My next bike; a Daytona 955i?

My next bike; a Daytona 955i?

Author
Discussion

cheesewotsit

Original Poster:

285 posts

108 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
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Not had a bike for 9 years, previous had a NC30 then a Z750.

I’ve ummed and arrred about lots of bikes. I want to spend £~3k on something fun, more road based, but something that I can do a track day or two on. Something a bit different, interesting; ie, not a sports 600.

I’ve paused at a 2002+ Triumph Daytona 955i. Preferably a later one with the single swing arm, but I’m not that bothered. They aren’t pretty, but they sound fantastic, look like they could storm along at whatever pace I wanted, and provide some fun whilst I get back into biking.

Wise choice? Any experience with the above? Short of looking (again) at Z750/1000s, seems like a nice mix of a bit-of-everything kinda bike.

ETA: keen on a Suzuki SV1000S, too.


Edited by cheesewotsit on Thursday 1st October 12:42

neelyp

1,690 posts

210 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
quotequote all
You could find a 675 Daytona for £3K if your patient enough. Far better suited if you're looking to do trackdays.

Renn Sport

2,761 posts

208 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
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I had one of these this year and it was a pretty nice bike. Lovely gruff engine, sounds especially good when you change the exhaust to a un baffled job. Free to reflash the ecu with a tune boy.

Its much lighter then it looks. I had a 03 double swing arm version and it was sub 200kg as the swing arm is lighter then the single swing arm version and also comes with the 180 rear tyre over the 190 which means it turns better.

I found the reccomended pressures by Triumph to low for the city riding where the tyres would never get hot enough so used japanese pressures of 36-42.


The things to watch out for are:

Feul tank bilstering because of ethonol additives in the fuel.
Fuel tank sender fails causing a MIL light to stay illuminated. Its a pain unless you just ignore the light. It makes no difference to the running of the engine.

The cooling system on these is very sensitive to being overfilled. Triumph also reccomend that the pressure cap is replaced any time to touch it. The seal goes and the coolant is not under pressure and so boils over.

Nice and very underated bike.

The blue one adds 5bhp. wink

Baryonyx

17,990 posts

158 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
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I've bought a T595 earlier this year, the bike that the 955i was before minor revisions and rebranding. I'll write some thoughts on it when I get home as I'm just about to go out now.

Renn Sport

2,761 posts

208 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
quotequote all
neelyp said:
You could find a 675 Daytona for £3K if your patient enough. Far better suited if you're looking to do trackdays.
This is good advice. The 675 is a much nimbler bike and feels so different.

However the 955 is a great sport tourer type with 140bhp, which isnt too shabby.

StuB

6,695 posts

238 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
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These are an underrated bike. Terry (can't remember his forum name on here - tunnocks teacake paintjob on his lid) down south is a big fan of these.

I've raced against one too, it still had number plate hanger on & loads of other road stuff and it wasn't shabby at all round Brands Hatch Indy. It was a blue one, the one with the extra BHP apparently.

Suggest you have a test ride OP & see what you think.

cheesewotsit

Original Poster:

285 posts

108 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
quotequote all
Thanks guys. Be interesting to read your thoughts later, neely.

re: test rides. I've been away from bikes for such a long time, I don't really have anything to base any experiences from. My '04 Z750 was comfortable, agile (for my talent) and had enough power. However, I can't see how after wobbling around on anything for 30 minutes I'll be able to tell what it'll be like further down the line. Willing to make a decision and stick with it for a while, but the 955i just came up on my ebay/trader searching as a lot of bike for not much money.

Thanks, Renn. Weight will be ok. I think my 750 was over 200kg iirc. And it'll be used for weekend pleasure riding, so no commuting into London! I do love the blue one, but there is a dealer near me with one for £1995 that is a Cat D with 25k miles, but I'll have a look at it and maybe offer something low to start with. Ideally, I'd have a nice blue one tho'.

Renn Sport

2,761 posts

208 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
quotequote all
I would just try and buy the latest bike you can as they do differ in power and engine upgrades by the factory to improve reliability.

One thing you may find is that the standard gearing is so very high. I can ged my rear sprocket for a 45 tooth and it really sorted the bike gearing out. Less clutch slip and more useful acceleration.


dukeboy749r

2,536 posts

209 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
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Lovely to see Triumphs still catching people's attention.

Just a pity they haven't put a newer one into production...

neelyp

1,690 posts

210 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
quotequote all
dukeboy749r said:
Lovely to see Triumphs still catching people's attention.

Just a pity they haven't put a newer one into production...
You're hilarious.

conkerman

3,298 posts

134 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
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Just sold my Daytona, they are OK, Big, long and uncomfortable for me. seat is quite high.

For £3k, track down a 954 blade, or maybe a late zx9r. Better bikes imho.

cheesewotsit

Original Poster:

285 posts

108 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
quotequote all
conkerman said:
For £3k, track down a 954 blade, or maybe a late zx9r. Better bikes imho.
I’ve actually looked at 929 and 954’s. I like them, but the insurance is double that of the Daytona 955 and I’m not sure whether they are a bit too full on for a welcome back to biking?

Not looked at a ZX9R yet, but know about them. Good shout. Think I’d rather a FI bike if I’m going to leave it for periods unused, but yes – a thing for sure.

Baryonyx

17,990 posts

158 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
quotequote all
So anyway,






I bought this T595 this summer. It's a terrific bike, and the 955i evolution of it seems to be more of the same. I'm hardly able to speak as an authority on the subject, but I love this bike. Although Triumph released it as their answer to the Fireblade, it was never as sharp as that and indeed, the R1 arrived in 1998 and changed the game again.

It's pretty quick, and the triple engine produces a really tractable character that plenty of midrange guts and a surprisingly fizzy top end. It makes a lovely noise. The gearbox is supposed to be a bit clunky by comparison to it's competition, but I've found the shift pretty nice so long as you are firm between first and second to avoid clicking it into neutral. Round town, the fuelling can be a bit crappy low down, and the mirrors are a bit hokey. I have a stick-on circular mirror mounted on the main mirror on the O/S of my bike and that comes in fairly useful for extending the field of view offered. There are various maps available which purport to smooth out the fuelling at low speeds, as well as smoothing over the flat spot at 5000rpm. I've not tried these yet, but apparently remapping is as simple as downloading a programme to your phone, plugging your phone into the bike and uploading the new map.

Handling is good, it's not a twitchy bike but it's not a slow steer either. Once you're banked into a corner, it feels unshakable and the drive it'll produce is tremendous. It changes direction with ease, though will never feel as pointy as the Japanese competition. I've not tracked my bike yet, though many have. It feels pretty great on the road; compliant and weighty enough that it's not deflected by crappy tarmac but sharp and eager enough to deliver when you want it, and it's always willing to give you some performance thanks to that midrange. Triumph seemed to settle into the line of it being a great sportsbike for the road, probably as an easy means of avoiding the comparison between it, and the R1 on track.

In terms of them going wrong, they seem pretty solid. The fit and finish should apparently be better than a comparable Japanese bike, and it does look and feel pretty well put together. Trying to turn it over with a flat battery can blow the starter sprag clutch, so use a battery conditioner over winter. The fan can be jammed by a stone or similar, so some riders put a screen over the front of their fan. This happened to me, blowing the fan fuse. Other than that, they seem pretty solid.

Wacky Racer

38,099 posts

246 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
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I would definitely recommend one. I paid £2500 for mine with a genuine 9,000 miles from a dealer a few years back, ran it for a couple of years with no problems and got (most) of my money back.

Fast, but not insane, comfortable and good looking, plenty about, so don't buy the first one you see..


neelyp

1,690 posts

210 months

Friday 2nd October 2015
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Wacky Racer said:
I would definitely recommend one. I paid £2500 for mine with a genuine 9,000 miles from a dealer a few years back, ran it for a couple of years with no problems and got (most) of my money back.

Fast, but not insane, comfortable and good looking, plenty about, so don't buy the first one you see..

But what if the first one he goes to see is an absolute low mileage, perfect condition brilliantly priced minter?
If he follows your advice he could miss out.

cheesewotsit

Original Poster:

285 posts

108 months

Friday 2nd October 2015
quotequote all
Thank you both. The first one I'll be seeing as a Cat D repaired 25,000+ 5+ owner version, so, a benchmark for others certainly. And it does seem like it's a bike that would suit me. I'm in no hurry, so when I find a minty one I will go for it. I love the single swing arm thing (hence the NC30 in my historuy) but the blue normal swing arm versions look fantastic.

Thanks again, all. Feel confident it's a good choice now.

RumpleFugly

2,377 posts

209 months

Friday 2nd October 2015
quotequote all
There are plenty about, so I wouldn't go for a CAT D unless it's the only one in your budget!

Great bike though, I'd go for the normal swingarm personally as they're normally a bit cheaper than the equivalent SSSA bikes. Either way, make sure it's '02 onwards as the engine has fully forged internals and is a wonderful device.

Moe Lester

16,688 posts

175 months

Friday 2nd October 2015
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Didn't the 595's have issues with the rear subframe?

Renn Sport

2,761 posts

208 months

Friday 2nd October 2015
quotequote all
Yes some 955's did have an issue with the rear subframe. The OP needs to check the pillion pegs mounts to see if they have cracked from a fall or from use. I think this is not a common issue but a good catch.

I would say to the OP that any older bike will require some TLC so its best to get a well cared for example which is obvious I guess.

Enjoy the noise and enjoy being slight differnt to the norm. Its quite roomy and not as extreame a sport bike position. Its also man sized and looks like a lot of bike, which I liked. I will say the japanese bikes of the same vintage are much better bikes. However the riding of the Daytona 955i and its general character and burble really is enjoyable. Its not something you can tangibly guage. Better in some ways then the 115bhp in the 675 as it has lovely torque for normal riding.

A very engaging motorcycle.

neelyp

1,690 posts

210 months

Friday 2nd October 2015
quotequote all
Renn Sport said:
Yes some 955's did have an issue with the rear subframe. The OP needs to check the pillion pegs mounts to see if they have cracked from a fall or from use. I think this is not a common issue but a good catch.

I would say to the OP that any older bike will require some TLC so its best to get a well cared for example which is obvious I guess.

Enjoy the noise and enjoy being slight differnt to the norm. Its quite roomy and not as extreame a sport bike position. Its also man sized and looks like a lot of bike, which I liked. I will say the japanese bikes of the same vintage are much better bikes. However the riding of the Daytona 955i and its general character and burble really is enjoyable. Its not something you can tangibly guage. Better in some ways then the 115bhp in the 675 as it has lovely torque for normal riding.

A very engaging motorcycle.
The 675 isn't short of torque either, a lovely wide power band which means you aren't constantly having to stir the gears if you're in bimble mode.