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NOVEMBER 26, 2003 MOTOR CYCLE NEWS 27

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SATURDAY 29TH NOVEMBER ‘03

LINCOLN

28 MOTOR CYCLE NEWS NOVEMBER 26, 2003

ROAD TESTJ TRIUMPH DAYTONA 955i 90%

One for the roadTriumph’s Daytona 955i

has long been a realsuperbike for the real

world. The 2004version fills the brief

better than ever

1997 T595 DAYTONAAN all-new sports model with a 955cc in-line,water-cooled engine, Sagem fuel injection and acrank-measured 128bhp output. The polishedaluminium trellis-type frame with single-sidedswingarm was a radical departure from Triumph’smodular steel-spine frame. Finished with sublimeShowa suspension it proved to be an effectivesports and ride-to-work tool.

1999 DAYTONA 955iTHE T595 was refined in 1999 when it gainedfresh graphics (becoming the Daytona 955i ratherthan the T595 Daytona), new throttle bodies andcamshafts for a crisper response, and a revisedheader pipe routing for improved groundclearance. Chassis mods were slight: A new, morecompliant rear shock was added and the framegot a silver-painted finish rather than bare metal.

TR

IUM

PH

TIM

E L

INE

1991 DAYTONA 750THE first modern Daytonas were the 1000ccfour-cylinder and 750cc triple (below), launchedin 1991. For 1993, they were replaced by theDaytona 1200 four and 900 triple, withconsiderably more performance. The bike alsogained new silencers, a lower screen, restyledrear end, fully adjustable suspension and widerwheel rims.

2000 DAYTONA 955iTHE only major change was a 15mm reduction inwheelbase for sharper handling. It transformedthe bike and it was heralded as the best Daytonayet – a keen rider could keep up with the packsof Yamaha R1s and Suzuki GSX-R1000s. Therewere cosmetic changes, too: New graphics,gunmetal coloured wheels and a brushed steelsilencer.

BY MATT WILDEEPICTURES HOWARD BOYLAN

NOVEMBER 26, 2003 MOTOR CYCLE NEWS 29

TRIUMPH’SDaytona 955i hashad a significantupdate for 2004 –but some cynicsmight call it little

more than cosmetic surgery. A new fairing, mirrors and

tailpiece give it a sharper,modern look. But at a time whenall big-bore sports bikes havebecome faster and more sharplyfocused, can the British triplestill hold its head high? AfterMCN’s first ride on thecompany’s new flagship, ouranswer is an emphatic yes.Here’s why…

Built in Britain – Hinckley,Leicestershire to be precise – theDaytona 955i was made forBritish roads. Sharper sportsbikes such as Yamaha’s R1 andSuzuki’s GSX-R1000 need a racetrack to wring the best fromthem. The Daytona is different.

Agility coupled with a strongthree-cylinder

mid-range drive turnsa twisting A-road intomore fun thanDonington Park. This is even true in

the wet because the mixof a fairly hefty (191kg)

and responsive chassis conspireto provide a safe, reassuringride.

In fact few bikes inspire asmuch confidence to go fast asthe solid and stable newDaytona. It may lack the razorresponses and massive poweroutput of its Japanese rivals, buton the road it is all the better forit. The Showa suspension frontand rear, is compliant withoutbeing soft and does not detractfrom the exceptional feedbackthrough the 45mm forks.

No matter what the conditions,you know exactly what the 955iis up to and how much gripyou’ve got left. Every rise andfall in the road, every surfacechange is telegraphed straight toyou. If you need a machine thatgives the confidence to eke out acouple of extra mph on a winterblast, this is the one.

Lean is managed in a similarlycalm and orderly fashion. The955i treads a fine line betweenstability and quick steering andgets away with it. How fast itdrops into corners is down you –not the bike’s steering geometry.If a bend tightens, a push on theinside bar is all that is requiredto keep it on line. No drama, the

955i simply does as it’s told.Things aren’t quite as rosy

when it comes to coming out ofcorners, however. Exiting slowturns reveals a tendency to runslightly wide of the chosen mark,and unless you keep on top of ityou end up about a foot fromwhere you wanted to be.

As you get on the gas moreinput is needed through the clip-ons to keep on track. Get used toit and it is not much of aproblem, but you do find youleave a little bit in reserve, just incase.

Apart from this, coming out offast corners is a good place to beon the Daytona. The smooth andaccessible mid-range encourageswinding the throttle on early andhard. The three-cylinder motorwill pull from around 2000rpmin top with barely a shudder ofprotest through the frame.Usable power – the stuff thatdemands a firmer grip on theclip-ons – begins at about4500rpm. And from here powerbuilds strongly, but controllably,enabling you to blend drive withgrip as the road opens up. Thelinear response meansthat slides from therear tyre only come if

you are exceptionally hamfisted.But keep the motor revving

and it quickly becomes apparentthat there is more to theDaytona than just mid-rangemuscle. At 8000rpm the snarling955i gets a sudden hunger forrevs. A deep resonance builds inthe airbox, the exhaust notehardens and the Triumph lungesforward on its long-leggedgearing with the digital speedostruggling to keep up. The 955i’sprogress is relentless.

Common wisdom is that, withany triple-powered Triumph, thecompany’s own race end can is amust. The high-level £349.99carbon version on our test bikegives a juicy ‘brooor’ on thethrottle, but is a bit over the topat high rpm around town. It alsopops and bangs on the over-runand night rides are frequentlyilluminated by spits of bluey-reddy-yellow flames on theoverrun. That can might be quietat 30mph in third gear, but itemits a feral snarl as engine revsrise. And if you chase the redlinethe 955i will provide the sort ofrasping soundtrack only a triplecan deliver. As far as your ears

e for the road

DUCATI 998 FINAL EDITION£13,495IT is a twin and an expensive one at that, but to many the 998is the definitive twin, blending massive grunt with race trackhandling. Unfortunately that hasn’t stopped Ducati deleting itfrom its range next year – hence the Final Edition tag. A revisedvented tail piece with new graphics and Ohlins supension allround will set it apart. But is that enough to justify the price?

2001 DAYTONA 955iNEW head, valves (with narrower angle), pistonsand rods (for a higher 12:1 compression ratio)helped raise power to 147bhp. Injection, coolingand lubrication systems were tweaked andweight dropped by 10kg to 188kg, mostly due tothe double-sided swingarm. Steeper geometrysharpened steering. A bigger tank, new clocks,and a major restyle were added, too.

2002 CENTENNIALIN celebration of 100 years of Triumph, a limitededition Centennial Daytona 955i was released inBritish Racing Green with special decals. The bikealso featured a return to the popular single-sidedswingarm. This ‘muscle’ arm also re-appearedlater, on the standard Daytona 955i, along withnew carbon-fibre fairing in-fill panels and sidepanels.

SECONDHAND values ofTriumph’s 955i range hold upmuch better than the earlyT595 because the T595 isviewed as old and dealers onlywant “modern stuff” – that is,bikes less than three years old.

Having said that, private salesin MCN BikeMart Weekly revealthat an older version can stillcommand good money.

Typically a P-reg bike will gofor anything from £2800 to£3500, and there is often theextra bonus that bikes have theusual add-ons of tinted screen

and rear hugger – saving thecost of buying them yourself.

At dealers, of course, the storyis slightly different. They ramp upprices because often they willknow the bike concerned havingbeen responsible for most of itsservicing. An R-reg machine atHughendon M40, for example,was advertised at £3899.

We picked out two W-regexamples of the more recent955i – one, a single-owner bikepriced at £4895, the other£4995. A machine that’s a yearyounger will be around £5299.And they sell, fast. Triumph has areputation for reliability – and adealer warranty is the icing onthe cake.

THE OPPOSITIONKAWASAKI ZX-9R F2P £8345THE ageing ZX-9R still packs plenty of punch with a claimed144bhp and the same confidence-inspiring chassis attributes asthe Daytona 955i. If you want one at the right price now is agood time for a deal – 2004 will be the last year of the ZX-9Rand dealers want to clear existing stocks.

GSX-R750 K4 £7749 (tbc)THE 750 is not dead, at least not according to Suzuki which isthe only manufacturer still building a four-cylinder 750 sportster.The GSX-R has always benefited from being light and nimbleand for 2004 it has gone a step further. The new K4 is lighter(163kg), with more poke (a claimed 148bhp) and is styled likethe GSX-R1000 – MCN’s best sports bike over 601cc in 2003.

BUYING USED

NEW bodywork givesthe latest Daytona a

fresher look – but itsreal-world advantages

remain

CONTINUES OVER

Continues over

30 MOTOR CYCLE NEWS NOVEMBER 26, 2003

ROAD TEST

are concerned, a race-canequipped 955i is as race bred as aFoggy FP1 or MotoGP Aprilia RS3.

As the Triumph is fairly slow-revving compared to R1s and GSX-R1000s, you can find yourselfapproaching corners 20mph fasterthan anticipated – meaning youneed to get rid of speed fast.

Thankfully, the twin four-pistoncalipers are more than up to thejob. In a world where radialcalipers and wavy discs are fastbecoming the norm, the Daytona’sunderstated calipers may look old-tech, but they are up there withthe best.

Initial bite is strong and speed isshed easily, despite the long levertravel and spongy feel at standstill.Set the lever’s span to your liking,though, and it won’t budge fromthat point regardless of how hardthe calipers are worked.

As with previous Daytonas, thegearbox isn’t the sweetest around.Clutchless changes require a heftyboot and the shift from second tothird is the most uncooperative ofall. Using the clutch, each shift ofthe cogs is matched by aresounding ‘clack’. But theDaytona only hit a false neutralonce during our test and thatcould possibly have been avoidedwith the lever moved into aneasier-to-reach position.

Early 955is always looked a littleunfinished with tangled wires ondisplay up front. But with the newnose-job, Triumph has sorted thecockpit. It still has the same easy-to-read LCD speedo and analoguetacho as the old model, but nowthe wires are concealed. And thenew enclosed fairing design meansthat you can no longer see theworld rushing below you as youtuck in behind the screen. Themakeover has turned an alreadyquality product into an even bettermachine.

But there is still detailing thatcould be improved. The pressed-out footrest guards and rough-castpillion peg hangers detract fromquality items like the neat castingof the single-sided swingarm andthe deep paint. And there’ssomething not quite right with theheadlights. On dipped beam at

night there’s a definite, wide butangular beam picking out theverge and road ahead. But there’salso a lot of unnecessary lightabove it. While it’s not intenseenough to be of much use it doesfill car rear and side mirrorsenough to dazzle the driver. Andquick adjustments of the beamseemed to make little difference tothe amount of head-shaking, fist-waving and mirror-adjustmentfrom car drivers that accompaniesevery nightime ride.

The Daytona remains a sportsbike of the old school. Its big,bruising style and sheer physicalsize means comfort is excellent. Soas well as being designed with realroads in mind it also fits realpeople. The riding position iscomfortable, even for the lanky,and the reach to the bars isstretch-free. It all adds up to apackage that is easy to do bigmileage on.

The practicalities don’t stopthere. The new fairing gives morewind protection than before andopting for a taller aftermarketscreen will make things better still.The 21-litre tank is easily enoughfor 150 miles between fuel stopsand the new streamlined tail piecehas space for a lock and a set ofwaterproofs. You wouldn’t get allthat with the underseat exhaustsof the new Fazer 600 and R1.

When the original T595 Daytonawas launched in 1997 it was seenas a direct rival to bikes like theDucati 916 and Honda FireBlade.Now the game has moved on andleft the Daytona behind. While theothers have got smaller, lighter,faster and more powerful, theDaytona now resides in the landthat divides full-on superbike fromsports-tourer.

But the middle ground isn’talways a bad place to be. TheDaytona offers accessible powerand reassuring handling at a timewhen big-bore bikes are sharper,snappier and too scary for some.The 955i may no longer be cuttingedge, but it is still a sharp tool andmore than capable of cutting afine dash. With the updatedbodywork it now looks thebusiness as well as doing it.l Thanks to Jack Lilley Ltd(01784-420421)

FIVE MINUTE FIDDLETHE 955i has Showa suspensionwhich, though mass produced andbuilt to a price, is very good. It isalso fully adjustable for pre-load,compression and rebounddamping front and rear.

It is well set-up straight from thecrate. Stock settings will suit mostwho use it purely for the road andwe only made minimal changesbased on a fast 15st 7lb rider.

The forks are well damped buton initial braking use up a lot ofthe fork travel. Two full turnsclockwise of the pre-loadadjusters (with a 14mm open-ended spanner) so that only four(instead of five) reference marksare showing reduces this well.

Track work required more forkrebound damping to slow thespeed to full extension whenreleasing the brakes. Three-quarters of a turn extra with aflat-bladed screwdriver was

plenty to ensure stability. The shock has a tendency to

kick off over a series of bumps.Reducing rebound (the screwadjuster at the base of the shock)by half a turn improves ridecomfort, but for fast use onsmooth surfaces the originalsetting is fine.

STANDARD suspension settingsare good but a tweak helps

955i rivalsGSX-R and R1 in acceleration

SPEED TIME DISTANCE (MPH) (SEC) (M)

50 1.40 28.0560 2.80 62.3970 4.35 107.4180 5.95 161.1890 7.60 223.95100 9.40 300.44110 11.45 396.66120 13.75 515.08

TOP GEAR ROLL ON

WITH such alinear torquecurve theDaytona iscomparable to abig twin for theinstant drive itdelivers. This testis conductedfrom 40mph

SPEED TIME DISTANCE (MPH) (SEC) (M)

10 0.56 1.1620 1.06 4.4930 1.53 9.7140 2.01 17.3150 2.54 27.8460 2.99 39.0370 3.67 58.7980 4.34 81.3390 5.08 109.51100 6.14 154.44110 7.13 201.22120 8.57 276.06130 10.12 362.47140 11.99 475.70150 15.53 705.20160 23.46 1186.59

ACCELERATION

A SUB-THREEsecond zero to60mph time istruly exceptional– Suzuki’s GSX-R1000 canonly manage it in3.05sec. TheDaytona’s bulkplays a significantrole here byhelping to keepthe front wheeldown, but not asmuch asTriumph’s abilityto tune the motorfor instant drive.

STANDING QUARTER-MILE ACCELERATION

BRAKING FROM 70-0MPH

TOP SPEED

35.78sec

STRONG braking indeedconsidering the Daytona is nolightweight.

A TIME comparable to an R1. TheDaytona’s heavier weight helpedkeep the front wheel on the deck.

A TRUE 167mph (180-ish on thespeedo) is not to be sniffed at.And all the while rock solid.

132.14mph10.80sec

47.63m 3.15sec

Time taken to cover 1/4 mile Terminal speed

Time taken to reach top speed Top speed

Time taken Distance covered

167.18mph

From previous page

ALTHOUGH slightly largerand heavier than R1s andGSX-R1000s, it makes theDaytona’s handling is morepredictable and secure

NOVEMBER 26, 2003 MOTOR CYCLE NEWS 31

OVERALL LENGTH: 2072mm

WHEELBASE: 1426mm

RAKE: 22.5°

HEI

GH

T: 1

165

mm

WID

TH: 7

25m

m

OV

ER S

EAT:

18

80

mm

FUEL: 39mpg, 21litres, 180miles

SPECIFICATION:Engine: Liquid-cooled, 955cc(79mm x 65mm), 12v dohc 4-strokein-line triple. Fuel injection. Six gearsChassis: Aluminium alloy perimeterFront suspension: 45mm Showaforks, adjustable for pre-load,rebound and compression damping.Rear suspension: Single shock withrising-rate linkage, adjustable forpre-load, rebound and compressiondamping.Tyres: Bridgestone BT010; 120/70 x17 front, 190/50 x 17 rear, Brakes: 2 x 320mm front discs withfour-piston calipers, 220mm reardisc with twin-piston caliper

PROS l Useable mid-range and strong top end l Confidence-inspiring handling l Comfortable l Excellent brakes

CONS l Gearbox isn’t as slick as it could be l Screen too low to deflect windblast at high speeds l Needs a rear hugger 90%

TRIUMPHDAYTONA 955i£7999 otrAvailable: Now. 24 monthsunlimited mileage waranty, 12months RAC recovery.Colours: Black, red, yellowNew for 2004: Revised frontfairing, lights, tail pieceInsurance group: 15 (of 17)Info: Triumph: 01455-251-700Note: A special edition all-blackversion is available at no extra cost. TRAIL: 78.7mm

WEIGHT: 191kg (421lb)

730mm

900mm 420mm

What a Daytona owner thinks...NAME: Wayne JenkinsJOB: Business developmentmanagerAGE: 37BIKE: 1999 Daytona 955iMILEAGE: 16,890PREVIOUS BIKES: HondaCBR600F (two), Kawasaki ZXR750

WAYNE JENKINS has owned his995i from new. And the reason hebought it was: “Because at the timeit was different to anything else. Ihad an inkling it would make agood road bike and that’s all I wasinterested in at the time.”

During his four years ofownership Jenkins’ interests havediversified and track days are now amajor part of the bike’s all-yearuse. Subsequently it has undergonesome modifications.

To speed up the steering the rearride height has been lifted with theuse of one-off adjustable linkages.An Ohlins rear shock, sprung anddamped for Jenkins’ 14-stone, hasreplaced what he considered anover-sprung standard rear item. Apattern fairing is used in caseanything unfortunate happens.

For improved acceleration, thefront sprocket is now 17-tooth inplace of the 18-tooth stock item. ARenegade twin-can, underseatexhaust blends nicely with anaftermarket undertray – fittedbecause a chain broke at 130mph

and ‘obliterated the back end’. ADynojet Power Commander PC3 –with fuel-mapping downloadedfrom the internet – assists mid-range fuelling.

So, as Jenkins has a great deal ofexperience with both standard andtweaked 955is, MCN gave him thechance to try out the 2004version. This is what he had to say…

“OVERALL the new bike issignificantly better. The engine ismuch more refined – there arefewer mechanical vibes andrumblings and it sounds quieter.This bike’s new so it probablyexplains why the gearbox is a lotmore notchy than mine.

“The power and torque delivery isvery linear and because of that it isvery easy to ride in all trafficconditions (town and open roads)and weather. And because themotor pulls effortlessly at any revs Ihave to say it is deceptively quick,too – I got to 125mph and it feltlike a ton.

“Handling is an eye-opener. It isreally, really nimble going intocorners and stable while upright orgoing through turns. It turns in a lotquicker than mine ever did when it

was standard. The front end is good– a lot of feel, rolls into turns anddoesn’t need any more input whenit’s over as it holds a good line.

“The bike is taller than mine eventhough I’ve added rear ride heightbut it’s not noticeable on the movewith feet on the pegs. I feltconfident on the bike straight away.The brakes aren’t a greatimprovement, but they are stillprogressive and very strong.

“The bad points are these: Thescreen is too low. At 70-80 it’s finebecause the wind on your chesttakes weight off your wrists. Butover the ton the pressure from thewindblast gets uncomfortable. AndI don’t like the black-faced tachowith red needle – the white clockon mine is easier to read. The LCDspeedo is fine, though.

“The original T595 was differentstyling-wise to make it instantlyrecognisable as a Triumph T595.The early 955i has a similar style.There’s no doubt the newer bike isvery modern looking, but it lookslike one of the crowd – take thestickers off it and it could be aKawasaki.

“Although I can’t makecomparisons with modernJapanese machinery, I have to saythis about the bike: It is nimble,stable and solid, easy to ride andconfidence-inspiring. A beautifulroad bike.”

The Daytona offersaccessible power and

reassuring handlingat a time when

big-bore bikes aresharper, snappier andtoo scary for some

‘

’

BRIEFLY binned on the old 955i, the single swingarm makes a return

CLOCKS and console are familiar fare, but tidier than before

POWER AND TORQUE

THE bikes’ basic mechanical layout may be virtually identical but owner Jenkins found the latestversion of Triumph’s Daytona (left) to be a vast improvement over his original 955i (right)