Triumph Daytona 675 long term review: After 3,200km and six months
In my first longterm report of the Daytona, I had mentioned the shortcomings of the Pirelli Supercorsa tyres for regular road use. At first service, I swapped them with a pair of 2015-manufactured Pirelli Diablo Rosso II tyres, which set me back by about Rs 26,000. Triumph also had me sign an undertaking that relieves them of any tyre related warranties. The Supercorsa tyres have been wrapped and stored away for better use on the track, hopefully soon. So far, Toothless is only flying the mountain roads and the more road oriented Diablo Rosso tyres are doing a fine job and I hope to get good life out of the dual compound construction.
I have set up the suspension to the factory recommended setting for road use. The setup has made the front end more stable, but the rear now feels a tad unstable. The tyres compensate for that, but I'm yet to find the precise setup for sport riding. But since the grip is impressive, the Daytona feels extremely rewarding in the twisties, even on the not so smooth tarmac. Compared to most 600s I have ridden, the Daytona feels significantly lighter and nimbler. In fact it is more accommodating than my compact RC 390 without feeling much heavier when attacking corners as a usual middleweight should. The throttle needs more precise control, of course.
I have to be more careful when washing the bike something I learnt the hard way. After a rainy ride, a stop for a pressure wash was mandatory. But the pressurised water ended up dislodging the cable that runs from the ABS ring. While riding afterward, the cable got caught between the wheel and the fender and was sheared off within seconds. The fix wasn't an expensive one, but a week of garage time is painful. Toothless is back home though and we are now raring to go to the racetrack as and when time allows. Meanwhile, the twisties and good weather will have to do.
