascent stages, and at this point of time, because of multiple factors, the 2013 Daytona 675R is a couple of bars more premium that we would have liked it to be, but price factors aside, this is one motorcycle, which has the ability to impress beginners and pros equally and would make you feel that if it’s a Sports motorcycle, you are not going to need anything more than a middle weight Super Sports motorcycle ever, if the purpose is to live with it long term, and if it’s the 2013 Daytona in the offering, then that equation is as sweet as it can get – the waltz for romance is endless!
Text and Photographs: Sajal Chakraborty
Motorcycle Courtesy: Saurabh Mehra
Imp Note: We at Throttle Quest have carried out these tests in actual regular street conditions by professionals who are trained to conduct such tests. We at TQ do not support irregular, high speed, high risk and unsafe riding by anybody.
A litre class is a big, demonically fast and expensive piece of equipment to maintain. Personally speaking, I would think twice, thrice and might finally decide to give a litre class a passé (if I can afford it in the first place that is). So, what should we do? What are our options? Well, the intelligence that prompted humans to create the legendary wheel and changed the way we move around forever, that same intelligence prompted some good fellas to create the middle weights of motorcycles – the oh so usable 400cc – 800cc capacity engines (and well, the motorcycle around that engine). So, now it would be very easy to understand from all this blabbering I did in the prelude, when we got our hands on something like the 2013 Daytona 675R, what ensues from here, is a waltz of romance.
Engine
Needless to say that our aural sensory is tuned to receive, accept, acknowledge and register the tune of an inline four engine when it comes to big multi-cylinder engines. Well, listen to the humming of this three pot engine and you would want to change that aural setting of yours instantly. Visually almost the same, Triumph went back to the drawing board and built a completely new engine, from ground up for the year 2013. With the new engine churning out 128 bhp @ 12,500 rpm, which is 4 bhp more @ 500 rpms higher than the previous engine, and 74 Nm @ 11,900 rpm, Triumph built this engine with track performance in mind.
To get into the finer details, the new 2013 Triumph Daytona 675R gets new –
1) cylinder blocks
2) pistons
3) gudgeon pins
4) titanium inlet valves
5) crankcase oil baffles
6) twin injector throttle bodies
7) bigger central air intake running through the headstock
8) and a new ECU
The slipper clutch now has a two-way ramp for extra slip and grip both on and off the throttle, and the clutch also has lighter spring for more comfortable actuation and feedback. So, basically Triumph tried to improve upon a platform which was already the middle weight Super Sports king.
To make matters more towards the centre of mass, the 2013 Triumph Daytona 675R now features a side slung exhaust in place of the under-seat exhaust the outgoing model had. It not only provides better mass centralisation, but also packs in more mid-range grunt, with ocean loads of torque to demolish corners and pulverize straights.
The rider can easily work on the engine and use it to its and his potential. Climbing through the revs, the motor is as tractable as the rider needs it to be, never giving any jitters that it might be a bit too much. The slipper clutch works sweetly while attacking the corners and gunning out of it. Working through the quick shifter, here’s what we were able to achieve –
1st gear @ 7,000 rpms – 96 kmph
2nd gear @ 8,000 rpms – 128 kmph
3rd gear @ 8,000 rpms – 162 kmph
After this we had to slow down because of the on-coming traffic, but going by this rate we can easily predict that this motorcycle can do a meaty 160kmph all day @ 6,000 rpms in the 6th cog, all day non-stop.
Speaking of “Sweetness”, just to make you folks realize how sweet the engine sounds, it actually “whistles” as you build on the revs … it’s that sweet!!
Ride and Handling
Being a middle weight does not means a motorcycle has to be slow and slouch – make no mistakes, the 2013 Daytona 675R is one stupid fast motorcycle and demands a lot of understanding and respect from the rider. The handling is so darn sharp and smooth that you are almost fooled into believing that your riding is way better than what it actually is! Bringing the exhaust down side has helped Triumph make the current Daytona shorter and one of the fastest steering and one of the most agile motorcycle in business. From the saddle view, the motorcycle is as compact as a motorcycle can get and still providing ample space to the rider of my height (around 5’10”) to tuck in and change position quickly.
The clip-ons have been placed a little high, and even though seating aggressive, it’s still comfortable enough take this motorcycle through traffic, track and twisties. The R version also gets Ohlins suspension and Brembo brakes adding more icing to this delicious cake. The non-linked type ABS works amazingly well to build confidence as the rider brakes in progressively to bring this swift footed machine to stop. During our test ride, we didn’t get a chance to test out the ABS in panic situation, but in general road riding conditions of wet tarmac and gravel, the ABS works amazingly well.
Electronics and Equipment
Apart from the ABS and Quick-shifter, the Daytona doesn’t get other Electronics package, which is almost becoming a norm these days, but let us tell you guys one thing, simple and straight, it’s good to have electronics package and there’s no denying about that, but this motorcycle rides so well, smooth and confident, that the rider won’t miss the aids.
Standard equipments include a multi functional LCD dash, adjustable swing-arm pivot, and Ohlins and Brembos for R version (along with fair bits Carbon Fibre goodies)
Verdict
The Daytona 675 has always been one of the most respected middle weight Super Sports motorcycle around the globe and the 2013 iteration is only going to notch that respect up. Triumph’s foothold in India is still in its nascent stages, and at this point of time, because of multiple factors, the 2013 Daytona 675R is a couple of bars more premium that we would have liked it to be, but price factors aside, this is one motorcycle, which has the ability to impress beginners and pros equally and would make you feel that if it’s a Sports motorcycle, you are not going to need anything more than a middle weight Super Sports motorcycle ever, if the purpose is to live with it long term, and if it’s the 2013 Daytona in the offering, then that equation is as sweet as it can get – the waltz for romance is endless!
Text and Photographs: Sajal Chakraborty
Motorcycle Courtesy: Saurabh Mehra
Imp Note: We at Throttle Quest have carried out these tests in actual regular street conditions by professionals who are trained to conduct such tests. We at TQ do not support irregular, high speed, high risk and unsafe riding by anybody.
Very good review and very well narrated ... never bored me .. thank. you
ReplyDeleteThanks Vaishak :)
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