+ Click to Enlarge TRIUMPH DAYTONA: The name commemorates a string of victories there in the late 1960s against against the might of the factory Harley-Davidsons. Pictures: DAVE ABRAHAMS For a screen-filling version of this picture, e-mail freepix@iol.co.za with "Daytona 955i" in the subject field.

February 25, 2005
By Dave Abrahams

Daytona, Florida is home to the Daytona Speedway, a huge, 3.2km tri-oval with banked corners and another 2.9km of tight, difficult infield, one of the fastest and most intimidating circuits in the world.

Triumph twins scored a number of David-and-Goliath victories there in the late 1960s against the might of the factory Harley-Davidsons and and since then the name has been applied to the marque's top sports machinery.

The latest bearer of this commemorative tag is powered by an uprated version of Hinckley's signature 955cc three-cylinder, fuel-injected engine, tuned for 112kW at a howling 10 700rpm with maximum torque of 100Nm presented at 8 200rpm.

That's revving hard for a motor with a 65mm stroke but this one pulls right up to the bloodline at 11 500rpm without stress or falling off the power curve.

And what a power curve it is; by 4000rpm the big triple has stopped growling, it cruises effortlessly at the national speed limit at just over five and at the torque peak you're hitting 200km/h and still accelerating hard.

Given its head the Daytona will reach 225km/h within 800m and top out at a true 254km/h about halfway down our six-kilometre test straight, revving right on the power peak at 10 700rpm. More to the point, at that speed it's rock steady with no tendency to shake its head, even over small bumps.

Three-cylinder engines are said to combine the torque of a twin with the high-revving top end of a four; this one certainly does. It pulls strongly enough to make mincemeat of the traffic between 4000 and 7000 – then suddenly comes alive at 7200 with a glorious trumpet note from the air box.

Above that point this is a seriously powerful sports-bike engine, demanding (and getting) all your attention and with instant reaction to its throttle.

At low revs, however, the French-made Sagem fuel-injection system is less crisp, though it still accelerates better than a comparable carburettor set-up.

There's a very slight lag both on opening and closing the throttle, which to a large extent negates the "slamming door" jerking most spritzer systems are heir to.

Smooth progress

The Daytona is surprisingly rideable in heavy traffic; reasonable care with the right hand ensures smooth progress and the bike is nimble enough to cut through traffic with big dual-purpose singles – although their riders are likely to be a bit more comfortable.

The clutch is a little heavy, but smooth, with a firm, predictable take-up, hot or cold, while the six-speed gear-shift is light, slick and positive – and embarrassingly vocal, especially in traffic.

It really is very noisy, especially when using the clutch; getting the revs up and snicking it through "on the fly" improves matters but you can always hear every change no matter how loudly the motor is talking to you.

Alloy frame

This unexpectedly adolescent motor is housed in a derivative of the original T595 aluminium-alloy frame with its characteristic double-tube perimeter members.

The Daytona, however, has a cast-alloy, single-sided swing-arm that sets off the three-spoked rear wheel to perfection, with a rising-rate suspension shock and linkage set low down to reduce unsprung weight.

The front end, by contrast, is strictly conventional, with 45mm fully adjustable cartridge forks.

Surprisingly compact

The wheelbase is 1426mm, not GP class but very compact for a litre-class sports bike with a bulky engine.

Despite its 191kg dry weight, 25kg more than the latest Oriental race-replicas, it turns into corners quickly and accurately, changing lines if required with no more than moderate countersteer.

It's poised and agile, but holds its line through long corners without wallowing or shaking its head - the only time the handlebars move in your hands is on full-throttle upshifts.

Like all big Trumpets, it likes driving through corners; go in deep and a little slow and turn it on early.

The smooth throttle lends itself to rolling on and you come out a lot harder than you expected with the bike bellowing for an upshift as it hurtles towards the next corner.

Make no mistake, this thing is quick.

Stopping power

When it comes to stopping, big Nissin four-pot callipers do their thing on 320mm platters through braided, stainless-steel hoses.

I can't see the point of having anything else on a bike so expensive but we keep on seeing range-topping Japanese sports machinery with el cheapo squidgy rubber brake lines – oh well, it keeps the accessory houses in business.

The brakes are immensely powerful but lack both initial bite and feel – which had an odd effect: one evening I came home after a particularly enjoyable ride and jerked the front brakes to pull a stoppie in my driveway – and instead the front wheel locked and skidded.

It all happened in a straight line and the Triumph stopped before it hit the garage door but it taught me not to take the brakes on big, heavy bikes for granted.

Tilting the horizon

The seating position is firmly sports-orientated, well forward with a lot of the rider's weight on the wrists, but the Daytona is not a small bike and I never felt cramped.

When the horizon begins to tilt, however, it feels just right, with your weight neatly divided between saddle and footpegs for perfect control.

Pillion accommodation is more generous than usual for the class but is still better suited to petite, supple passengers.

The bodywork is well up to Hinckley's usual high standards: chunky, firmly mounted and beautifully finished in one plain colour, as usual on Triumphs – with clear coat over all the graphics. Well done, guys.

My only quibble is that the beautifully curved screen is too low; it sent the full force of the slipsteam on to my helmet - a common failing on European sports machines. Triumph admits it by cataloging a taller screen for the Daytona, which I would insist on if the bike were mine.

LCD instruments

The instrument pod is the same as on the RS, an offset analogue rev-counter with an LCD screen to the left for speed, coolant temperature, odo, a couple of trip meters and the time.

I hate admitting it, but liquid crystal instrumentation is lighter, cheaper and more accurate than mechanical gauges – although there is obviously still strong resistance to LCD rev counters!

The Daytona is way too radical to be a sports-tourer but it's 20kg too heavy and 20kW too slow to be on the front row of litre-class race replicas.

Nevertheless it combines an impressive turn of speed with rock-solid handling for a superbly competent package on the road.

I suppose that's what the Daytona is all about: competence and confidence, poise and balance, the flash without the brash.

How very British.

Test bike from Kawasaki Motorcycles SA.

Price:R94 500.

Triumph Daytona 955i specifications

Go back 

Useful TOOLS

Email this article       Print this article       Search Prices       Repayment Calculator       Set as homepage

Free NEWSLETTER

The latest motoring news - 3 times a week. Preview Sign up