2008 Triumph Daytona 675 Shootout Photo Gallery

Photos of the 2008 Triumph Daytona 675 Shootout. 2008 Supersport Shootout VI.

The fact that the 675 is still in the hunt at this stage of the game is a testament to the vision of the people who designed and ultimately created this howling hooligan nearly a half decade ago.

2008 Supersport Shootout - Triumph Daytona 675

With a combination of steel braided brake lines, radial-mount calipers and master cylinder the 675 and the 848 have equally impressive components on paper but the Triumph equipment offers more power and feel by comparison and is in the upper percentile in the braking category.

During our first track test session at Infineon Raceway the Suzuki was impressive.

2008 Supersport Shootout - Triumph Daytona 675

Supersport Shootout Drag Race times.

Supersport Shootout VI Superpole lap times saw the Triumph in the lower echelon.

Churning out five less horsepower than the Yamaha, the Triumph 675 Triple still generates over 100 hp.

The Triumph cranks out the most torque in our Inline Supersport batch, second only to the Ducati overall.

When we first got a taste of the Triumph Daytona 675 during Supersport Shootout IV we were smitten with its combination of superb handling, powerful brakes and that raspy three-cylinder powerplant.

The 675 gets us fired up for the same reason as Danica Patrick’s Sports Illustrated swimsuit gallery. She’s a fast, cocky rebel who looks so damn good.

When someone puts a pass on you aboard the Daytona 675 the first thing that grabs your attention is the howling exhaust note emanating from its under seat canister.

A trio of 225cc pistons provide some serious torque and low end grunt that are at the heart of what makes the Triumph such a thrilling motorcycle to ride.

Of all the things that can be said about the Triumph 675 the fact remains that this bike is one of the best combinations of power, weight and style that the class has ever produced.

A pair of 308mm rotors, radial-mount 4-piston calipers and steel braided brake lines give the Triumph Daytona 675 one of the better braking systems in the shootout. Lever action is light, consistent and provides fade-free performance on the track.

Considered the best all-around middleweight sportbike in Supersport Shootout IV just two years ago, the Triumph 675 is still one of our favorite middleweight motorcycles.

Make sure to watch the accompanying video. Sure the Triumph takes a great photo but it sounds even more-wicked than it looks and we made sure not to mask it with that confounded music.

If Triumph follows up this bike with an updated version for ’09, equipped with better suspension and give it a boost to the mid-range the Daytona 675 will be back in contention quickly. We’ll probably have to wait until 2010 for that dream machine.

Without a doubt the Supersport class is one of the most hotly contested markets in this industry so it should come as no surprise that this year the Triumph Daytona 675 is starting to show its age.

Burn, baby, burn!

The Daytona 675 feels light and the motor’s combination of sound and acceleration compelled a few of our riders to look past a few faults and rank it high in the all important Grin Factor category.

2008 Supersport Shootout - Triumph Daytona 675

Jimmy Moore: “The Triumph Daytona is a very fun bike to ride and it is an excellent trackday/streetbike.”

Although the street doesn’t seem like it would be a strong point of the 675 it is fun to ride in this environment because the motor has enough muscle to let the rider slack-off a bit and still have the juice to squirt ahead of the pack in a roll-on or to put a bit of distance on those pesky semis.

From the moment you climb on the Triumph it feels similar to the Ducati in that they are thin in the middle and have high, flat seats and low bars that make the riding position more track oriented than accommodating for commuter or daily driver duty but it’s less aggressive than the Ducati.