While the Triple may have been outclassed by the Four on the street, the Daytona 675's scalpel-like handling in the tight stuff made it a player on the track.
"The Triumph rips between 9,000 and 12,000 rpm," confirms Hutch. "It really rewards the rider when short-shifted since the power seems to plateau about 12,000 rpm, 2,000 shy of redline. And since it has what appears to be absolutely zero over-rev, you really have to pay attention and keep the motor in the right rev range."
Since there is only a 3000 rpm envelope between 80 hp and the Trumpet's 104-hp peak, it is easy to assume that the Triumph is tricky to keep on pipe, but this is not the case. The close-ratio, six-speed transmission has shorter gearing than the Suzuki, which makes it easier to keep decent power on tap. Compared to the GSX-R it does require more work, however, and once it is on the boil it seems to run out of gearing up top - especially when trying to track down the taller-geared Suzuki through a few of Infineon's short chutes. The Daytona is actually accelerating just a few tenths off the pace of the bigger GSX-R when you look at quarter-mile performance numbers, but on the track one slip up is more detrimental to the 675 than the 750's drive. Yet the Daytona is capable of closing the gap on the slower turns because it's very well-suited for tighter, slower stuff than the taller geared GSX-R. Are you keeping up? On a shorter, tighter circuit the Triumph might even rate better than the Suzuki, but the higher corner speeds played into the hands of the Gixxer on this day.
Unlike the Suzuki, the Triumph has very little engine braking which is a good thing considering that the 675 doesn't come with our new security blanket - a slipper clutch. That's why the Suzuki has the Triumph covered on corner entry. In addition to the slight edge the GSX-R has on the brakes the lack of a slipper on the 675 exhibits more rear tire hop and chatter which distracts from the task of judging entry speed and location compared to the silky smooth Suzuki. Like we mentioned though, sacrificing the free-wheeling effect for a bit of engine braking is a matter of preference. Some bikes work well without a torque-limiting device and the Daytona is one of them. But we still would rather have one than not.
The engine isn't the only thing that makes the Triumph stand out. The distinctive combination of an uncompromising riding position, aggressive steering geometry, quality suspension components, as well as an incredibly light weight, equate to a motorcycle that handles amazingly well. The 675 changes direction almost effortlessly and in the world of apex-strafing elbow-draggers this is a major plus.
The 2007 Suzuki GSX-R750 represents the perfect middle ground between the supersport and superbike.
"The 675 turns fast," exclaims Hutch. "It may even be more nimble than an R6, if you can believe it and it has the GSX-R beat. You simply think about turning and bam - the bike is on its side."
Although these bikes no longer have a home in the professional ranks of the premier classes in motorcycle road racing, they fill a unique niche like no other machine can. The Suzuki is the perfect middle ground between the more mundane acceleration associated with a 600cc bike and the ridiculous wheel-in-the-sky brutality of the liter-class missiles-all of which is offered without sacrificing handling. The $10,199 three-quarter liter steed might be the most well-rounded GSX-R in the line-up and that's why it is a great choice for someone who plans to commute more than the average sportbike rider, yet wants to have the extra snort afforded by the bigger motor. There's not much to whine about on the GSX-R750 because technically it does everything right. What it's missing is a distinct character to separate it from the crowd.
That's what the Daytona brings to the table. Edgy styling helps it stand out from the sea of Asian imports and it combines razor sharp handling with an intangible thing we like to call the Grin Factor - which is what true sport motorcycle riding is all about. Making the rider happy is what the Triumph does well and at $8999 there's plenty to smile about. Everything the 675 does is distinctive. From the throaty bark of its three-cylinder engine to the way the bike carves through corners, this is a machine that begs to be ridden at full tilt - and that fosters a unique rider/bike connection that makes riding it so damn enjoyable. The Triumph Daytona 675 is our Exile of choice.
