(IS THIS...) TRIUMPH’S DAYTONA 765?

I’m sweating my nuts off, my adrenaline’s bouncing off the limiter and my head’s pondering whether the stiffy-inducing bike I’ve just been spanking is, in fact, a new Daytona 765. Of course, the bike isn’t called that, and it wasn’t sold to me that way. The invite was to test Triumph’s Moto2 ‘mule’ around Silverstone’s tight and technical Stowe circuit, but there’s not much Moto2 in this particular steed, aside from a few stickers and an ear-obliterating Arrow race system.

The frame’s from a Daytona, so too are the swingarm, the forks, the brakes, electronics and even the dash. Sure, it’s got some race fairings on it, and the larger than life rear wheel looks broader than a chopper’s, but we’re otherwise talking about a Daytona with a Street Triple engine in it; just what we’ve all been calling for, right? Horsepower’s a guessing game, but 135-plus ponies is what’s being bandied around by Triumph, backed up by a knockout 80Nm of torque.