After the massive disappointment of the TT600, few were
expecting much from the Daytona 600 when it first appeared in 2003. But
despite going head to head with the likes of the brand new Honda CBR600RR
and Kawasaki ZX-6R, the Daytona acquitted itself very well indeed. It may
not have quite had the ultimate track performance, but on the road the
Daytona’s physical size and beautifully balanced chassis made it a real
star. It just needed a few more ponies in its motor…
In 2005 Triumph effectively copied Kawasaki’s lead and
increased the Daytona’s capacity to 646cc, although they stroked their
engine where Kawasaki bored theirs. The result was a fabulous road going
supersport bike.
The Daytona 650 is a brilliant used buy for someone looking
for a sporty supersport bike that isn’t full-on crazy. It’s the perfect
machine for rapid road riding or the occasional trackday but it isn’t so
track focused it loses out on road manners. The seat is well padded, the
clip-on bars not too extreme and the fairing is actually quite effective and
good looking. Compared to the dowdy CBR600F, the Daytona 650 has quite
modern angular styled. The engine is tuned for midrange rather than top end,
something that is boosted further by its larger capacity. And, best of all,
prices remain quite low.
If you want a real bargain then the Daytona 600 is it, but
if you want a better bike then save up the extra money and buy the 650
version, it is worth the extra investment.
What to look for
The Daytona is a reliable bike but during the mid-2000s
Triumph’s build quality left a bit to be desired and this can plague
used models. The major issues arise from the suspension linkages, which
were treated to the barest of minimum of grease by the factory and as a
result seize up. They should be stripped every 12,000 miles, but this
seldom happens. Also check over the brake discs for rust, the fasteners
for signs of corrosion or rounding due to them seizing in place, and the
fairing for cracked lugs. The Daytona comes with steel braided brake
likes as standard, but the calipers are very poor quality and need to be
stripped and rebuilt every few years to get the best from them. The same
is true of the suspension, which by now will need a refresh. If the bike
has a race can fitted it should also run the Triumph official race ECU
map, if it doesn’t it won’t get any performance benefits from the can.
The gear change is better on the 650 than the 600, but it’s still not
brilliant and the fitment of some rearsets vastly improves its action. A
few owners report cam chain and stator issues, but these are fairly rare
and tricky to predict or spot on a used bike.
Any updates?
The original Daytona 600 ran from 2003 until 2005, when
the 650 replaced it. The 650 is essentially the same bike but with a
3.1mm increase in stroke that sees its capacity rise to 646cc while
alterations to the gear linkage helps improve its action and new clutch
plates and ECU map irons out a few other faults. The 650 also comes with
a matt black exhaust as standard while the 600 has a metallic finish.
The Daytona 650 remained unchanged until it was replaced by the all-new
Daytona 675 in 2006.
What to pay?
The inline-four Daytona models have a strong fan base but
prices remain quite low. An early 2003 599cc model can be found for as
little as £1,800 in a private sale with tidy examples going for £2,200 and
dealers asking in the £2,400 to £3,200 area for a late 2005 model. Prices
for the more popular 650 start at £2,900 and generally stop at the £3,800
mark for a late 2006 bike in excellent condition.