Dream or nightmare?
Beefy Brit was no race replica but makes a great road bike... with the right mindset
Triumph Daytona T595
You must warm it up gently
Triumph’s flexible 955cc triple romps joyfully out of corners, is unfussy about gears and easy to pilot briskly. It’s generally robust too, as long as it gets regular oil changes, but you need to do things at its pace. Push on before the engine is fully warm and it’ll drink oil, causing premature wear, and the rather agricultural gearbox doesn’t like hurried changes. These can also encourage gear problems, especially with fourth. Sprag clutches are bothersome too.
The fuelling’s archaic
There’s unusual Sagem fuel injection, based on a system from a Renault car. The throttles are fully closed at tickover, the bike’s ECU looking after an idle control valve. Problems with the valve and perished hoses are common and balancing throttle bodies is a pig. Few dealers understand the system now.
Quality is questionable
The glorious must-have golden paint is an utter pain to match. Triumph even had problems itself. Try not to get upset by visible repairs and replacement body parts that don’t match. Ethanol in modern fuel plays havoc with the plastic tank too, which can swell so much it interferes with the steering lock.
They’re prone to seizing
It’s not got the quickest steering, but the T595 makes up for it with composure and good-quality suspension. It bend swings brilliantly on flowing A-roads as long as the suspension linkage has been greased to the 12,000-mile schedule. It can seize if not. So can the eccentric adjuster for the rear wheel — walk away from any bike with damage where the C-spanner fits the hub.
Old-school riding
The Triumph’s proportions and stretch to low, wide-set clip-ons give an oldschool feel. There’s a sense of solidity to the stance, and it’s a perfect match to the dynamic. You won’t have to endure it for too long though – it only does about 140 miles before its 18-litre tank is dry.
Gutsy sportsbike with ownership appeal, unique sensations and, if you follow the service schedule and avoid ethanol-rich cheap fuel, it’ll be dependable too. Buy one now before prices start to rise.