Now I know that my Triumph Daytona 900 is not exactly a classic yet but it will be, believe me. This is not a Triumph Daytona review but more of a long term test ride. At the moment I cover around 10,000 miles a year on my bike and this is just commuting mileage, if I add on the pleasure stuff then you can add at least another 2,000 onto that figure, and the old girl hasn't had a serious mishap yet. Bear in mind that the average motorcycle covers 4,000 miles a year I am currently running at three years worth of motorcycling in 12 months. Over the last two years I have aged my bike by 6 years..! Gulp!
Mine is a 1994 885cc triple and is the motorcycle that replaced the 750 Daytona in 1993, one of the first generation Triumph Daytonas that the revamped Triumph factory produced under the leadership of Mr John Bloor and is the predecessor of the T595 Daytona. It is a big, agriculturally built bike which suits my 6'4" frame and was built with the most robust technology available at that time. It's almost indestructable... The Daytona 675 looks miniscule when side by side.
So, how does she ride? I have given you a glimpse of my personal take on maintainance, so you probably realise that I'm more of a rider than a fixer, so this bike has been great. Minimum of maintaining and still goes strong. She pulls like a steam train from any gear up to the 9,500 rpm redline without any fuss. Goes round corners like she's on rails and stops pretty much on a sixpence. The seat is comfortable and there is plenty of room for throw over panniers, tail pack and tank back making it an ideal sports tourer. Which brings me neatly onto my trip to Ayelsbury and back in a weekend. A 400 mile round trip at the end of November, and god it was cold. Thank the heavens for blow dryers in the mens toilets at motorway service stations.
