Triumph Daytona 600
Triumph DAYTONA 600
Long-Term Wrap-Up
SO LONG TO OUR BIG, COMFORTABLE, YELLOW BRIT-BIKE
A FTER AN EX-EXECUTIVE EDITOR made an unintended departure from the racetrack on our longterm Triumph Daytona 600, we wondered what the future held for the yellow Britbike.
Something in the front end wasn't right, but we couldn't pinpoint the problem. So, we enlisted the help of Dave Ciesielski of Chas sis Dynamics (www motorcyclechassisdy narnics. corn; 310/414-0052). Using a high-tech laser chassis jig, Ciesielski quickly ascertained that our first guessa bent triple-clamp-was incorrect. In stead, the culprit was a damaged stanchion tube. Bent above the top triple-clamp, it made the clip-ons appear out of whack but didn't affect front-end alignment. In fact, Ciesielski went so far as to say that the rest of the chassis was straight as an arrow.
While school-bus-yellow paint didn't do our Daytona 600 any favors, the bike's overall styling (sourced out side of Triumph, by the way) received many compli ments. Hopefully, the gas tank on the 2006 675 won't I be as wide as that of the 600.
This bike rocks! It has the chassis response that everyone looks for in a sportbike, plus it’s an eye-catcher.
-Mike Zimmerman Plainfield, IL
With that problem resolved, we got to work on the suspension. With phrases like “soft” and “squishy” littering the logbook, we ordered a Hyperpro Combi Kit (www.hyperprousa.com; $250) and got cracking. The Combi Kit is a complete upgrade package that includes progressive springs for the fork and shock, 15weight fork oil and comprehensive, albeit somewhat confusing, instructions.
The results weren’t as dramatic as we thought they would be-until we upped the pace, that is. Around town, the softer portion of the springs emulated the stock pieces, with a slight decrease in damping up front. In the canyons, however, it was a different story. Once through the softer portion of the travel, the fork noticeably firmed up without becoming harsh. This was slightly unsettling at first, but we came to appreciate it. Another plus was that the fork refused to bottom.
Once we got the suspension sorted, our attention turned to the muffler. The aforementioned crash had caused significant damage to the muffler and put a sizable dent in the connector pipe just forward of the can. Since the header and > connector pipe are a single unit, we opt ed to replace just the can with an oval Micron Beta Competition Silencer sport ing a trick, yellow-to-black fade (www. micron-exhaust.com; $450).
Not too shabby for a bike that was low-sided at triple-digit speeds! Hyperpro Combi suspension kit improved handling at a sporting pace without sacrificing around town comfort. Yellow-to-black anod izing on Micron Beta Competition Silencer proved durable.
Installation presented no problems. We simply removed the three bolts that secure the muffler to the exhaust flange, then unbolted the hanger. To fit the new muffler, we reversed the procedure us ing the supplied hardware. A tip: Make sure the copper gasket stays on the flange. If it breaks, you'll need a new one. Al though the yellow muffler didn't perfectly match the bike, the exhaust note was just right: a deep, throaty growl that contrasted nicely with the high-pitched whines typical of the Daytona's Japanese competition.
The Daytona 600 handles sweetly without being flighty or twitchy. -Richard Looker Birmingham, Ü.K.
Quotes from the logbook
White the Daytona 600' has its attributes-responsive steering comfortable ergonomics and striking looks-its engine runs poorly. Not as sharp as the Japa nese competition but still a great streetbike You can take the Daytona to the track tour and commute on it Triumphs are getting better~ The Daytona's higher handlebars and squishy seat make bounc ing down the freeway a little more bear able but performance-wise I woutdn t put it in the same class as the other middle weight supersports
Although there were no discernable changes to the Daytona's performance on the dynamometer, the opened-up exhaust reinforced what we already knew: The liquid-cooled, dohc engine revs slowly, making it feel even slower than it actually is. The fix? A Daytona 675. Zing!
Our last post-destruction modifications were cosmetic. A new fairing upper emblazoned with the Union Jack ($460)-an official Triumph catalog part, by the wayalong with a darkly tinted, double-bubble Aero windscreen ($ 140) added a muchneeded splash of color to the stock, school-bus-yellow paint scheme. Unfortunately, the repainted portions of the fairing poorly matched the factory colors, particularly under artificial light.
engine performance deficits the Daytona suffers in comparison with other bikes in its class are only noticeable on the racetrack.
-David Anderson, Rogue River, OR
While the Daytona 600 and muchimproved 650 are no longer in produc tion, the forthcoming 675 may set a new standard for Triumph sportbikes. But if you're looking for a reliable and sporty streetbike that puts comfort and usabil ity first and death-edge handling sec ond, you're not likely to go wrong with a used Daytona 600.
$7999
