Triumph don’t work too hard to hide their upcoming model releases these days, and we love them for it. After just the tiniest bit of teasing, we’ve already got our first full look at the upcoming Triumph Tiger Sport 660.
The Tiger Sport 660 takes the Trident 660’s punchy triple-cylinder platform, and repackages it as a middleweight adventure sport bike. ‘Adventure sport’ is Triumph-speak for “adventure bike-ish but designed for street use.” So it’s much like the Yamaha Tracer 700, or the wildly popular Kawasaki Versys.
It should give both of those bikes a decent run for their money too. Like the Trident, the Tiger Sport 660 boasts a power figure of 81 PS (about 80 hp) at 10,250 rpm, and 64 Nm of torque at 6,250 rpm (and it’s Euro 5 compliant). For reference, the Tracer makes 74 hp and 68 Nm, and the Versys 68 hp and 64 Nm.
But the kicker here is that the Tiger Sport 660 is the only triple in this class. We’ve ridden the Trident, and we’re big fans of how it delivers its power, and how usable that motor actually is. (It also only needs to be serviced every 16,000 km.)
Power’s delivered to a six-speed gearbox via a slip-and-assist clutch, and the clutch lever feel has been lightened too. ABS and switchable traction control are standard issue, along with two rider modes: ‘Road’ and ‘Rain.’
It’s all managed by an unusual TFT display, that seems to work with two separate displays embedded in the dash, and flanked by an array of warning lights. It’s odd, but it seems to arrange all the necessary info in an easy-enough-to-read format. Triumph’s regular Bluetooth-connectivity functionality can be added as an optional extra, enabling turn-by-turn navigation, GoPro control, and phone and music control.
Triumph have designed the Tiger Sport 660 with nippy handling in mind, equipping it with 41mm upside-down Showa forks up front with 150 mm of travel, and a Showa monoshock out back. The shock features a dual rate spring to cope with solo or two-up riding, along with a remote hydraulic preload adjuster.
The wheels are 17” cast alloy numbers, hooked up to Nissin brakes with twin 310 mm discs up front. Michelin Road 5 tyres are specced for all-round road use.
The Tiger Sport 600’s seat height measures 835 mm, and although the pillion seat isn’t gigantic, the bike does come with grab rails and removable passenger pegs. It also features very cleverly hidden mounts for optional panniers, adding some touring capability. The sculpted fuel tank holds 17 litres, so you should be able to eke out respectable distances between refills.
Other amenities include a one-hand-adjustable screen, and LED lighting with self-cancelling indicators.
As we’ve come to expect from Hinckley’s finest, the Tiger Sport 660’s styling is helluva sharp too. Available in blue and black, graphite and black or Triumph’s unmistakable ‘Korosi Red,’ it has a sculpted vibe to it that stops just short of being overdone. Crisp details like the radiator shrouds and underslung exhaust recall the styling of the Trident 660.
There’s a smorgasbord of accessories available for it too, from luggage (with colour coding options) to smaller protection items. It all points to the bike’s versatility; it should be good for everything from commuting to weekend playtimes, with a little light touring thrown in.
Triumph South Africa tell us the Tiger Sport 660 should be here in the first quarter of 2022, but pricing hasn’t been set yet. But if they can price it competitively, we’re sure it’ll prove to be a popular model. The middleweight category is sorely underestimated and is set to grow in the near future, as the prices of top tier bikes reach ludicrous levels.
We’ll get back to you when it lands, to let you know if it rides as good as it looks.
