TRIUMPH DAYTONA 675 R (2013 - 2018) Review

Faster, better handling, easier to ride and with an even angrier engine note, the 2013 Triumph Daytona 675 R takes the firm's super sport weapon to another level.

• Latest news: Triumph Daytona 660 fully unveiled for 2024

Launched alongside the standard Daytona 675, it was the first major update since the 675’s release in 2006 and every inch of the machine is different. The Daytona 675 is still the undisputed king of the 600 sports bikes, and is a brilliant used bike. It’s simply an epic machine.

Watch our expert Triumph Daytona 675 R review below:

By moving the exhaust Triumph managed to make the Daytona 675R shorter, squatter and faster steering. Very few bikes handle as well as this out of the crate and even fewer are as easy to ride fast.

Here’s a machine that makes its rider look very, very good. This R model’s Öhlins suspension and Brembo brakes move the bike’s limit way above the average rider. Road holding is excellent, the ride quality plush and the bite from the brakes incredible. The ABS has a 'circuit' setting, which disables the rear ABS and lets you slide into corners.

A 126bhp three-cylinder 675cc short-stroke engine only makes 2bhp more than before, but it revs harder and is ripe for tuning. It has a new cylinder block, pistons, gudgeon pins, crankcase oil baffles, titanium inlet valves and gearbox. There are new twin-injector throttle bodies, ECU and a bigger central air intake running through the headstock.

A new slipper clutch has a two-way ramp for extra slip and grip on and off the throttle and lighter clutch springs. The exhaust is repositioned up and under the engine to aid weight distribution. The motor is less breathless than before in the midrange and high revs, but still has buckets of torque. It flies off corners and crucifies straights.

There’s a noticeable jump in quality over the 2011-2012 Daytona 675R, but some of the more hidden areas are built down to a price. The Daytona hasn’t been without its reliability problems along the way but on the whole it’s a very dependable machine. Our Triumph Daytona 675 R owners' reviews show nothing to worry about from a reliability perspective, though.

For the amount of performance you get, the Daytona 675R is excellent value for money and the cheaper, standard version even better. It’s easier to ride fast than a litre bike and better spec’d than a Suzuki GSX-R750 and Ducati 848, so it’s arguably one of the quickest A to B motorcycles you can buy.

They're also looking like fantastic used buys too, with 2021 prices showing early standard bikes now available for around £6000 and R models holding slightly higher values. Other used super sport 600s to consider also include the Honda CBR600RR, Suzuki GSX-R600, Yamaha R6, Kawasaki ZX-6R and MV Agusta F3 675 - the only other three-cylinder model in this line-up. All of these machines are no longer on sale in the UK.

Watch a group test video of the Daytona's super sport 600 rivals here

Aside from the ABS and quickshifter, there aren’t any electronic rider aids, like traction control or variable power maps, but the Triumph is that easy to ride, it doesn’t need them.

There’s a multi-function LCD dash, adjustable swingarm pivot as well as the Ohlins and Brembos. The 675R comes with carbon fibre goodies. There’s also a wide range of official accessories including a race kit, for the first time.