An old love-Daytona 675 back in the garage

MD · 7th April 2023, 20:18

Shit the years have ticked away. Back in ancient times, circa 2007 I bought a new Daytona 675. To this day I still consider it was the best chassis-suspension, handling bike I've ridden. I did 67,000km in three years on that beauty and countless trackdays. The Indian Scout is a keeper for sure but there are those sweet corners and urges for pace where I'd think, oh how I would have caned that corner on my ....

Well, I gave in and bought a 2012 Daytona. The joy is it was about the last generation of bikes made before ABS, before traction control, before power modes and bloody safety features here there and every bloody where interfered with our fun. I feel the joy of being 'unplugged' again. Fark I can stoppie again and this time without having to reset anything. Who needs ABS with brake control like this baby has.

Age has taken its' toll though and the head down, bum up position is extreme and leaves me, well a tad sore after 20 minutes! The exhilaration makes up for it luckily.

Best memories returning are; The near perfect handling when on pace through twisties; The weird triple whirling noise; stoppies, wheelies but I am struggling to get back into the swing of how to do them on this bike and at this point they are a tad feeble and more a work in progress. This 675 doesn't seem to have the upper rev range punch I remember to lift the front wheel. Maybe the standard muffler is strangling the HP.

So here's 2007 the way I remember it and 2012 (chilled). Oh yeah the seller gave me a set of new indicators to replace the floppy one on the front right. Sorted.

**F5 Dave** · 8th April 2023, 08:43

Stunning lookers. I often questioned if I should have bought the Daytona rather than the street, just for the riding position. But I figured I'd be sensible. . . hmm. . .

**sugilite:Me** · 8th April 2023, 09:06

Congratulations mate, what an upstanding wheelie!

At a hampton track day I was asked how an old pre-electronic age Aprillia was putting all the modern PlayStations to the sword. Told them a good place to start would be turning off all their bikes inhibitors. Personally I became one of those old farts the day I rode a bike with just a 1st and 2nd gear inhibitor, and immediately thought, yeah, NAH.

**roogazza** · 8th April 2023, 10:32

Two bikes ! ? you must have been a good boy !

I remember you doing great wheelies MD. good on ya !
I gave away trying to wheelie when i bought the GSX1400 both for bike sympathy and cos I get too scared now trying !!!
You must be nearing retirement no ??? Me , a birthday on Monday 70 bloody 4 !!!!!!

**release_the_bees** · 8th April 2023, 10:41

Originally Posted by F5 Dave

Stunning lookers. I often questioned if I should have bought the Daytona rather than the street, just for the riding position. But I figured I'd be sensible. . . hmm. . .

I've lost count of the number of times I've considered owning both simultaneously.

In my opinion, the Daytona 675 is one of the most beautiful bikes ever made, and I love that triple engine.

I don't think I'll ever sell my Street Triple.

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**merv** · 8th April 2023, 11:14

Nice one Mark.

MD · 8th April 2023, 12:39

Originally Posted by release_the_bees

In my opinion, the Daytona 675 is one of the most beautiful bikes ever made, and I love that triple engine.

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Thanks all for the comments.

That was one of the deciding factors in my search for a sporty bike. Triumph broke the mold when they designed the Daytona. 16+ years later and I can't take my eyes off it. Timeless styling. There have been some fugly bikes made since then.

I have to get the seat recovered. The old bloke who owned it couldn't get his leg over and his boots ripped into the vinyl. Might look at a muffler change but no rush for that. Oh in the above picture it had these elongated stems with larger mirrors fitted. The seller gave me the smaller originals so they are on now. Much nicer looking and still do the job, well kind of.

GAZZA- I had to get a second bike before I wear the Indian out. Doing too many miles on the thing and the clock is ticking. Few more years and maybe i won't be able to get my leg over a sportsbike. Still working but no longer banking - I work for your old employer! Cruisy sunset job to see me to retirement.

MD · 27th June 2023, 17:24

What do I say. Youth has abandoned me, bastard, or bitch? So, the Daytona was a tad uncomfortable. Not that I noticed that in 2007. Also, it just seemed to lack that instant grunt I enjoyed years ago. For six weekends in a row I blasted out for a back road blat to reclaim my youth and fall in love with the Dayt. Dating is like that, hard bloody work.

Mate texted me 3 weeks ago on Saturday morning, lets meet up. Sure, I leave home and 15 minutes later I stop. text him- meet me at TSS Motorcycles! I just couldn't enjoy the racetrack riding position another mile.

Nex minute. I'm test riding a near new 765. Four months old only. One careful owner. I had to do the Rimutakas to be sure. Instant love affair!!! Back to shop- deal done. I had put new Metzler's on the Dayt the week before. TSS swapped them over for me- thanks Lads.

Holy cow the Street Triple is a blast. Handles pretty much as good as the Dayt. On track the Dayt would be your weapon of choice. I'm not on track anymore so I'm loving the more upright position, still awesome handling, power and braking and all that shit. I was not a fan of the earlier Street looks but luckily Triumph have bit by bit added some lippy and bra padding and she's datable now. No paper bag required. In fact I really like the looks of this rendition. High tech crap is a tad annoying. Takes 7 steps to disable the TC but I do that now from memory reflex. What prat invented traction control?

Editors Disclaimer- wheelies are not wise and not recommended road safe behaviour.
This baby lofts the front up in 1st, 2nd and 3rd without hesitation. Pleasant fuel injection control allows finding the sweet balance point with ease. Can go for miles on the back wheel and even correcting direction is sweet. DISCLAIMER - not appropriate behaviour. Grow up you people.

The Indian Scout is a keeper and will see me into the retirement home. This pocket rocket may put me there in broken pieces, but they will be smiling broken pieces.

PS- anyone want to buy the Missus's car. I need to free up some room in the garage.

**onearmedbandit** · 27th June 2023, 19:07

Reading that put a smile on my face! Congrats and enjoy your new love affair. Oh don't feel bad about the wheelies, none of us are perfect and people need to understand that and accept us warts 'n' all. By people I mean police mostly.

**roogazza** · 28th June 2023, 07:12

Welcome to the other side MD, everyone arrives sooner or later !!!!

ps you're not a Gold Card holder yet surely ???).........

**F5 Dave** · 28th June 2023, 07:37

Ha, that looks familiar. The fork reflectors didn't survive the first night in the garage. They just pull off and adhesive comes off with meths or whatever.

**SaferRides** · 29th June 2023, 04:00

Which model did you buy?

Much as I still love riding it, the R1 is getting on (24 years, 160,000 km). I should take it off the road for a while and give it some TLC. But I have already had one go at replacing it without success, and a late model Street Triple might be a good option.

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**sugilite:Me** · 7th July 2023, 10:56

Originally Posted by MD

Editors Disclaimer- wheelies are not wise and not recommended road safe behaviour.
This baby lofts the front up in 1st, 2nd and 3rd without hesitation. Pleasant fuel injection control allows finding the sweet balance point with ease. Can go for miles on the back wheel and even correcting direction is sweet. DISCLAIMER - not appropriate behaviour. Grow up you people.

Well, unless it is a "safety wheelie" as in the example you so clearly display below - giving you an unimpeded view over the top of the traffic to see what is ahead. Cops should be giving you high fives for showing such initiative

MD · 9th July 2023, 18:44

Saferrides- I got a 765 RS
Sugilite- that photo was even funnier. It was taken at the Wairarapa 1/4 mile sprint event and a cop was at the waiting point at the end of our runs. Guess he wanted to test his radar out. With bikes approaching him at 280+kph it would have given him some amusing screen grabs to show his fellow Officers. I chatted with him a bit beside his car watching his radar results. I had done enough runs and it was stinking hot. We were melting waiting in our leathers & helmets for the last bikes to finish, before we could get back under some shade. So, I decided to pop the wheelie and call it a day in front of the cop.

**roogazza** · 10th July 2023, 10:46

Originally Posted by MD

Saferrides- I got a 765 RS
Sugilite- that photo was even funnier. It was taken at the Wairarapa 1/4 mile sprint event and a cop was at the waiting point at the end of our runs. Guess he wanted to test his radar out. With bikes approaching him at 280+kph it would have given him some amusing screen grabs to show his fellow Officers. I chatted with him a bit beside his car watching his radar results. I had done enough runs and it was stinking hot. We were melting waiting in our leathers & helmets for the last bikes to finish, before we could get back under some shade. So, I decided to pop the wheelie and call it a day in front of the cop.

Remember you doin those stand ups MD,you are very good at them.
Also , there a was a friend of yours who used to ride Doocatis,is he still riding? (had a concrete pumping business I think ?).