[cycleworld.com] - 2025 Triumph Daytona 660

[Ninjette Newsbot]

Triumph hadn’t produced a normal production middleweight sportbike since 2017, but has jumped back into the class with the Trident-based Daytona 660.

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Triumph’s 2025 Daytona 660 in Carnival Red. (Triumph/)Ups

• Fantastic inline-three engine.
• Priced at just over $9,000.
• Beautiful and modern styling.

Downs

• Suspension has only minimal adjustability.
• Those looking for “Supersport” performance will be disappointed.
• A bit on the heavy side compared to competition.

Verdict

Triumph sportbike enthusiasts looking for a fully faired machine haven’t had too many options over the past few years, but the Hinkley-based company has jumped back into the market with the Daytona 660. This real-world middleweight model forgoes the hardcore Supersport-homologation formula and attempts to make a sportbike that’s as happy commuting or running errands as tackling fun twisty roads.


Triumph hasn’t built a normal production Daytona sportbike since 2017. (Triumph/)Overview

The Daytona 660 is largely based on the naked Trident 660 with a similar frame and chassis. And although the two bikes share a similar engine platform, the unit in the Daytona has been upgraded for more power and torque than the one in the Trident. The two bikes also differ in terms of chassis geometry and dimensions, while the Daytona’s ergonomics are much more sportbike oriented.


The Carnival Red paint adds $125 to the base price. (Triumph/)Updates for 2025

The Daytona 660 is a brand-new model available in April of 2024 as an early release 2025 model for the US and Canadian markets.

Pricing and Variants

For 2025, the Daytona 660 is available in three colors: Snowdonia White/Sapphire Black ($9,195), Carnival Red/Sapphire Black ($9,320), or Satin Granite/Satin Jet Black ($9,320).


The standard Snowdonia White/Sapphire Black color lists for $9,195. (Triumph/)Competition

The middleweight sportbike class is exploding with a new generation of practical models that are designed to be more versatile than the hardcore Supersport bikes that ruled the class for 30 years. Bikes like the new Suzuki GSX-8R, Yamaha YZF-R7, Aprilia RS 660, Kawasaki Ninja 650, and Honda CBR650 are the Triumph’s primary competitors.

Powertrain: Engine, Transmission, and Performance

The engine that powers the brand-new Daytona 660 is similar to the units in the Trident 660 and Tiger Sport 660, but has been altered for this application. In an effort to generate more performance than the unit in the Trident, a new crankshaft, new pistons and wrist pins, a new cylinder head with larger exhaust valves, and a different exhaust cam provide more lift than the unit in the Trident. The Trident’s single throttle body is replaced by a trio of 44mm units and a larger airbox. According to Triumph, these changes, and its increased redline (now set 20 percent higher at 12,650 rpm), have bumped horsepower to 94 at 11,250 rpm, which is a 17 percent increase over the Trident. Torque is also up, now at 51 lb.-ft., peaking at 8,250 rpm.


The 660cc inline three in the Daytona produces a claimed 94 horsepower. (Triumph/)“The 660 instantly shows what a versatile and flexible engine it is,” Editor-at-Large Blake Conner said in his First Ride Review. “Torque is easily accessible right off the bottom, requiring very few revs to get rolling as you feed out the light, cable-actuated clutch lever. In this environment the engine purrs along smoothly and is incredibly easy to ride in urban stop and go. With such a flat torque curve, you can short-shift through the gearbox for a super-relaxed ride.

“But don’t let the engine’s mellow low-rev nature fool you; snap the bike up out of a corner when a straight opens up in front of you and it wakes up instantly. Revs build in a very smooth but aggressive manner when you grab a handful of throttle. This engine really provides the best attributes of its parallel-twin competition down low, but pulls and spins much more aggressively than those machines do up top.”

Chassis and Handling

The Daytona 660 is a much more simple machine than the last-generation 2017 Daytona 675R, with a steel frame and fabricated steel swingarm instead of the R’s aluminum unit. The Daytona has a 56.1-inch wheelbase with front end geometry measuring 23.8 degrees of rake and 3.2 inches of trail. Suspension includes a Showa SFF-BP fork without any provisions for adjustment, while at the rear is a Showa monoshock with preload adjustability. Travel measures 4.3 inches front and 5.1 at the rear.


A Showa SFF-BP fork is used up front. (Triumph/)“Around town where broken pavement, speed humps, and potholes are aplenty, the suspension provides a soft and forgiving ride,” Conner said. “In this environment, there is very little to complain about. The bike is comfortable without dishing out the type of overly harsh ride quality that trackworthy suspension sometimes delivers. The same can be said once you hit a twisty road at a moderate pace where the suspension still offers a comfortable ride. Get really aggressive and you start to find the limitations of the suspension setup.”

Brakes

The Daytona 660 gets a pair of house-branded radial-mount four-piston brake calipers with 310mm discs and stainless steel brake lines up front. At the rear are a single-piston caliper and 220mm disc. ABS comes as standard and isn’t switchable.

“Overall, the braking system, like the suspension, performs well right up to the spiciest of attack modes,” Conner said. “Around town there is nothing to complain about; it’s only when you dial up the aggression that you yearn for just a bit more power and bite from the front calipers.”

Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG

We haven’t had the opportunity to record fuel-mileage as of this writing.

Ergonomics: Comfort and Utility

The Daytona 660?s riding position is very comfortable for a sportbike, with the handlebars mounted above the top triple clamp and providing a more upright seating position that doesn’t dump your weight onto your wrists. Compared to the Trident’s even more upright cockpit, the Daytona’s bars are more than 4 inches lower, narrower, and set a bit more forward. The standard seat height is set at a reasonable 31.9 inches, offering a comfortable and not overly cramped relationship with the footpegs, which put your knees at a gentle bend. In the Triumph accessory catalog there is a low seat option that drops the height to 31.3 inches.


The Daytona 660 has sporty yet comfortable ergonomics. (Triumph/)“The cockpit is roomy, allowing you to move around to get comfortable but to also position your body and hang off when cornering,” Conner added. “Around town, the seat is low enough, and the bike narrow enough between the knees to allow a firm footing at stops, at least for this 5-foot-11 tester. Like the bike’s overall target, the ergonomics are sporty without being unforgiving and purely track focused, which in this class is the new standard.”

Electronics

The Triumph Daytona 660 has a simple but effective rider-aid suite. It utilizes ride-by-wire throttle control, enabling three different ride modes: Sport, Road, and Rain. Additionally, the Daytona has switchable traction control and two options for the throttle map including Road and Sport.


The dash is a combination of LCD and TFT displays. (Triumph/)“If there is a consistent fact about European roads, it’s that you can pretty much guarantee that roundabouts will be slick with diesel fuel residue,” Conner said after his ride in Spain. “Thankfully the Daytona 660?s traction control effectively intervenes when necessary otherwise we’d likely have been skittled off to the ditch on a couple of occasions.”

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage

Triumph includes a standard 24-month warranty with its on-road models.

Quality

Despite our limited time with this bike so far, fit and finish and the quality of components specified for the Daytona 660 appear to be very good considering the bike’s budget-oriented focus.


The 2025 Triumph Daytona 660 in Satin Granite/Satin Jet Black ($9,320). (Triumph/)2025 Triumph Daytona 660 Specs

MSRP:$9,195Engine:DOHC, liquid-cooled, four-stroke inline-three; 4 valves/cyl.Displacement:660ccBore x Stroke:74.0 x 51.1mmCompression Ratio:12.1:1Transmission/Final Drive:6-speed/chainClaimed Horsepower:95 hp @ 11,250 rpmClaimed Torque:51 lb.-ft. @ 8,250 rpmFuel System:Multipoint sequential electronic fuel injection w/ ride-by-wire electronic throttle controlClutch:Wet, multiplate slip/assist; cable actuationEngine Management/Ignition:ElectronicFrame:Tubular steel perimeterFront Suspension:Showa 41mm inverted Showa separate function big piston (SFF-BP) fork; 4.3 in. travelRear Suspension:Showa monoshock, preload adjustable; 5.1 in. travelFront Brake:4-piston radial-mount calipers, floating 310mm discs w/ ABSRear Brake:1-piston caliper, 220mm disc w/ ABSWheels, Front/Rear:Cast aluminum; 17 x 3.5 in. / 17 x 5.5 in.Tires, Front/Rear:120/70-17 / 180/55-17Rake/Trail:23.8°/3.2 in.Wheelbase:56.1 in.Ground Clearance:N/ASeat Height:31.9 in.Fuel Capacity:3.7 gal.Claimed Wet Weight:443 lb.Contact:triumphmotorcycles.com