2024 Triumph Daytona 660 review | An exciting engine but much softer than the supersport original

Let’s get it out of the way – the Triumph Daytona 660 is no hardcore supersport machine. Considering the firm's foray into the MotoGP paddock as the sole Moto2 engine supplier, the success that they've enjoyed and the data they must have, it's not unreasonable to think that the next Daytona would be a fire-breathing triple; you know, a sub-litre superbike that bucks the trend of supersport or superbike capacity. But that is not the case as the new Daytona 660 is built for a different audience, for a different reason, and a different price point. And in that case, it makes sense.

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It's built for the sub-100bhp, softer-sport class which is absolutely booming, with a huge array of machinery on offer such as Aprilia’s RS660, Yamaha’s R7, Suzuki’s GSX-8R, Honda’s CBR650R and Kawasaki’s Ninja 650, alongside their screaming ZX-4RR. All of these machines are under £10k, 100hp and offer varying levels of sportiness, comfort and technology.

But the Daytona 660 brings a new flavour to the sector, thanks to that mighty, triple motor. It’s exciting in its application of power with a throaty mid-range, that carries nearly all the way through to the 12,650rpm redline.

However, it isn’t the most focussed machine in terms of its handling capabilities, with a soft, conservative set-up, especially in terms of the riding position and suspension.

Both the front and rear Showa units feel a little underdamped when ridden harder and even though the chassis and the geometry has been altered, it’s still very neutral in its weight bias which means that isn’t the most agile machine in the world. However, the riding position is comfortable and it’s a friendly machine to ride all day.

Overall, Triumph’s Daytona 660 is a softer take on a sportsbike that is a good package for all-day riding, built to an impressive price point.

Where agility and cornering prowess is concerned, the Daytona 660 sits on the softer end of the sportsbike spectrum.

It utilises the chassis from the naked Trident 660 as a base which has then been tweaked, thanks to a steeper rake (by 11%) and reduced trail (down 25%), alongside a few other tweaks to accommodate the engine changes, such as the airbox. It's then been given a set of Showa SFF-BP which are non-adjustable, besides preload on the rear. They may look familiar, and they are – they’re similar units to what is found on some of its rivals, such as Suzuki’s GSX-8R.

Although the weight distribution has been altered to put more mass over the front end, it’s neutral in its overall bias and has a front end that is vague in its feedback when ridden harder. The front suspension is very soft on the initial journey through the stroke, yet even when the front wheel is loaded mid-corner, it doesn’t offer the sharp, precise front end feeling that has become a trademark of modern Triumphs.

This is amplified by the shock set-up which is incredibly soft in its preload and compression damping, meaning that it sits low at the rear end both mid corner and under power. This is improved by adding some preload on the rear for additional support, but it would benefit from having more adjustability, to dial in a little more compression too. The rebound damping is also quite aggressive in its return over bumps and poor tarmac as well, but is only really felt when it’s ridden at a faster pace.

The seat is comfortable and the riding position isn’t too aggressive which means that it will accommodate a full day of riding, however due to the higher pegs, legroom may be an issue for riders over the six foot mark.

Braking power comes from J.Juan with Triumph branding, and give a decent amount of bite and feel, while the Power 6 tyres offer an ample amount of grip for road riding.

The Daytona’s 660cc triple motor is the star of the show, especially as it brings a new flavour to the confines of the sub-100bhp sportsbike category. Not only is it the first triple in the segment, but it’s not just a recycled unit from existing machinery such as the Trident 660 - Triumph have been to work on the motor for their faired middleweight.

Although the capacity, bore and stroke remain identical the list of new and changed internals are substantial: the crankshaft (with increased inertia), pistons, cylinder head, high-lift cams, airbox, throttle bodies (there’s now 3 instead of 1), exhaust, gearbox ratios and intake ports are all specific to the Daytona, as is a higher compression ratio. The result is a higher revving, harder hitting motor, that makes 17% more power and 9% more torque than the trident with a 12,650rpm redline, which is 20% higher.

Triumph claim that it’s the fastest accelerating of its rivals and it does feel energetic in its delivery of power, with a responsive throttle and a peaky, exciting motor. For road riding it feels fast and exciting as it sings its way to the very top of the rev range, accompanied by a glorious soundtrack through the reworked exhaust. It truly has the essence of a proper, supersport engine, with an ample amount of power to have fun with.

At a steadier pace, it’s a peach too. It makes 80% of its torque from 3000rpm to 11,750rpm which makes it happy to sit at slower speeds, and it will happily sit at 70mph in top gear without feeling too buzzy.

The only niggle is that the gearbox isn’t the slickest for quick changes, and thanks to its high revving nature, it would really benefit from having the aftermarket quickshifter as standard.

The 14 litre tank allowed for just over 100 miles before the fuel light came in, and is good for 40-50mpg when ridden hard.

It’s difficult to fault the build quality of Triumph’s new Daytona 660 too much when considering the price point, even though a few bits like the plastic chassis covers and the top yoke and bar placements aren’t the most premium on offer.

In terms of reliability, although the Daytona has been heavily tweaked, it utilises the same platform as both the Trident 660 and Tiger Sport 660, of which owners’ reviews are predominantly positive, which a few minor issues in when used through winter.

Although the tweaked 660 motor is slightly higher strung compared to the Trident, it should be just as reliable and comes with 10,000 mile service intervals.

The softer sportsbike sector is now absolutely bulging, and Triumph have gone straight in for the kill where price is concerned, undercutting its rivals.

Although it’s only £4 cheaper than Honda’s CBR650R the Daytona 660 packs more torque and less weight, while Yamaha’s more aggressive R7 is £8,919 and Aprilia’s RS660 comes in at £9,550.

Perhaps its closest competitor comes in the form of Suzuki’s £8,899 GSX-8R, which has less in the power department and is heavier than the Daytona, but packs more torque and has a up/down quickshifter as standard.

Although the Daytona 660 is priced impressively and packs a punchy motor, it is quite basic in terms of its equipment, especially compared to some of its rivals.

As standard there are three rider modes (Sport, Road and Rain) with switchable traction control and a basic ABS system, which is all powered through a fairly simple, but pretty basic dash set-up, similar in its design to the Trident and Tiger Sport 660. Although the dash allows for Bluetooth connectivity, it’s an extra £245, while the aftermarket quickshifter costs £316.12, plus an additional fitting kit that is in the region of £40-£50.