New Triumph Tiger Sport 660

The Triumph Tiger Sport 660 mixes practicality with performance as it guns for middleweight glory.

The all-new Triumph Tiger Sport 660 follows on from the tasty Trident and is gunning for glory in the highly competitive middleweight adventure sports segment. It faces a raft of rivals such as the Yamaha Tracer 7, Honda NC750X and Suzuki V-Strom 650 to name but a few.

The Triumph Tiger Sport 660 goes in to bat with a punchy 81hp three-cylinder motor, making it the most powerful bike in its class. Peak power arrives at 10,250rpm and it also generates 64Nm of torque at 6,250rpm. Triumph claims that it was a generous power band to let riders maximise its performance in all types of riding conditions. A six-speed gearbox and ride-by-wire throttle add to its usability and the low-slung exhaust placed beneath the engine helps to boost the concept of mass centralisation.

Riders on an A2 license will also be able to order a compliant model that uses an accessory kit to restrict power output.

Triumph fits five-spoke 17-inch cast aluminium wheels that come shod with Michelin Road 5 tyres and the front is equipped with twin 310mm front discs and Nissin brakes. A single-piston Nissin caliper on the rear controls a 255mm disc and riders can disengage the traction control.

The Tiger Sport 660 gets 41mm upside down suspension forks from Showa that features 150mm of travel, matching the 150mm of rear travel from the Showa monoshock. That has remote hydraulic preload adjustability for setup between pillion and/or with luggage.

That results in a seat height of 835mm with a slim stand over width to ensure that it remains easy to manoeuvre. Its 17-litre fuel tank enables it to have a decent range or around 320 kilometres, while the adjustable screen adds some extra protection over longer journeys. A neat set of hard side panniers and a top case will be available for those keen to do some more touring. There will also be a 47-litre top case available that can store two full-face helmets.

The multifunction TFT instrument display is clear to read at a glance and can be integrated with the My Triumph connectivity system that brings turn-by-turn navigation, phone functionality and even controls for a mounted GoPro.

More good news for owners is that Triumph has stretched out the service intervals for the Tiger Sport 660, making it more affordable to run over time. It only needs to visit the workshop every 10,000 miles/16,000 kilometres or every twelve months. Triumph also claims that the design contributes to shorter service times that reduces labour costs.