2007 Triumph Street Triple (675) - Review

[Devil]

Ok, Had the day off yesterday and it was perfect bike testing weather so I thought I'd pop down to Holeshot to take the new Street Triple for a blast, since it had finally been run in.

I had approached this test with some sceptisism regarding the non-adjustable suspension (rear preload only) and 2 piston front brake calipers. Other than those two things, it looked like a potential successor to my much-loved Speed Four which has just come up on 55,000km over the last two years (and is running beautifully I might add).

With an initial walk around the gleaming black beauty you can see that it's a tiny bike. I love the look though, it's totally me. Climb aboard and the tiny theme continues. Very skinny, very light. All controls fall to hand nicely, and have a tidy, quality feel to them as we've come to expect from late model Triumphs.
The dash is a neat, compact unit with all the features of the recent models, Digital speedo, analogue tacho combo. Trip computer, trip time, average speed, top speed, lap timer (ooo!), average fuel consumption, current fuel consumption and clock of course!

On firing up the bike, it's unmistakably triple. They sound just gorgeous and this particular unit has some great quick-revving character to it.
Trundling out onto the road, easing out the light, smooth clutch you notice that it provides very tractable power delivery right from the bottom of the tacho. Already feeling like a great commuter and traffic carver, the gearbox is positive and smooth. All controls are light, the bars positioned well with comfortable pegs. The bike feels unbelieveably small and light beneath you. It really is tiny. I was reading that she weighs in at a miniscule 190kg fully wet (full tank!), for reference thats approximately the dry weight of the SPEED Triple.

My trip for today was Kaukapakapa and back, on SH16 via the riverhead-coatesville highway so off I pootled in that direction already with a grin on my face. Not sure what had come over me, maybe it was the bike, but every traffic light I reached seemed to include a personal invitation to wheelie. This bike hoists the front wheel with minimal effort, infact it seems to encourage you to do so. The easiest bike I've wheelied, ever. Pop her up under throttle in first, then shift to second and then into third, it's so easy and so controllable! This thing will have newbies turning into stunters in a day!

Out into the twisties around riverhead-coatesville and this thing comes into it's own. I'd found out already it was a great street bike, but out here, it's an absolute riot. A hooligan in fact! It turns so easy, with an enormous amount of mid corner stability, yet still with the ability to change lines at whim. The torquey powerplant and short gearing just firing you out of the corners, occasionally with the front wheel on the ground should you so desire ;)
The non-adjustable suspension seems to be well sprung with all surfaces in mind. I could feel that it does better on the smoother roads as the front end appears a little under damped, which leads me onto the next topic, stoppies...

[Devil]

I had seen some of the Street Triples release footage with stunter Kevin Carmichael pulling 12 o'clock wheelies and huge stoppies. I had a been a little sceptical as stated previously regarding the 2 pot front calipers, so decided to give them a solid squeeze with two fingers at about 100km/h. Next thing I know, the back wheel is in the air at about 80km/h and i've puckered. I hope those testicle marks will buff out of the tank before I have to return the bike. Seriously, the brakes are well matched to the bike, with sexy braided lines. They have no trouble pulling the bike up in a hurry. Sorting the front suspension will fix the dive, which was resulting in the rolling stoppies, something I'd want to cure before visiting a track day!

My Speed Four was often touted as a bit of a hooligans machine. I'm very pleased to say the Street Triple has continued the tradition beautifully. It sings, it dances, plays music and loves a bloody good scratch. This bike is an absolute hoot. It is completely at home in town and on a tight back road, intoxicating you with it's lovely induction growl, wicked wheelies and almost non-existant weight. I'm in love.

The only gripe at the end of the day for me, would be the simple suspension. This will cover a great range of riders, but these days as i've gathered experience and speed, it's not quite enough for me. I'll be hunting down potential after market solutions (it appears Ohlins dont do it, surprise surprise, they never did it for me speed four either, but will enquire as to whether the Daytona 675's may fit the bill...). The mirrors are stylish and vibration free, the seat is good, but only good. It'd be on my list to change, an accessory gel seat is an option from Triumph. Although I didn't scrape any pegs on my ride I dont think it'd be long before they were ground to smithereens. Maybe a set of nice rear-set foot pegs would be the go, and ditch those dodgy OEM Dunlop Qualifiers while I was at it.

All summed up, this bike is the only machine that has made me consider getting off my Speed Four, and I've been a total bike whore over the last two years, this is the first one that has really pushed my buttons. It's an absolute scream to ride. Book your demo today!

Thanks go to Holeshot for letting me disappear with it for a couple of hours. Go see Carl there and get him to show you round that sexy black bike.

RRP $14,995.

Update 1: Ohlins will be providing suspension for this bike, beginning in 2008. No more specific info available
Update 2: They're sold out of Street Triple's till end Dec/Jan :(

[007XX]

GAaaaaaaahhh :drool: :angry2::drool::angry2::drool:

I want it, I want ,I want it

:crazy::crazy:

[007XX]

Oh and just found an interesting little link for illustration of this most excellent review (well done Devil)....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mxeQ2Ikmr4

[jrandom]

Hmmm!

All right, I'm booking a test ride.

[skelstar]

Strange, quite a list of mods there Matt, maybe better to buy a 675 Daytona and make it a nekid?

Cheers for the read :niceone:

[Blackbird]

Thanks for that, great write-up. On my shopping list if I get too old and infirm to ride the Blackbird:2thumbsup

[Devil]

Strange, quite a list of mods there Matt, maybe better to buy a 675 Daytona and make it a nekid?

Cheers for the read :niceone:

Heh, nah, definately love the Street. The only NEED for me, is the suspension change. The seat was good, and the way i've been riding lately, the rearsets would be a good idea. But what Triumph has done is built a great "complete" bike. I'd suggest the target market isn't going to give it a hiding on the track like i've been doing with the Speed Four, knee down and all that...

[trumpy]

Dang! I wish you hadn't written that......blew away all my excuses (apart from th new kitchen, new bathroom etc) for getting one. Will have to have a serious talk with my Minister of Finance..........maybe a little bribery?......any suggestions?......

[SVboy]

Nice review!

[marioc]

newbie friendly? first bigger bike?

[Blackbird]

Dang! I wish you hadn't written that......blew away all my excuses (apart from th new kitchen, new bathroom etc) for getting one. Will have to have a serious talk with my Minister of Finance..........maybe a little bribery?......any suggestions?......

Hi Robert - buy your "Management" a new (well, 20000 km) MX 5 just like I've done for my Management as a hedge against future bike purchases. It's a bloody expensive way of doing things but it seems to work (mostly:laugh:)

[Devil]

newbie friendly? first bigger bike?
I think it would be fine for a first bigger bike. For a sensible rider.
It is certainly not slow, but the power is very progressive. There's plenty of torque to play with there. For a more inexperienced rider I would exercise caution around the brakes, you could find them a little touchy. Perhaps its habit of wanting to wheelie may be a bad thing, but it is pretty gentle.

[deanohit]

Sounds awesome mate, will be looking at one of these in the (far) future.

[El Dopa]

Strange, quite a list of mods there Matt, maybe better to buy a 675 Daytona and make it a nekid?

Harder than you'd think, by all accounts.....

I've given this a bit of thought, and done a bit of research. Apparently, there's a few bits and bobs tucked away behind the Daytona's nose fairing that would have to find a new home when you took the fairing off.

Then, you'd have to change the top triple, or engineer a new solution, as the Daytona's one isn't a solid 1-piece item - it has holes through it. Makes mounting yer moto-x bars a bit harder.

And if you wanted to go the whole hog, you'd change the tail around....

You'd possibly be better off sourcing a Daytona rear shock and front end, and upgrading your Street triple that way to end up in the same place. But it seems a bit of a waste to do that to a brand new bike.

My hope is that Triumph bring out a deluxe version in the next year or so. Pay a bit extra and get better suspension/brakes.

[RantyDave]

My hope is that Triumph bring out a deluxe version in the next year or so.
An "R" or a "Factory"? Would be nice, but not going to happen - they don't appear to have done that for any of their other bikes, so why the Street 675? Anyway, isn't the go faster version called a speed triple?

Dave

[Devil]

You'd possibly be better off sourcing a Daytona rear shock and front end, and upgrading your Street triple that way to end up in the same place. But it seems a bit of a waste to do that to a brand new bike.

My hope is that Triumph bring out a deluxe version in the next year or so. Pay a bit extra and get better suspension/brakes.

Yeh, too much work to modify the Daytona. But as mentioned in my review, dont worry about the brakes! They're just fine.

You'll probably find the suspension fine too...
Need to get it into a bumpier road like SH16 to find out what i'm talking about.

[El Dopa]

An "R" or a "Factory"? Would be nice, but not going to happen - they don't appear to have done that for any of their other bikes, so why the Street 675? Anyway, isn't the go faster version called a speed triple?

Dave

The money in my bank account to pay for a new bike is imaginary. So the bike might as well be, too. Street Triple 675R! Amazing! Another winner from Triumph!

[Scouse]

Oh and just found an interesting little link for illustration of this most excellent review (well done Devil)....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mxeQ2Ikmr4The guy trying to do the wheelie's is useless

[Xile]

I'm in love
nice summary!


I think it would be fine for a first bigger bike. For a sensible rider.
For a more inexperienced rider I would exercise caution around the brakes, you could find them a little touchy. Perhaps its habit of wanting to wheelie may be a bad thing, but it is pretty gentle.

So could I play with the toy? I'm a sensible rider experienced and would be third big bike...oh and I want to learn wheelies...hehe
Might have a taste of it ey!

[Kelem]

Good review

[86GSXR]

Great review. I've looked at one in the shop down here and they are NICE :niceone:

[skelstar]

So Matt, maybe you aren't the intended market for this bike? ...perhaps a nekid that is built to handle like a Tuono or something instead?

[007XX]

The guy trying to do the wheelie's is useless

True...just as well it does not make the whole moveie then , eh? So did you like the rest of it though? ;)

[Devil]

So Matt, maybe you aren't the intended market for this bike? ...perhaps a nekid that is built to handle like a Tuono or something instead?

I agree. But small issue. Street Triple = $14,995, Tuono R (base model) = $24,995
:( <--- Sad panda

[skelstar]

I agree. But small issue. Street Triple = $14,995, Tuono R (base model) = $24,995
:( <--- Sad panda

www.ktlbikes.co.nz :) <--- Happy panda! (brutales, K1200R's)

[Tank]

Nice review - thanks for taking the time to write it. I got to admit that its a fantastic looking bike and sounds (to me) fantastic.

If I wasnt so old and fat I would have one in a heart beat.

[Scouse]

I agree. But small issue. Street Triple = $14,995, Tuono R (base model) = $24,995
:( <--- Sad pandaLooks like the sencible compromise is a Speed Triple then at $19,990 eh.

[Devil]

Looks like the sencible compromise is a Speed Triple then at $19,990 eh.

Apart from the "pillion seat". In quotes for obvious reasons. Unfortunately it is a requirement for me.

How's the brakes and suspension on the '07?

[El Dopa]

Apart from the "pillion seat". In quotes for obvious reasons. Unfortunately it is a requirement for me.

How's the brakes and suspension on the '07?

Aftermarket bits starting to come through....

I like these (http://www.bos-exhausts.com/cat/0800867-ned.html), but it looks like this one (http://moto.caradisiac.com/Devil-habille-la-Street-triple-684)might be more suitable for you. Arf!

[trumpy]

Not totally sold on the twin mufflers thing....I like this better:

[Devil]

I've talked to Ohlins Sweden and they've said they'll be doing suspension for the Street Triple in 2008 (no more info as yet, or more solid dates).

Trumpy: I'm the other way, i like the twins and don't like the "low boy" exhaust (plus you lose the pillion pegs)

[trumpy]

No problem for me.......I don't pillion (staying upright by myself is hard enough....):rolleyes:

[HenryDorsetCase]

thanks a bunch for the review. doubtless you've seen the other thread about suspension etc.

I have been offered a testride, so will definitely take it for a spin.

[Devil]

doubtless you've seen the other thread about suspension etc.

Yeah, that was mine ;)

[SPman]

They aren't in Perth until the end of the month, but It's right on top of the list for possible FZ1 replacement.
$11,990 out here I think.

[Devil]

*sigh*
It seems they've run out of them till end of December or January.

[mstriumph]

Oh and just found an interesting little link for illustration of this most excellent review (well done Devil)....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mxeQ2Ikmr4

it'd be fine if it weren't for that wretched french person so keen to keep proving he can count up to three ............... :whistle:

agree though, GREAT review, Devil :clap:

[007XX]

it'd be fine if it weren't for that wretched french person so keen to keep proving he can count up to three ............... :whistle:

agree though, GREAT review, Devil :clap:

:confused: eeehhh??? .....(never actually watched it with sound).

:clap:I'll take your word for it...:rofl:

:clap:Un, Deux, Trois....:bleh:

[Kickaha]

*sigh*
It seems they've run out of them till end of December or January.

There's one in Street and Sport in Chch

Clutch is to heavy, bars aren't quite right

[Devil]

There's one in Street and Sport in Chch

Clutch is to heavy, bars aren't quite right

Clutch too heavy? Yikes, best you not get on my Speed Four then! Or an SV1000... or Tuono...or (the list goes on). Maybe there was something wrong with the one you played with. Thought it was pretty light meself...
Maybe I'm just used to it.

Yeh, naked bar position is quite subjective. Was pretty good for my size though.

[Atlas shrugged]

I was hoping to get one of these bikes one day, that is if i ever make up my mind as to exactly what I want