200mph secret is out

THESE are the exclusive first pictures of the 200mph bike Triumph is building to rival the Hayabusa and the ZX-12R.

Triumph has continually denied the existence of a new 1300cc, four-cylinder superbike. But our pictures – snapped in the UK last week – show the bike is well into the development process.

Codenamed A13HC, it will be called either the Daytona 1300 or Hurricane 1300 when it is officially launched. It’s not in Triumph’s plans for Spring 2004 – but it could appear later in the year.

We spotted it outside the Triumph factory but it was soon wheeled out of view. One version was parked alongside a Kawasaki ZX-12R suggesting that bike is being used as a benchmark.

But neither the ZX-12R nor Suzuki’s Hayabusa quite hit a true 200mph – even before the factories started fitting the bikes with 300kph (186mph) limiters (see below right). But Triumph will target the double ton with its 1275cc machine, with the intention of making it the fastest off-the-shelf bike in the world.

The Triumph is clearly more compact than the ZX-12R and we believe it will be lighter than its rivals at around 190kg.

With the 200mph target in mind Triumph has had to concentrate on aerodynamics – explaining the huge front mudguard, drooping nose and slab-sided fairing.

Its other key styling element is the large underseat silencer, that exits in four tail pipes. This not only looks good, it also aids aerodynamics, as there’s no end can hanging out in the airflow.

Triumph has a long-standing love affair with single-sided swingarms and the 1300 uses one too – and it’s heavily braced.

The all-new engine will need to produce somewhere in the region of 180bhp for the bike to hit 200mph – and beat its Kawasaki and Suzuki competitors.

The picture, right, reveals the design ideas Triumph is including.

When MCN spotted the bike it was in the company of three oriental visitors.

They are likely to be from Triumph’s new Thai factory, and although they won’t be manufacturing the whole bike, many components will be sourced there. They seemed particularly interested in the gearbox, suggesting some of its parts may be made at the new plant.