Triumph appears ready to follow up on its Tiger Sport 660 and Trident 660 with the next logical progression in that evolutionary chain: A sport bike. A photo that Triumph released on social media teases the imminent arrival of a new supersport-shaped bike; we’re pretty sure it’s the new Daytona 660.
The 660 engine is a three-cylinder that’s a close cousin of the 600-series triples that Triumph has made forever, as its oddball counter-strike against the four-cylinder supersports from Japan. As we told you when Triumph first launched this 660 engine series:
The 660 triple puts 80 hp at 10,250 rpm and 47 lb-ft of torque at 6,250 rpm; Triumph says combines low-down torque with a strong mid-range and the most top-end power in this class (Triumph says the closest competition is the Kawasaki Versys 650 and the not-in-Canada Yamaha Tracer 700).
The motor comes with slip/assist clutch and six-speed gearbox, and an up/down quickshifter is available at extra cost. A ride-by-wire throttle means Triumph was able to engineer two ride modes (Rain and Road) into the bike, which control engine output and traction control (traction control can also be shut off independently, should you wish).
The engine has been on the market a couple of seasons now, and we’ve seen no complaints. But Triumph is currently all about broadening its offering of affordable models (the 400-series machines from India will be here in Canada this year, don’t forget). A Daytona 660 makes sense for that reason, and to cement the deal, take note that we’ve seen such a machine in spy shots in other publications for months now. Will Triumph make 600 sportbikes great again? Looks like it!
And for further evidence: Right now, when you head to Triumph’s website, you’re taken to a “Coming Soon” page with a 660 logo and a promise of a new bike on January 9. Stay tuned!
