Lament to lost Daytona

Bravo and thanks for the article on the Daytona 675R, Blade and GSX-R750 (Bike, December 2016). Got to say it’s certainly stirred up a few emotions. As a besotted owner of a ’14-plate 675R it breaks my heart to think that Triumph are pulling the plug on such a truly glorious machine. At the same time the article reaffirmed my love of the triple and that ‘je ne sais quoi’ that only a scalpel-like sportsbike can bring. I’ve done over 26,000 miles in 21 months on my Daytona which I bought from new and I’ve loved every mile. However, outside of racing circles I’m starting to feel like a chainsmoker, pushed to the edge of society, frowned upon, even laughed at. Addicted to something moribund that was once the coolest thing in the world and the epicentre of the biking universe. The biking gravy train is now fuelled by beard oil and is steamrolling towards Hipsterville. There ain’t no place for me in my one-piece leathers. Now I just look like a twat. There is no other genre of bike that in spite of its inherent foibles (read problems) still provides the biggest return of that intangible magic. For every minute of sore wrist or numb bum, there are a 1000 laughing, whooping and hollering in my lid as corner after corner hooks up again and again and again. Thank you for the article and thank you Triumph, for making the Daytona 675R. I’ll never forget you. Chris Taylor, Bolton