[ST] New Daytona

["Mike, Rocky Mountain Motorcycle Holidays" <mike@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Thank you Ken T for pointing out that you can't trust a magazine review to
choose a bike any more than you can trust your mother to pick you a
girlfriend. I think it was in the same issue that Mark Cook said he hates
the VFR which logically should be a bike we all love, but bought STs
instead. This is why test riding a bike is so important and why I think
Triumph is doing a great job by having their demo truck riding around the
country letting people try the bikes.

I just tried the new Daytona from the demo truck and really liked it. It has
plenty of power and right where I like it, mid AND up high. (If all you want
is bottom end, buy a power cruiser.) Handling is better and the suspension
is better sorted. Brakes, excellent. Clutch, smooth, lighter than our speed
triples, heavier than the TT600. Comfort, better, but still too far a reach
to the bars and for no reason. I rode 700km of twisties on the TT600 a
couple of weeks ago and my neck, shoulders and wrists were fine, I doubt
that would be the same on the Daytona. Transmission, here I was a little
dissapointed, it could be the particular unit, but it was not a smooth as
our 955 Tiger and it should have been identical. Sound, feel, excitement
factor, very good. Styling, up to you. I think the bike looks good in
silver, but it should have silver rims also. I'm surprised they went to
black when the bike shares the same front rim as the TT600. They just added
the additional expense of stocking two colors of rims for nothing. They
could have used that money to replace the cheesy looking sticker on the
front of the bike (above the headlight) with a proper emblem that makes
owners proud to have paid extra money for a unique motorcycle.

All in all, the Daytona is a great bike that I think will sell well and I
think current Daytona owners will really enjoy riding one, once they give it
a try. Which brings me back to the demo truck again. Good work Triumph, for
making the tremendous effort to put together the demo truck and fleet. Let
the big four sell bikes based on what some biased journo writes. We have
guests from all over the world, who ride all kinds of different bikes fall
in love with the Triumphs they ride on our holidays, because they truly are
bikes made for street riding. I rode the TT600 around Mt. St. Helens a
couple of weeks ago with a good rider on a new GSXR 750 and we ran into an
R1 and a CBR929. I have never had a track day and some of these guys had,
yet I had my helmet & jacket off (albeit hurredly) waiting for the others at
every stop because the TT600 is just such a great ROAD bike. I think the
styling department has chickened out a few times and could use a little more
spice on their sport bikes, but I suspect that is also in the works. If the
demo truck comes to a delaer near you, go take a bike out for a spin, better
yet bring your pal on the Ducati, BMW or GSXR-1R929. I think he'll/she'll be
really impressed by the Triumphs.

All the Best,
Mike Ciebien
Rocky Mountain Motorcycle Holidays
www.rockymtnmoto.com







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