2011 Triumph Daytona 675R - R is For Ready | First Ride

As much fun as it is to ride the new Triumph through the canyons, there is just nothing like getting it out on the track, where it feels right at home. And albeit in the middle of nowhere, the recently opened Chuckwalla Valley Raceway in Desert Center, California, where Triumph held the press intro happens to be a great place to test a bike like the 675R. The track’s multiple sweeping, double-apex corners require a great deal of confidence in the front end of the motorcycle, something the Öhlins front fork can provide.

On the racetrack, the Öhlins/Brembo combination provides a completely different feel compared to the base model 675. In comparison, the 675R dives very little on the brakes and the bike moves around much less on corner entry thanks to its firmer settings. However, corner entry is slightly affected by an unnerving chatter that becomes noticeable when you are hard on the brakes. According to the technicians on hand, the feeling is one that not only can be removed by adjusting the fork’s settings, but also by trying different tire compounds and tire pressures. The confidence that is zapped on the brakes is quickly made up for when turning the 675R, which is perhaps one of the lightest, most nimble steering middleweight machines. And on the track, the bike makes hitting the apex of every corner almost a walk in the park.

And thanks to the smooth three-cylinder engine, which is claimed to deliver 124 horsepower at 12,600 rpm, hustling the 675R around the track is effortless. Best power is found anywhere north of 11,500 rpm and continues to come on strong up until the programmable shift lights illuminate on the dash indicating it’s time to grab the next gear. Furthermore, lapping the 675R around a track like Chuckwalla, which gives you very little time to relax, is made even easier by the factory quickshifter which operates above 2500 rpm and momentarily cuts ignition for 15 milliseconds. The result is effortless full-throttle clutchless upshifts with almost zero hesitation, except for between third and fourth gear, where the shift tends to be just slightly more abrupt.

Keeping Priorities In Mind
Amazingly, the Triumph 675R is priced relatively close to its 675 base model counterpart. In fact, the $1500 difference between the two models seems rather minute, especially when you consider the suspension package alone is worth almost twice as much. Throw in the factory quick shifter, Brembo brakes and numerous carbon bits and you have quite the bike, for only a little more money. The big question then arises; can the 675R be placed in the same comparison tests as the other middleweights? That is something we will surely be debating in due time.