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2004 Daytona 600 v 2001 Triumph Sprint RS



I'm kidding, I'm not going to do a full write up on both bikes.

I've just taken a Daytona 600 ("D6") for a test ride. I'm thinking of getting a sportsbike but I'm worried about the loss of torque that the in-line 955i triple has. The Sprint is an easy bike to ride. In any gear you just crack open the throttle and she responds with instant drive, which is great for commuting which is where I spend most of my time on the bike. The more upright position gives an excellent viewpoint for when you're weaving through the traffic and the loud thump of the triple via a carbon or titanium race can means people often hear you before they see you.

That's another thing I'm worried about - that sweet sweet triple sound versus the harsh and howling rasp of an inline 4 cylinder 600 sportsbike.

I dropped my bike off for an MOT and took the keys for the D6. Yellow with the Union Flag on the front cockpit. Many people think the D6 is too angular but photos hide the softness of the edges. The tank is designed to make sure your legs are snug up to the bike and the seat is large and roomy for a sportsbike. The position is obviously much sportier than the RS but you're not flung forward like most sports bikes. This gives you the impression that you're sitting in the bike rather than perched on top of it. But, if you do want to be that pretend racetrack god then the pegs and seat allow you to stand on the pegs and ride it jockey style, with all of your weight through the legs.

I rode the bike for just over an hour - through twisties and traffic and at no point did I get any wrist ache.

The heart and lungs of any motorcycle is its engine and the Daytona’s 599cc liquid-cooled four-cylinder motor pumps out plenty of power. The target output – 112PS (110bhp) – was reached but not at the expense of driveability and, by utilising Keihin twin-butterfly EFI throttle bodies and 32 bit processor, throttle response is razor sharp and precise. The lightweight exhaust system is made from 1.2mm thin wall steel tube and is of a 4-2-1-2-1 design with header lengths tuned to suit the intake system, head porting and combustion chamber shape.

Peak power arrives at 12,750rpm. Peak torque, 68Nm (50.5ft.lbf), is delivered at 11,000 rpm. The RS has about 108 bhp at the back wheel, coming in at about 7800 rpm and torque is 65 ft/lb at about 5000 rpm. It's been a long time since I saw 11,000 on a speedo and it took some getting used to.

The engine spins up quickly and the rate of rise through the revs is rapid. The demo bike had the standard can on so it's hard to pass judgement on the noise, but there was a strong hint of Banshee from about 8,000 revs. I can imagine it wouldn't be too difficult to see 144 mph appear quickly on the clock if you knew a deserted dual carriageway just outside Birmimingham. I also believe that at 144mph you could snick the bike up another gear as the engine might possibly sound like it's not even working hard.

Handling was sublime. The bike moves quickly but with confidence; there's no sudden falling on its side or twitchy turns. I've read a lot about the handling and all of it was good. No surpise. This really is one of those bikes that can be ridden well by the inexperienced. The suspension felt good although the front was a little harsh on the city roads. The front 43mm cartridge forks use single-rate springs. All fork internals – rods, cartridges and fixings – are made from aluminium and the forks are adjustable for spring preload, compression and rebound damping. The lightweight rear shock is also adjustable for spring preload, compression and rebound damping. If the rear shock is good enough for Jim Moody in a BSS race then it's good enough for me.

Triumph offer their usual high standards when it comes to the brakes. Twin braided hoses come as standard and the bike stops strongly without pitching you over the bars (although a wee stoppie was possible without much effort ;-) )

In traffic the fuelaing was tested. The bike felt a little snatchy below 6000 revs and doing some roll on tests showed a hole at about 5000 - 5500 rpm. I'm sure that can be ironed out with a can and re-map.

I had fun. I was surprised how well the bike behaved in traffic. There's a decent amount of torque there so I didn't get frustrated when filtering. The bike looks good and the quality of the demo bike was sound. There's no bling such as USD forks, radial brakes or a tracksuit paint job but the brakes and suspension felt top quality so I doubt you would notice any difference. If I did buy this bike then the only thing I would do is change the can for no other reason than aural pleasure.

I dropped the bike off and had a chat with the salesman.

Then I took the keys for my bike and rode home. The RS is very underrated. That ride home was just as spirited and exciting as the D6 ride but the biggest difference has to be the handling. The RS was never designed to win races. The Daytona 600 can and does.


posted by kwacky at 1:55 pm