Triumph has done something a little bit special in producing a race version of its new road-going Daytona 660. Yes, manufacturers have produced race versions of production streetbikes before but the Triumph project differs from most because all the race components necessary to transform it into a razor-sharp track tool are available to the public via Triumph’s website or project-development partner, PHR Performance. This is a factory racebike or trackday bike you can buy, configure, and build yourself, or allow the experts to build it to your spec here.I couldn’t wait to see what a full-on race-spec Daytona 660 triple would be like. On the street, it’s a sweetly balanced and punchy middleweight sportbike, ideal for newer riders who are happy to trade premium components and the absolute best in adjustability and electronic rider aids for a sub-$10,000 price point. Lavish it with a raft of well-chosen and developed track goodies and, instinctively, you feel it will become something special.

So I jumped in with both feet when invited to race a 660 in a round of the furiously competitive Pirelli National Sportbike Championship in front of 50,000 race fans at Cadwell Park in the UK. Run as a support race series in the British Superbike (BSB) championship, the series was created this year for young riders hoping to showcase their talent in front of the BSB teams. The racing is fast and close, while Cadwell Park—a glorious parkland circuit that swoops over rolling English countryside before threading through woods and thrilling crowds with the most hair-raising jump in racing—is one of the most demanding tracks in Europe. Joining the series midway through the season and doing so with no practice might have been less than optimal preparation. But I couldn’t say no.

The middleweight sportbike market has transformed in recent years, with manufacturers stepping away from intense and tightly focused 125-plus-horsepower supersport machines in favor of bikes that cater to a younger, less experienced audience and those wanting a fun and responsive sport-styled machine, but nothing too radical. From the Yamaha YZF-R7, Kawasaki Ninja 650, Honda Hornet 750 to the Aprilia RS 660 to this, the new-for-2024 Daytona 660, a plethora of keenly priced sportbikes have entered the market, and this burgeoning race series was designed to show the potential of these machines just as much as it was fresh riding talent, similar to the Twins Cup in MotoAmerica.These machines are ones that many younger riders can directly relate to—and the series has quickly grown in popularity over the British summer, while similar series are already planned for the Italian CIV and German IDM series in 2025.We hooked up with the highly professional Macadam Triumph Racing team and crossed our fingers.Racing Cadwell ParkCadwell Park holding area. Nerves are building. The majority of riders around me are kids, some as young as 16. Then there are other more experienced riders like Richard Cooper, two-time National Superstock champion, North West 200 winner, and top-five finisher at Daytona. Another rising star is Italian Edoardo Colombi, already the 2023 Italian Aprilia RS 660 Trophy Champion. This is going to be as wild as it is fast.

I’m on a Triumph Daytona 660 immaculately prepared by Macadam Triumph Racing and, to add to the tension, it is raining—this is England. We’ve opted for full Metzeler wets and also to soften the race-kit Bitubo suspension a little to help me feel the surface better. A softer throttle map is also active, along with reduced engine-braking. This Daytona 660 may have started life as a stock road machine but, fitted with PHR Performance–developed factory race parts, is now a fully adjustable racebike, with changeable engine-braking and throttle maps—both of which can be tweaked on the fly.

The first few laps of FP1 are predictably tentative. I first rode Cadwell Park back in 1997, before most of the other riders were born, so I know where I’m going. But I need to get used to both the new bike and the sheer intensity of the elbows-out attack dogs with whom I’m sharing the track. By lap 2 I feel at home and have the now fully adjustable pegs on their lowest setting, and the clip-on race bars set nice and wide. The Bitubo steering damper feels a little stiff, but otherwise the combination of the fork kit upfront and new rear shock gives a great feel—enough for me to push.While the chassis is heavily kitted, the Daytona 660′s inline-triple is still in standard form, albeit with revised fueling to compensate for the full Akrapovič race exhaust system. Quoted peak power is 97 hp, and we have a slightly restricted throttle to make all the bikes on the grid theoretically equal. In the softer wet riding mode, the delivery is lovely. The 660 is flexible, torquey, and quick—but not scary quick, giving me time to think about the track and the conditions. By the end of the very wet 30-minute session, I’m enjoying myself, and we end up 10th fastest.

Back in the pits we check the data against my feedback and compare it to my teammate’s. Suspension movement and throttle position are the focus, but there’s so much revealing data available, it almost feels like cheating. We’re not using enough suspension travel so we decided to fit a slightly softer spring for FP2. Again, it’s wet but not biblical rain like before, and we go faster, but so does everyone else, and we’re down to 14th position.

Day two and the BSB crowds are building in now perfect dry conditions. The paddock is a cauldron of color and noise. Qualifying is 30 minutes and will decide the grid positions for the big race, just before the main BSB race. The pressure is on. We’ve obviously thrown in a dry suspension setting and the 660 is now on grippy Pirelli race rubber—this is going to be fast.I immediately feel at home on the Daytona; it’s easy and forgiving. You don’t have to be at the top of the revs screaming it like an inline-four 600 supersport. Instead, the torque builds strongly from as low as 4,000 rpm and peak torque arrives at around 7,000 rpm. My bike drives smoothly from 7,000 rpm toward the rev-limiter; all I have to do is nudge the quickshifter when the shift lights illuminate.

The infamous (and dangerous) Mountain section is all in one gear, third, which makes life much easier. The front wheel still lifts over the Mountain but it’s controlled. At the end of the start/finish straight the bike is virtually flat in fifth gear, and Park Straight, which isn’t a straight, more of a long arcing curve, is the same or sometimes near-flat in sixth. For a “small” bike, it’s also accommodating and easy to get tucked in, and because it’s not scary fast like a 200 hp superbike I have time to plan and pick a brake marker. In other words: It’s fun to ride.The pace builds. That intensity around me grows. In the wet, I was mid-pack and passing a few riders, but in the dry the fearless youngsters are handing it to me. They are overtaking safely but their aggression, lean angle, and determination are way beyond anything I can muster. It’s impressive to witness up close but I’m at the back. After a quick pit stop to check the times and drink some water, I resolve to try harder and try to put in a fast lap.

I need more aggression, to take more risks… To behave like I’m 18 again, basically. And while I’m not exactly biting the windscreen, I am letting go of the (non-ABS) brakes and carrying more corner speed and lean angle—vital to a bike with 97 hp. But despite riding harder I don’t feel like I’m at the limits of the bike. My toe slider hasn’t touched down, so there’s more ground clearance to come. I’ve not had a moment, a slide, brake fade, or anything scary happen at all. The limitations are not the bike but the jockey on board.By the end of qualifying, I’m exhausted. The bike isn’t hard to ride but Cadwell Park’s corners are relentless, and I’m not as fit as I should be. We’re dead last, 23rd, just 0.4 second behind the rider in 22nd but 7.9 seconds from pole set by Ash Barnes on a Yamaha YZF-R7 with a 1.32.608. Richard Cooper is second on his Triumph Daytona 660 with a 1:32.648. That’s a bloody fast lap time on a bike with less than 100 hp. That time would qualify Cooper in the top 30 in the National Superstock series for 1,000cc machines and just outside the top 20 in the British Supersport series against full-blown 140 hp purpose-built racebikes. I knew the racing would be fast but I am in awe of what top riders can achieve on modified “entry-level” sportbikes.

The annual Cadwell Park round of BSB is one of British motorsport’s great weekends of summer and held in a perfect setting. You can feel the tension in the air as you enter the historic Lincolnshire track. The campsite is packed, the queue of traffic inching through the gates starts building at 7:30 a.m., and by breakfast the stands and grass embankments are filling up with color and race fans. The track itself, old-school narrow and blind, and with 50,000 humans crammed inside, feels even smaller.Around the paddock, it’s almost impossible to move as race fans jostle against BSB stars—and then there is me and my dedicated Macadam Triumph Racing team. I’m so nervous I can hardly eat; my Fitbit tells me my heart rate is soaring and I’ve not even got my leathers on yet. Twelve laps from the back of the grid against some of the fastest and hard-charging young racers in Europe around Cadwell and live on TV… It’s going to be hard work.

Team owner Dave Wadsworth removes the tire warmers, gives me a fist pump, and tells me to just enjoy it. I give him the nod, but behind the dark visor is mild panic. Sure, I have done my fair share of racing at the Isle of Man TT and North West 200 roadraces, but BSB is one of the most competitive environments in racing—and I’m feeling distinctly rusty.

Even the warmup lap feels fast, but we’re soon onto our grid positions ready for the race start. I hold the revs at 7,000-ish rpm, watch the lights, slip the clutch, and get away OK, tapping on the quickshifter. I’ve made a good start and am rubbing shoulders with a pack of maniacs into turn 1. Now I remember why I love racing—this is awesome. All my fears disappear as I focus on staying with the group. After one lap the red flag comes out, there’s a big crash on top of the Mountain, and we all head back to the pits.

For the restart I’m much more relaxed and now we only have 10 laps, not 12, which suits me more. Another clean start sees me passing a few riders into turn 1 and grabbing another into turn 3. The plan is simple: Ride as hard as I can, watch my pit board, and stay with the group. By lap 4 and I’m over a second faster than in qualifying but still don’t feel like I’m on the limit. I’m trying a gear higher in some corners and I’ve reduced the engine-braking to allow the Triumph to flow into the turns with more corner speed. It appears to be working because the Triumph loves corner speed. The setup is relatively basic in racing terms—just the fork kit and new rear shock—but it works. I’m also braking later, which is testimony to the stoppers, which consist of standard calipers with the ABS removed and HEL brake lines, SBS pads, Brembo discs, and a 765 master cylinder. Even after 10 laps of madness there’s no fade, and I’m loving this sweetly balanced Triumph.

But by lap 7 I have lost the tow from the riders dragging me along. I’m on my own and it’s time to bring my 660 home. I’m comfortably 17th and have work tomorrow, not school like most of the field, and just enjoy the last few laps in front of that incredible BSB crowd. My lap times drop by a second to the same as qualifying but now it feels easy. The Daytona is a joy to ride and thrash. I’m using one gear higher in most corners and just letting go of the brakes and carrying the corner speed—which is as pure as it is fun. I’m gutted when the checkered flag comes out, as the dream is over.Postrace VerdictWhat a dream weekend: To turn back the clock and pretend to be a racer again. The pace was fast and brutally hard but the bike made it easy. What PHR, Triumph, and the Macadam team have done is hugely impressive. Transforming a user-friendly standard Daytona 660 into a competitive racebike—which in the hands of my expert teammates is fast enough for mid-pack in the British Supersport series—is a great achievement. And it’s a tribute to Triumph that the 660 can cut incredible lap times using a near-standard engine, frame, swingarm, wheels, and brakes. Tweaking the standard Daytona 660 into a competitive racebike shows the potential of the standard street-biased road bike.

Furthermore, this isn’t only a racebike for the elite. All the parts are available from Triumph via TT-star Peter Hickman’s PHR Performance. Alternatively, you might already own a Daytona 660 and want to tweak it for the road or track—some race parts are available that will fit right on the standard bike, like the fork internals kit, or the rear suspension. It’s certainly opened my eyes to the “entry-level” sportbike class. The Triumph Daytona 660 might be an easygoing road bike, but underneath that friendly smile it has claws.Keys Changes To Make the Streetbike a RacebikeEngine: The charismatic triple remains standard, but is fitted with GB Racing crash covers, plus a sump bolt and oil filler lock to meet race regulations. A full Akrapovič race exhaust and revised fueling increase power to 97 hp at the rear wheel.Components: It’s the detail touches that make it a racebike. There’s a complete gearshift assembly for quickshifter reverse shift; a new brake lever with remote adjuster and mandatory guard; race switch gear, gauges, and a neat complete triple-clamp assembly; and a lightweight 520 race chain with a 15:50 final gearing combination. You even get spare wheels.Bodywork: All standard bodywork is removed, including headlight, indicators, etc. The race package includes a complete full fairing, topsides, bellypan, seat unit, seat pad, tank cover, race screen, and lightweight fairing brackets.Chassis: The main frame and swingarm are standard, however the rear subframe can be replaced. Suspension is controlled by Bitubo, now fully adjustable with a fork kit installed into the standard unit, and a complete new shock. A fully adjustable Bitubo steering damper is also available.Weight: The minimum weight of the bike in the British series is 165 kilograms dry (364 pounds). Our bike tops the scales at just 168 kilograms dry (370 pounds). To keep the racing competitive, the Sportbike class is balanced on weight, throttle (rev limit), and other features to create a level playing field.All details on the race kit can be found on Triumph’s web site, click on race kit under Daytona 660.Want a bike?For those in the UK, PHR Performance can supply a base bike from 17,800 pounds sterling plus VAT (21,350 pounds) or alternatively you can supply the standard Daytona 660 and PHR will transform it into a racebike for 12,000 pounds plus VAT (14,400 pounds).For US customers, refer to the link above for the list of parts. Parts are only available from PHR as they are not homologated for road use. If you have the time and skill, you can produce something similar, depending on budget and the rules of your local racing club. Start with the base bike and progress as you improve, would be our advice to novices.2024 Triumph Daytona 660 Racebike Specs