Triumph Daytona 660 Road Test Review

Published February 16, 2025
Views : 1743
5 min read

Does it live up to the legendary ‘Daytona’ name?

Triumph Daytona 660 Road Test Review highlights

The Daytona 675 was one of the most potent sportbikes in its segment back when it was in production. Enthusiasts seemed to be pretty disappointed when it was discontinued. While many expected the Daytona to be revived with the 765cc engine from the new Street Triple, the story turned out to be different. The new Daytona 660 shares its platform with the Tiger Sport 660 and the Trident 660. Being such a legendary name, we spent a few days with this new Daytona 660 to find out if it really has Daytona DNA.

Design

The Daytona 660 has the silhouette of a proper sportsbike and resembles some Japanese sportbikes from the 2010s, especially because of the styling of the headlights. The bike has a well-sculpted 14-litre fuel tank and a neat tail section. It is available with the option of three colour schemes including Red, White, and Black. The overall build quality is really good, with premium paint finishing and it grabs a lot of attention on the streets.

Triumph Daytona 660 Road Test Review details

Performance

Compared to the Trident 660 and the Tiger Sport 660, the engine in the Daytona 660 has been tuned to better suit its sporty character. It puts out 95PS and 69NM which is around 14PS and 5NM more. This power bump is clearly felt as you spend time with the bike and for daily commuting, this is a really fast motorcycle. The acceleration is smooth and higher up in the rev range is where it has a nice kick as it revs to the 12,650rpm redline. And then you have that whine from the engine which is a really addictive sound.

Triumph Daytona 660 Road Test Review overview

Out on the highway, it is easily able to maintain speeds of 120kmph while the tractable nature and potent mid-range of the engine allows riders to cruise through city traffic effortlessly. The gearbox is really slick but the clutch action is slightly on the heavier side. The quickshifter works decently although it is an accessory and not included as part of the standard package. The bike gets three riding modes; Sport, Road and Rain where each mode distinguishes itself with a different throttle response and level of traction control intervention. TheTC system can also be turned off using the instrument cluster.

Ergonomics

Triumph Daytona 660 Road Test Review gallery

The ergonomics of the Daytona 660 are actually more aggressive than you would think. With my 5’7 frame, there was quite a reach to the clip-on handlebars and the footpegs are also set more towards the rear. The bike has a seat height of 810mm which is easily accessible but the ground clearance appears to be a little too low for our unpredictable roads. That being said, throughout our time spent with the motorcycle, we never had any issues, even with a pillion on board at times. The rear seat is quite tiny and the motorcycle is really compact so riding this bike solo is the preferred option.

Handling and Ride Quality

In the city is where this bike is truly impressive. The suspension has been tuned to be really soft which allows the bike to easily take on any undulations in its way. With roads only getting worse by the day, it was actually fun to ride a sportsbike in the city which can take on bad roads without having to drastically slow down. Now that is only half the story. Because what is gained with the exceptional ride quality is lost when you take the bike to the twisties. Don't get me wrong, it still rides well through corners but you start to realise its limitations when you begin pushing harder. The soft suspension doesn't inspire the confidence to power out of corners aggressively.

The brakes do a good job of getting the bike to a halt, but again, when you are trying to push harder or brake late, there were times that the front fork was bottoming out. So essentially, this is a bike that can pretty much do it all but in a smooth, calm and composed manner and not aggressively.

Features

Triumph Daytona 660 Road Test Review glimpse

The bike features a colour TFT screen integrated into a white-on-black LCD display. This is the same unit we have seen on the Trident 660 and Tiger Sport 660. Information on this display is clearly visible and is easy to read in different light conditions. It is compatible with the accessory My Triumph Connectivity System that enables turn-by-turn navigation plus phone and music connectivity. The switchgear also feels premium and switching through the menus is quite easy as you get the hang of it.

Verdict

The Daytona 660 proves to be a really nice motorcycle for a rider who is going to spend most of his time on the road. It is actually a practical motorcycle owing to the refined, usable engine paired with the really plush suspension setup. Additionally, another advantage is that it has proper sportsbike styling which appeals to many.

Triumph Daytona 660 Road Test Review snapshot

The bike is priced between Rs 9.72 lakh and Rs 9.85 lakh (ex-showroom prices) depending on the colour option you pick. I do find the price on the higher side mainly because you can get a Street Triple 765 R for around Rs 30,000 more or even a top-spec RS for around Rs 2 lakh more. In my opinion, if a rider can spend almost 10 lakh on a motorcycle, adding in a lakh or two wouldn't be an issue and the Street Triple is the more fun motorcycle from the two. But then again, that's just my opinion because of the type of rider I am. There would be many who are not interested in pushing their limits at the race track and the twisties but want a nice looking sportsbike for those weekend rides to peacefully take in the views. Such riders would surely be inclined towards the Daytona 660 over the Street Triple 765.

So answering the main question, No, the Daytona 660 is not really what enthusiasts knew the Daytona to be. But, it's a really nice and practical motorcycle for the city. The closest thing you can get today with the true Daytona DNA is actually the Street Triple RS.