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[ST] Re: 02 daytona/marc cook



I read the Motorcyclist article on the Mille/gsxr/daytona.  First off,
Marc, I thought that this was not a "Comparo" as the second paragraph of
the article reads "Think of this not as your typical comparison test,
then, but a sampler of different dishes from around the world: a
60-degree Italian twin, the very latest British triple and Suzuki's
finest four-cylinder."  As soon as I read this, I was relieved that the
trumpet wasn't gonna have to take a third in some kind of comparo,
although that's exactly what I saw when I turned the pages: 9,9,7 guess
who got the 7?  It would've been nice to see an article that doesn't
pick a winner by splitting hairs, yet instead would just show exactly
what the article seemed to start off to do and that's just compare the
three for what they are- a twin, triple and 4banger- fine samples of the
different configurations.  

As far as the new swing arm:  It seems that everyone has overlooked the
real advantage of the small weight savings.  While overall weight
savings is just frosting on the cake, the real advantage is "unsprung
weight" which increases the "handle ability" of the bike.  That minute
difference goes much further than the overall power/weight ratio
improvement.  Triumph went to great lengths in designing a better
handling machine than its predecessor and it shows immediately after a
short ride.  The reconfigured front end geometry, wheelbase reduction,
and lighter subframe positively make the bike more flickable along with
that lighter single sided swingarm.  It was a package deal improvement
for the handling, so ease up a bit on the swing arm thing, folks.  As
far as the flat bottom end engine performance, I don't think that's a
fuel injuection problem; at least not like the TT600 fiasco.  I believe
it is simply cammed that way so that you get that rippin top end rush.
The delivery is clean and smooth (no hiccups) down low; it just doesn't
have the oomph of the old one at the bottom end.  I'd like to see if
someone can retune the fueling to improve on that, but I think not
without a cam change.  We'll see, I'm sure, but I say the injection is
not at fault.  And how bout that tranny?  Cripe, everyone knows Triumph
has the tightest trannies on the planet when new, yet turn into silk
after a few k miles.  My Falco with the same tranny as the MIlle is
still impossible to find nuetral after a couple thousand miles.  It
shifts reasonably well but has a lovely falsey at 5 1/2th gear.  Gimme
the Trumpet tranny any day.    

I dunno, maybe you guys got a bum bike (again), but the one I rode was
fabulous.  A huge improvement that I noticed was the lack of heat on the
rider.  I couldn't detect any, and I was looking for it.  

As far as I'm concerned, these bikes have different purposes and I would
like to own all of them.  Why they are pinned against each other in this
article is beyond me.  Hey, some times you feel like a triple, some
times you don't.  ;^)

Jonathan West "2 dawgs"
95 Trophy 4 (banger)
97 Trophy 900 (triple carbie)
99 ST (triple FI)
01 Falco (twin)               


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