FIRST RIDE: TRIUMPH DAYTONA 765
The bike that’ll make us fall back in love with sportsbikes?
we loved Triumph’s Daytona 675, and mourned its passing when it was discontinued, due to declining sportsbike demand, in 2018. Light, lithe and engaging, it was a fantastic device, so it’s great to see the appearance of the Daytona 765, albeit in limited numbers, to celebrate the use of Triumph’s 765cc triple engine as the motive power unit in Moto2. The new bike runs the same chassis as the old 675R, which is so bangon it was used, unchanged, by madeyed Triumph rentaracers to develop the Moto2 control engine. On our dyno it makes 126bhp at the rear wheel from what is a breathedon Street Triple RS motor. Relatively that’s not much in today’s 200bhpworld, but it’s so light (166kg dry) it’ll do a standing quarter in less than 11 seconds and wheelie off the throttle in second.
Extra cubes give the engine a newfound flexibility, but its power isn’t overbearing and never twists its chassis or overworks its tyres. It’s an engine that’s always on your side, even when you rev it like a Moto2 teen in qualifying.
Steering is precise, Pirelli Super Corsa SPS grip and grip, and there’s ground clearance. It’s as friendly for a novice to start their sportsbike journey on as it is a tool for the most talented to breeze a lap time. There’s also the added safety of (nonlean sensitive) traction control, but while the latest Brembo Stylemas are more than a match for such a lightweight, its ABS gets in the way on track. Twisted tarmac and trackdays are its thing and the 765 is a composed, capable road bike, if you don’t mind the reach down to its lowset clipons. There’s decent legroom, the seat isn’t a killer and Triumph have got the ridebywire fuelling so spot on you’d swear it had carbs. The Öhlins and Pirelli combo won’t shake your fillings out over bumps like a slickshod Suter and there are five rider modes – although with such friendly power delivery one would suce.
Bike verdict It should be manna from heaven for sportsbike fans and it’s undeniably capable, but for the price we think they could’ve done more for sportsbike remainers.
The 765’s Street Triple derived motor is heavily modded. Like the Moto2 control engine it has new titanium inlet valves, high compression pistons, Dlccoated gudgeon pins, hairier cams, new intake trumpets, modified con rods, intake ports, crank, barrels and gear ratios.
It sounds great flat out and you’ll never tire of the way it machine guns through its shifter and blipper, but even with its titanium Arrow it whispers through trackday noise meters at 92db. And it ‘only’ does a Gpsmeasured 146mph (152mph on the clock). That’s slower than a 675R.
As its name suggests exclusivity is guaranteed. Only 765 are being made for Europe (this test bike is number 74) and as well as its topshelf chassis goodies and electronics you also get a carbon fibre fairing, seat unit, mudguard and hugger.
If you fancy one, and there appear to be a few remaining in UK showrooms but you’ll probably need to be quick, the 765 isn’t cheap. Costing £15,765 it’s nearly a grand more than the superb Panigale V2 – Ducati’s twincylinder take on the middleweight superbike. And the Daytona lacks the Ducati’s freshness, modern design, luxurious finish and the latest IMU controlled electronic gadgetry.
More worryingly for Triumph, aside from its breathedon Street Triple RS electronics and engine, it feels and looks just like a 2013 Daytona 675R but with new clocks, switchgear and little else. It doesn’t even have LED headlights.
Many sportsbike riders have long hung up their leathers, leaving race reps to the hardcore, so you can see why Triumph wouldn’t want to plough a lot of cash into the development of a bike set to sell in very limited numbers, but they have missed a trick. It should’ve been more like a Moto2 racer: brasher, faster… sexier. It really needed to make us fall in love with sportsbikes again. Sadly, it just isn’t special enough to do that.
‘It needed to make us fall in love with sportsbikes again. Sadly, it just isn’t special enough’