2025 Triumph Daytona 660 First Ride Review

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The 2025 Triumph Daytona 660 has arrived and we rode it in Spain. (Triumph/)

Sportbikes are making a comeback of sorts right now, especially in the middleweight class, albeit with lower-powered and more economical powerplants. Triumph hasn’t produced a normal production, fully faired sportbike since 2017, which was the final year of the Daytona 675R (the Daytona Moto2 765 was only made in limited numbers). Back then, Triumph—like the rest of its competitors—was still chasing supersport glory and building machines that put outright performance above everything else, even at the expense of practicality. For 2025 (available in April of this year), Triumph has released its brand-new Daytona 660. But does this bike live up to the fabled Daytona name? Or is it simply a reskinned Trident 660, the bike that it’s largely based on.

The Triumph Daytona 660 in Satin Granite. (Triumph/)

Without Supersport racing rules dictating displacements or engine configurations, the middleweight sportbike class has exploded with affordable, well-rounded machines. The Daytona 660 joins the likes of Yamaha’s YZF-R7, Aprilia’s RS 660, Honda’s CBR650R, Kawasaki’s Ninja 650 KRT Edition, and most recently Suzuki’s GSX-8R. The one thing that all of these machines have in common is the fact that they have been built to provide excellent real-world performance, and aren’t just racebikes disguised as streetbikes.

If you’re looking for a motorcycle that can be a great commuter, has faired sportbike styling, and can tackle twisty mountain roads on the weekends or even the occasional trackday, this new breed of middleweights can deliver it all. Even better is the fact that without expensive components and engines tuned for maximum racetrack performance, this new era of middleweights offers value not seen in a long time. So how does the Daytona 660 stack up? We flew to sunny Alicante, Spain, to find out.

Engine and Electronics

The first thing to know about the Daytona’s engine is that although it’s based on the unit that powers the Trident and Tiger Sport 660, there are some significant differences that increase performance by a healthy margin. The Daytona’s inline-triple is unique to the class, which sets it apart from the competition. It displaces 660cc with 74.0 x 51.1mm bore and stroke dimensions and features a 240-degree firing order.

An updated version of Triumph’s 660cc inline-three makes 17 percent more power than the unit in the Trident. (Triumph/)

In an effort to generate more performance than the unit in the Trident, Triumph’s engineers made quite a few changes. Starting with the engine’s internals, there is a new crankshaft, new pistons and wrist pins, a new cylinder head with larger exhaust valves, and a different exhaust cam that provides more lift than the unit in the Trident. On the intake side, the Trident’s single throttle body is replaced by a trio of 44mm units and a larger airbox. At the other end is a revised exhaust system with tweaks made to the catalytic converter for better flow and sound.

According to Triumph, these changes, and its increased redline (now set 20 percent higher at 12,650 rpm), have bumped horsepower to 95 at 11,250 rpm, which is a 17 percent increase over the Trident. Torque is also up, now at 51 lb.-ft., peaking at 8,250 rpm. But Triumph also says that more than 80 percent of the maximum torque is available from 3,125 to 11,750 rpm. More performance means more heat, so a larger and repositioned radiator is used to keep the engine running cool.

An updated exhaust has been altered for the best possible sound and flow. (Triumph/)

The drivetrain also received a bunch of changes, with a revised transmission that gets new input and output shafts and new internal gear ratios (taller first and second), and one less tooth on the countershaft sprocket. A new slip and assist clutch is used, while an optional up/down quickshifter can be ordered as an accessory.

We had the opportunity to put about 120 miles on the Daytona 660 in the mountains of southeastern Spain. A nice variety of roads included some fast and flowing stuff and some very tight and technical sections. A tap of the starter button wakes up that familiar three-cylinder soundtrack that we’ve become so enamored with over the years. Heading out of town into the mountains through dozens of roundabouts and stoplights, the 660 instantly shows what a versatile and flexible engine it is. Torque is easily accessible right off the bottom, requiring very few revs to get rolling as you feed out the light, cable-actuated clutch lever. In this environment the engine purrs along smoothly and is incredibly easy to ride in urban stop and go. With such a flat torque curve, you can short-shift through the gearbox for a super-relaxed ride.

The Triumph triple provides a great combination of low-down torque and top-end power. (Triumph/)

But don’t let the engine’s mellow low-rev nature fool you; snap the bike up out of a corner when a straight opens up in front of you and it wakes up instantly. Revs build in a very smooth but aggressive manner when you grab a handful of throttle. This engine really provides the best attributes of its parallel-twin competition down low, but pulls and spins much more aggressively than those machines do up top. That right there is the beauty of a triple: all the bottom-end torque that makes it a great city bike, combined with a snappy high-revving top-end that makes sporting roads a total blast. For sure, the 660 doesn’t offer the performance of its 675R ancestor (which made 117 hp at a higher 13,180 rpm back in 2017), but the torque figures are almost identical to that eight-year-old model despite the fact that this new 660 delivers its peak at a considerably lower and more usable rpm.

The left handlebar control pods feature a mode button and then an arrow pad to navigate the functions of the dash. (Triumph/)

The Triumph Daytona 660 has a simple but effective rider-aid suite. It utilizes ride-by-wire throttle control, enabling three different ride modes: Sport, Road, and Rain. Additionally, the Daytona has switchable traction control and two options for the throttle map including Road and Sport. If there is a consistent fact about European roads, it’s that you can pretty much guarantee that roundabouts will be slick with diesel fuel residue. Thankfully the Daytona 660′s traction control effectively intervenes when necessary otherwise we’d likely have been skittled off to the ditch on a couple of occasions.

The hybrid TFT/LCD dash displays all the necessary information, from bike info to modes and settings. (Triumph/)

In short, the 660′s engine and electronics package deliver exactly the kind of performance that riders are telling Triumph they are looking for, and in a machine that is priced for the masses. We have to agree that it’s almost impossible to fault this excellent engine when you get out and ride it in the real world; it’s undoubtedly one of the better performing and best sounding engines in this class.

Chassis

The Daytona 660 chassis is where it’s obvious that Triumph had to make some tough decisions in terms of costs versus higher-spec components. Once again, we think back to the Daytona 675R, which came equipped with top-of-the-line Öhlins suspension and Brembo brakes. But those goodies came with a premium price tag of $14,000 back in 2017. Fast-forward to the 660; the bike is a much more simple machine, with a steel frame and fabricated steel swingarm instead of the 675′s aluminum unit.

The frame is a tubular steel unit. (Triumph/)

Here is another area where the Daytona 660 differs from its Trident cousin: The Daytona has a longer 56.1-inch wheelbase compared to the Trident’s 55.2, while front end geometry is more aggressive with 23.8 degrees of rake and 3.2 inches of trail (compared to 24.6 degrees and 4.2 inches). Much like the competition, Triumph has forgone fancy suspension components in favor of more affordable and basic units front and rear. At the front is a Showa SFF-BP fork without any provisions for adjustment, while at the rear is a Showa monoshock with preload adjustability. Travel measures 4.3 inches front and 5.1 at the rear.

The 660’s swingarm is made of fabricated steel. The rear brake is a single-piston unit. (Triumph/)

Around town where broken pavement, speed humps, and potholes are aplenty, the suspension provides a soft and forgiving ride. In this environment, there is very little to complain about. The bike is comfortable without dishing out the type of overly harsh ride quality that trackworthy suspension sometimes delivers. The same can be said once you hit a twisty road at a moderate pace where the suspension still offers a comfortable ride. Get really aggressive and you start to find the limitations of the suspension setup. We dialed in some more preload to the rear shock to stiffen up the chassis a bit, but there is nothing you can do to the fork. At a fast pace the fork simply doesn’t have the damping to control the compression under really hard braking, and lacks the rebound control to keep the fork from extending too quickly after that. Although the suspension package is basic, it actually does a good overall job considering the price and intended target audience—which isn’t the supersport racebike enthusiast.

Up front are a pair of four-piston radial-mount calipers. The Showa SFF-BP fork is not adjustable. (Triumph/)

While the Trident has a pair of twin-piston brake calipers up front, the Daytona 660 gets a pair of house-branded (looking a lot like J.Juan) radial-mount four-piston units with 310mm discs and stainless steel brake lines. Overall, the braking system, like the suspension, performs well right up to the spiciest of attack modes. Around town there is nothing to complain about; it’s only when you dial up the aggression that you yearn for just a bit more power and bite from the front calipers. There honestly is very little wrong here, it’s just a case of so many sportbikes coming fitted with top-end Brembos these days that has changed our perception of what modern brakes are capable of. Once again, we’ll point to the price and audience and cut the Daytona some slack.

The Showa monoshock has preload adjustability. (Triumph/)

The Daytona 660 comes with 17-inch five-spoke aluminum wheels front and rear. The standard tire is Michelin’s brand-new Power 6, which is a road-oriented sport tire not designed for track use. As we said before, the roads in Europe can be polished and slick with diesel, so finding the tire’s limits (and therefore the bike’s) wasn’t in the cards.

The Daytona 660 is fun and responsive without being harsh or unforgiving. (Triumph/)

But those roads provided a good test for the Daytona’s handling. The chassis delivers good stability on every type of road, while turn-in is crisp without being too twitchy. Part of this has to do with the narrower handlebars that don’t afford the leverage that you get on a bike like the Street Triple 765 R. Overall, the chassis is competent and fun for a wide range of roads, offering sporty and fun handling without being harsh or overly demanding.

Ergonomics

It’s here that the theme of a well-rounded sportbike is obvious. The riding position is very comfortable for a sportbike, with the handlebars mounted above the top triple clamp and providing a more upright seating position that doesn’t dump your weight onto your wrists. Compared to the Trident’s even more upright cockpit, the Daytona’s bars are more than 4 inches lower, narrower, and set a bit more forward. The standard seat height is set at a reasonable 31.9 inches, offering a comfortable and not overly cramped relationship with the footpegs, which put your knees at a gentle bend. Seat comfort is quite good and offers a nice kick up at the back that gives your back support without throwing you into the back of the tank. In the Triumph accessory catalog there is a low seat option that drops the height to 31.3 inches.

The standard seat is set at 31.9 inches and is quite comfortable to complement the roomy riding position. (Triumph/)

The cockpit is roomy, allowing you to move around to get comfortable but to also position your body and hang off when cornering. Around town, the seat is low enough, and the bike narrow enough between the knees to allow a firm footing at stops, at least for this 5-foot-11 tester. Like the bike’s overall target, the ergonomics are sporty without being unforgiving and purely track focused, which in this class is the new standard.

Conclusion

Those of us who’ve been around long enough to have ridden the bulk of Triumph’s middleweight sportbikes, from the original TT600 through the iterations of the Daytona 675, couldn’t be more excited for the arrival of the Daytona 660. To be honest, we were bummed out when the 675R got dropped from Triumph’s lineup, after all, it was perhaps the most road-friendly motorcycle of all the surviving supersports like the Yamaha R6, Suzuki GSX-R600, Honda CBR600RR, and Kawasaki ZX-6R. But with fewer and fewer consumers looking for middleweight repli-racers, the current interest in more versatile models like this Daytona 660 is encouraging. Hopefully it’s the ticket to a larger middleweight sportbike revival.

The 2025 Triumph Daytona 660 in Carnival Red. (Triumph/)

As for the Daytona 660 and its place among its new competitors, we have to give credit where it’s due. It would be so easy to complain about the bike’s few shortcomings, but when you put it all into perspective, this $9,195 motorcycle delivers a ton of performance, amazing styling, and just so happens to be one of the least expensive models among the competition, with only the $8,899 Kawasaki Ninja 650 KRT Edition costing less and the Aprilia RS 660, with adjustable suspension, almost $2,500 more.

Priced at the lower end in its class, the Daytona 660 is a really fun sportbike. (Triumph/)

But does the 660 live up to the famous Daytona name, a name that in itself represents one of the most famous racetracks in the world? In short, yes. It may not be a hardcore supersport racebike, but as an all-arounder it is a fun and spirited motorcycle that has none of the shortcomings that those machines have in real-world riding. The one thing that gives it undeniable credibility is the character-rich triple that powers it. That right there has earned it the right to carry the Daytona name.

The footpegs are set at a sporty but not torturous level. (Triumph/)
The styling on the Daytona 660 is really nice in person. (Triumph/)
The 2025 Triumph Daytona 660. (Triumph/)

2024 Triumph Daytona 660 Specs

MSRP:	$9,195
Engine:	DOHC, liquid-cooled, four-stroke inline-three; 4 valves/cyl.
Displacement:	660cc
Bore x Stroke:	74.0 x 51.1mm
Compression Ratio:	12.1:1
Transmission/Final Drive:	6-speed/chain
Claimed Horsepower:	95 hp @ 11,250 rpm
Claimed Torque:	51 lb.-ft. @ 8,250 rpm
Fuel System:	Multipoint sequential electronic fuel injection w/ ride-by-wire electronic throttle control
Clutch:	Wet, multiplate slip/assist; cable actuation
Engine Management/Ignition:	Electronic
Frame:	Tubular steel perimeter
Front Suspension:	Showa 41mm inverted separate function big piston (SFF-BP) fork; 4.3 in. travel
Rear Suspension:	Showa monoshock, preload adjustable; 5.1 in. travel
Front Brake:	4-piston radial-mount calipers, floating 310mm discs w/ ABS
Rear Brake:	1-piston caliper, 220mm disc w/ ABS
Wheels, Front/Rear:	Cast aluminum; 17 x 3.5 in. / 17 x 5.5 in.
Tires, Front/Rear:	120/70-17 / 180/55-17
Rake/Trail:	23.8°/3.2 in.
Wheelbase:	56.1 in.
Ground Clearance:	N/A
Seat Height:	31.9 in.
Fuel Capacity:	3.7 gal.
Claimed Wet Weight:	443 lb.
Contact:	triumphmotorcycles.com

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