Triumph Street Triple: Naked Aggression

Motoring Channel Staff - 3/August/2007

Hinckley, England — The naked middleweight (500-750cc) motorcycle category is one of the most hotly contested in the world. Millions of people buy naked bikes for their street bike looks and urban practicality. If you have a strong naked middleweight product, the equation is straight-forward. You're going to make lots of money.

British motorcycle maker Triumph has just released it's new mid-sized naked bike and hopes are high at the Hinckley-based motorcycle manufacturer that the new bike will make an impact in all major international markets, of which Australia is increasingly a part of.

The Street Triple is a more accessible version of the larger 1050cc Speed Triple, and has just had it's international launch. The local importer says the new model will hit Australian dealers from December 2007, priced at a very handy $11,990.

For the uninitiated, a naked motorbike is essentially a sports or road bike without the fairing - hence the naked moniker.

Often a lot cheaper and, some argue, more attractive than sports bikes - chiefly because you can see more of the machine's mechanical aspects - naked bikes are offered by almost all bike makers, from Ducati to Honda, Yamaha to Suzuki.

Triumph's new Street Triple aims to attract buyers in several ways:

• Design - It's a sexy looking machine

• Power - The 675cc engine makes big torque

• Character - The 3-cylinder engine is unique

• Price - Under $12,000 for a brand new bike

• Reputation - Based on the critically acclaimed Daytona 675

Unlike most mainstream motorcycle makers, the Triumph brand prides itself on delivering unique engines. Not unlike the Subaru in the car world which produces boxer engines, Triumph has a steady supply of inline 3-cylinder engines, while almost all other road bikes from both Asian and European producers are inline fours, or V-twins.

Powered by an inline 3-cylinder engine displacing 675cc, the Triumph Street Triple shares the same 12-valve engine as the Daytona 675 - albeit with a slightly different cam profile that provides a flatter torque curve and a stronger bottom end. The rev limit also drops to 12,650rpm.

The water-cooled 3-cylinder engine outputs 108hp (79kW) @ 11,700rpm, while peak torque of 69Nm hits crankshaft at 9,100rpm. It may not sound like a lot compared to a car, but consider that this bike weighs just 167kg (368lbs) dry. It's power to weight ratio ensures that it is quicker to 100km/h from standstill than Porsche's 911 Carrera.

Triumph says that the 675cc triple delivers a broad spread of power right across the rev range, "...with that characteristic 3-cylinder roar," of which "...the resulting howl is as distinctive and spine-tingling as ever."

The engine's 69Nm of torque is transferred to the rear wheel via a close-ratio 6-speed gearbox and Triumph claims that "you don't have to work hard to get it: the Street Triple produces more than 60Nm of torque from 3,500rpm right through to 12,300rpm.

Keihin closed-loop fuel-injection delivers the petrol into the trio of cylinders, using three 44mm diameter throttle bodies and fresh air is drawn through a duct in the front of the bike below the headlights, which passes directly through the headstock to the airbox. 

Providing a reliable but powerful motor, Triumph's engine assembly fully CNC machines the combustion chambers and inlet port throats for precise gas flow control, and together with a bore and stroke of 74.0 x 52.3mm, the engine has a compression ratio of 12.65:1. Other features of the 3-cylinder petrol-powered motor include a combined oil/water pump, which not only reduces weight but also removes "unsightly pipe work" according to Triumph.

The design of the Street Triple is based on its bigger brother, the Speed Triple, featuring the iconic 'bug-eyed' twin headlights, a dynamic twin-spar swingarm and a comprehensive instrument console that shares the same functionality as that on the Daytona 675 (but restyled to fit neatly within the lines of the new bike). It is available in three colours: Jet Black, Fusion White and Roulette Green.

Based on the Daytona 675 sports bike, the Street Triple inherits much of its siblings acclaimed handling thanks to the same aluminium frame, swingarm, and the same five-spoked measuring 17 x 3.5-inch (front) and 17 x 5.5-inch (rear)

The brakes are twin-pot sliding calipers with sintered pads which Triumph claims provide the bike with "braking power that is top of its class". The low dual seat and new footrests and handlebars provide a comfortable riding position for rider and pillion without jeopardising the aggressive streetfighter styling of the bike.

Triumph's new Street Triple is a very promising new naked bike. Based on the Daytona 675 it is expected to deliver on all performance fronts, and with an exotic naked design it definitely delivers on the style front. Priced at $11,990, the new model is expected to be on sale in Australia December this year.

Related Articles:
Ducati Desmosedici RR (2007)
Exploring Laos on 2-Wheels (2007)
Ducati 1098 (2007)
Honda CBR600RR (2007)
BMW R 1000 R (2007)
Yamaha YZF-R1 (2006)
2004 Yamaha YZF-R1 (2006)
Honda CBR1000 RR (2004)