Have always wanted a Daytona 595 or 955i. Currently got a BMW F650 twin and previous to that, big Kawas. My riding now is a regular short ride to the station with relatively infrequent but regular long rides (mway) for work, and occasional fun rides. The BMW is great as relaxed, easy, panniers for all me work stuff, grunty and doesn’t encourage bad behaviour! I’m no boy racer and after a serious crash 10+ years ago, reasonably sensible now.

So owning a Daytona for the above – it’d need a top box (agh!) and is easily within budget if I shift the BMW. Lots of lovely looking low milers around. Any thoughts / experience?

Go for the later Sprint ST, better engine, electrics, etc and a chassis that will surprise more than a few sportsbikes 😉

+1 1050 versions

I’ve had both a Tiger and Sprint GT (not ST), both top bikes.

I had a 2001 955i Speed Triple (basically the same thing)
Did 30,000+ miles on it.
Stupidly reliable, all I ever replaced was clutch, throttle and speedo cables and service items. They are solid as a rock but fairly weighty. Will do high 40s mpg reasonably easily, they’ll tour, do track days, anything really. Very very well made IME. Engine is smooth and torquey and can be ridden all day in one gear but they have an addictive top end clout too. Mine was still on the original chain and sprockets and battery when I sold it at 7-8!years old with about 33,000 miles on the clock. I’ll dig out a pic in a bit. 🙂

thanks – & PP, would frequent short journeys mess up the triumph? (and I know they’re not good for any bike 😉 )

have an addictive top end clout too

before they stop dead at the limiter, and top end on a triumph is mid range on a japanese IL4. I had one of the very first new-era Tridents off the line. J-plate, frame number 400ish, put 40K+ miles on it, sold for peanuts looking mint with no corrosion or signs of wear 🙁 . Heavy, solid, lovely engine power characteristics and noise (distinctive mix of burble and whistle), economical (high 40s) and massive tank meant between 200-250 mile range.

The daytona was like the ZX9R, never a true competitor to the hyperbikes but a good real-world-real-roads sport bike. Always like the 955 in silver, looked hewn from solid

thought the last headlights on the last model made the bike look a bit startled and stupid

The sprint RS was a better bike than it was given credit for, most of the Daytona but with half fairing and lost the s/side swing arm. Bet theyre cheap as chips now and would make a solid tourer

SunnyS3g by PeterPoddy, on Flickr

There you go, as promised. 🙂
Triumph can was too loud for me, it was just annoying round town. I replaced it with a road legal Blue Flame
I also had the pillion seat cover, which isn’t in that pic, and a couple of other odds and sods. I stripped all the bits off when I PXd it. You don’t get any more money for accessories

Anyone owned a TRIUMPH Daytona?

Yes, a 68 T100
I let it go a couple of years ago though 🙁

thanks – & PP, would frequent short journeys mess up the triumph? (and I know they’re not good for any bike )

That’s scooter territory.

I’ve been commuting for the last 12 yrs on a Sprint RS.
Short, long, tour. 50+ to the gallon, 220 on a tank full.
It does it all.
It still does with nearly 90k on the clock.
I think they are quite good.

They are lovely. OK … must have a top box so what would look least daft?

The daytona was like the ZX9R, never a true competitor to the hyperbikes but a good real-world-real-roads sport bike

Like a zx9r except nowhere near as quick, especially top-end.

When I had my ‘C’ model a riding buddy had a T595 (along with others who had Blades and other 600/750’s), none of them had the top-end of my 9 – they’d run outta puff at 150.

I had a speed four from new and loved every one of the 20k I did on it until it was nicked and used in a jewellery store robbery!

Sold my 04 955i in the summer, but only because I moved away from the UK. I loved the thing, great character and more than capable for road work. I put ‘comfort bars’ and a lower screen on mine which meant I appreciated the speed I was doing and could ride more comfortably on slow stuff. Would buy another without a second thought.