Triumph's naked Street Triple has just gained a higher-specification sibling, thanks to some clever parts-bin engineering.
The 675cc Street Triple R gets the 675 Daytona's frame, its fully adjustable front and rear suspension and its four-piston radial front callipers mated to a radial master cylinder - bringing it close to the award-winning Daytona in terms of scratchability.
The KYB rear shock with its piggyback reservoir is three-way adjustable for preload, compression and rebound damping, as are black-anodised, upside-down forks.
The R's engine, however, is the same as that of the standard Street Triple, derived from the Daytona but redlined at 12 675rpm rather than 14 000 and rated for 79kW rather than the sportster's 95kW.
Overall gearing is shorter than the Daytona's, however, and power delivery less peaky, which should make the R more rideable - in the urban environment which is naked bikes' natural habitat.
All the three 675's use essentially the same frame but the Daytona and the R have more aggressive rake and trail than the standard Street Triple and an adjustable swing-arm pivot angle.
The R also has the tapered Magura handlebars of the 1050cc Speed Triple and a two-tone black-and-dark grey seat five mm higher than that of the standard version.
The Triumph Street Triple R retails for R93 500. That's R10 000 more than the standard Street Triple but R6000 less than the Daytona. All new Triumphs come with a two-year, unlimited distance warranty and two years of AA roadside assistance.
SPECIFICATIONS: TRIUMPH STREET TRIPLE R
ENGINE
Cylinders:
Three.
Capacity:
675cc.
Bore x stroke:
74.0 x 52.3mm.
Valvegear:
DOHC with four overhead valves per cylinder.
Power:
79kW at 11 700rpm.
Torque:
69Nm at 9100.
Induction:
Multipoint sequential electronic fuel injection.
Ignition:
Digital electronic.
Starting:
Electric.
TRANSMISSION
Clutch:
Cable-operated multiplate wet clutch.
Transmission:
Six-speed constant-mesh gearbox with final drive by chain.
SUSPENSION
Front:
41mm inverted cartridge forks adjustable for preload, compression and rebound damping.
Rear:
Rising-rate linkage with KYB remote-reservoir gas-filled monoshock adjustable for preload, compression and rebound damping.
BRAKES
Front:
Dual 308mm discs with Nissin radial-mount four-pot opposed-piston callipers and radial master cylinder.
Rear:
220mm disc with Nissin single-piston floating calliper.
TYRES
Front:
120/70 - 17 tubeless.
Rear:
180/55 - 17 tubeless.
DIMENSIONS/WEIGHT
Wheelbase:
1390mm.
Seat height:
805mm.
Dry weight:
167kg.
FUEL TANK
17.4 litres.
MANUFACTURER SUPPORT
Two years unlimited distance warranty.
SERVICE INTERVALS
5000km.
PRICE
R93 500.